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Post by artman1033 on Sept 28, 2012 14:33:27 GMT -8
May I offer the following post from DJT aapl Sanity (used with prior permission) as a stepping stone in my discussion of the iPad mini. Why Apple sometimes says "no" - It's what makes Apple, Apple Apple has a history of sometimes saying "no" to certain technology and popular features. And as we all know, the critics have had a field day with these decisions. And as intelligent as the reasons may be, the explanations are rarely understood, much less accurately reported by much of the Press.
That's why it's important that we understand them. Here are a few.
1. Switching from PPC chips to Intel chips in 2006. Apple had to switch, because IBM and Motorola weren't putting enough resources behind developing the PPC chip. Plus the lack of compatibility with third party software developers was leaving Apple behind. Fortunately OSX could be designed to work on both, so the transition went amazingly smoothly.
2. No Flash on iOS. As Steve Jobs repeatedly explained to an unconvinced Press, Flash was an old technology that Adobe (which bought Flash from Macromedia), wasn't updating to work well on mobile devices.The number one reason for system crashes was Flash. Apple had no choice. It could not launch a new product as important as the iPhone if it was prone to crash. It could not allow the future success of the iPhone (and later iPad) to be held hostage to Adobe. Today, Adobe has chosen to no longer even develop Flash.
3. The latest, Apple's map app. Apple had no choice but to create their own mobile maps app because Google was not developing an iOS version of their map app with features as good as their directly competitive Android verion. Apple could not allow its iOS devices to be held hostage by Google.
4. Switching to a smaller iOS device connector, AND from Firewire to the brand new Thunderbolt connection. By switching to much smaller, faster and better designed connection standards, Apple can make its devices smaller and more energy efficient. That's what consumers want. Yeah, consumers will need to buy adaptors for legacy devices, but Apple is the company that pushes technology forward. Just as Richard Dreyfus narrated in their famous "Think Different" TV commercial.
At first, Apple may not be very popular with some of these updates. But that's the price of progress. If not them, who?
As a shareholder I don't mind, Apple's stock price pays for them.I will now add on to DJT's discussion points: 5. My beloved MacBook. Apple no longer makes a MacBook laptop. Apple must have decided the MacBook Air, iPad, and MacBook Pro is simply ENOUGH. 6. What happened to the slot where you put the DVD into? (8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)) Apple decided to SAVE maybe $40 per laptop and ELIMINATE it. They have appeased the masses with an external store.apple.com/us/product/MD564/apple-usb-superdrive for JUST $79.00 MORE. Apple now makes $40 MORE per MacBook in PURE profit. 7. No Nano iPhone. "Toni the Tool" was pontificating in 2009 that Apple needed a Nano iPhone. Apple has responded by pricing the previous year's model as the "inexpensive" iPhone. 8. No mini iPad. The iPad2 fills this need @$399 along with 12 different new iPod touch @$299 and $399. The new iPod touch ships "IN OCTOBER". Some folks think there will be an iPad mini event in the next few weeks. Apple is run by a logistics/bottom line guy. I say the iPad mini will not happen.What say you?
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Post by Tetrachloride on Sept 28, 2012 15:40:19 GMT -8
The lack of iPad Mini would be a gross miscalculation by Apple.
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Post by tradermac on Sept 28, 2012 19:52:59 GMT -8
All valid points and I agree. Apple will say no to old technologies and move where the puck is going.
But I believe the iPad mini doesn't fall into those arguments. We all know tablet computing is the future and is still in the early stages of growth. It is not something that is soon to be obsolete. We still don't know what the demand is out there for the different form factors, from ipod touch size to the 7 inchers to the 9.7 inchers. I agree with Tetra that missing out on the 7-8 inch form factors is indeed a gross miscalculation by Apple. They can't afford to let the competition slip through by leaving this space wide open.
Think Halo effect. Ever since the iPhone inception, it has been the gateway drug to the Apple ecosystem. I am sure it has converted countless numbers of PC users. I feel the same way with the iPad. Allowing the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire to dominate this space is leaving the door wide open for the Halo effect to move to Amazon's or Google's ecosystems. A sale to those devices is a lost sale to iPad and Apple's ecosystem. So just because we have an iPod touch and the "affordable" iPad 2 in Apple's line up does not mean there is not room for another form factor. The competition out there is way too fierce for Apple to give up any ground.
Perhaps the absence of any news related to iPad mini is Tim doubling down on secrecy. Then "boom", out of no where, we get the invites. I believe there will be an iPad mini.
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Post by mbeauch on Sept 28, 2012 20:35:32 GMT -8
I do not. I do not think there is a place for it price wise. I have seen the smaller tablets, I just don't care for them. I think the ipad is perfect in size. The one thing I have always felt is that Apple would not sell a device that does not give the full experience of an ipad. I do not think said device can be made and Apple still have a decent GM. I also feel that Google and Amazon are trying to get Apple to cannibalize itself. I do not think it is in the shareholders best interest to undermine its future. Does Samsung have a 7 inch tablet? All I see are commercials for the Galaxy Tab 10.1. I think Samsung would have built the smaller tablet if that is where they felt the future would be. I still feel the smaller tablets are just a stepping stone to an ipad.
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Post by mjuarez on Sept 28, 2012 21:40:12 GMT -8
The lack of iPad Mini would be a gross miscalculation by Apple. I agree with tradermac and 4cl. I don't believe Apple and Tim Cook would allow a gap in the market like that to go underserved. With the iPod, they recognized the market's big potential, and they aggressively came out with the Mini, then the Nano, then the Shuffle. They had the lead position, and they never rested on their laurels, they never let go. I believe the iPad is the same thing, just 10 years later, and levels of magnitude bigger. Steve Jobs and Apple recognized this by announcing the price point at $500. NOBODY expected that. It was a bold announcement, setting the bar so high that nobody else even attempted to come out with anything similar for over a year. Before that, people were talking about a "low-end" $800 device, and maybe a $1,200 one. It caught the entire industry by surprise, and even though there were naysayers, 2 years later, it still has a 70%+ market share, and it's the product that's changing entire industries and replacing the PC for many, many uses. A big reason for this was how aggressive they were on the pricing. I believe Apple recognizes that now is the time to start blanketing the market, introducing iPads at multiple sizes. The second-tier companies tried their best, the market has voted, and all we have is a collective "meh". Apple will be fashionably late, coming out with the perfect product, best screen/battery/etc, best app ecosystem out there, priced slightly higher than expected ($299 WiFi, $350 for 3G is my guess), and it will still sell tens of millions during the holiday quarter. My guess it will be THE gift for the holidays. No risk in thinking that it will be obsolete soon, because it was just announced. And if, over the long term, it cannibalizes some of iPad's sales, so be it. We all know Apple is not afraid of that. I do not believe Apple will let go of this huge opportunity to keep their lead in the tablet market. I think the possibility of iPad Mini happening next month is very close to 100%.
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Post by tradermac on Sept 28, 2012 21:53:49 GMT -8
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Post by drewbear on Sept 28, 2012 21:58:07 GMT -8
Samsung fields a 7", 8.9" and 10.1" tablet. None of them garnered much excitement because they were priced competitive to the iPad. Basically they're too expensive.
The recent 7" tablets from Google, Amazon and Barnes & Noble grabbed attention because they were sub-$200. Unlike the first iterations, these devices also have some technical merit. What they lack is quality apps. They also lack content outside the U.S.
The question is whether they can sell enough units to spur developers to create those apps. I think Google has a slight chance to do so, but does Apple think likewise? If they do, then they will release the iPad mini. I believe this competition with Google is personal, not business. They want to hit Google any way they can.
The mini will probably match the new iPod touch's $299 price point. But in order to pay for the larger screen and battery, other specs will need to be lowered. Less storage, lower screen resolution, lower quality cameras and possibly less RAM. Performance-wise, the iPad mini will be more like the iPad 2 rather than the newest iPod or iPhone.
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Post by artman1033 on Sept 29, 2012 7:07:19 GMT -8
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Post by BillH on Sept 29, 2012 7:10:25 GMT -8
I don't believe price has much to do with the decision as to whether to market an iPad mini. People won't buy a 12 cup coffeemaker when it's the same price as an 8 cup if the 8 cup serves there needs better. So it will be with the new iPad.
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Post by Tetrachloride on Sept 29, 2012 7:16:52 GMT -8
I do not. I do not think there is a place for it price wise. I have seen the smaller tablets, I just don't care for them. A recent visit to Staples display was educational. The black and white Kindle was especially repulsive. That said, I'm looking forward to new iPod touch. The iPad is not in my personal roadmap unless I have an IT earthquake. iPad Mini would fit me in most aspects.
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Post by tradermac on Sept 29, 2012 7:46:29 GMT -8
I don't believe price has much to do with the decision as to whether to market an iPad mini. People won't buy a 12 cup coffeemaker when it's the same price as an 8 cup if the 8 cup serves there needs better. So it will be with the new iPad. +1000
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Post by mbeauch on Sept 29, 2012 10:02:24 GMT -8
I don't believe price has much to do with the decision as to whether to market an iPad mini. People won't buy a 12 cup coffeemaker when it's the same price as an 8 cup if the 8 cup serves there needs better. So it will be with the new iPad. Not sure which angle you are looking at. I agree people would buy the smaller cheaper ipad which would undermine Apple's revenue growth and EPS growth. People migrate to lower cost then justify in their own mind that the perceived value is equal, the trad-offs. I think the best example of this is the 3gs. To begin with it started at $99, then $49, then free. I have to say, for someone to think that getting that phone for "free" compared to the 4S at $199 was just not logical. Heck, you lost 8g in space.
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Post by artman1033 on Sept 29, 2012 12:31:35 GMT -8
From the NYT in 2002: Mr. Jobs and Apple decline to confirm those plans. But industry analysts see evidence that Apple is contemplating what inside the company is being called an ''iPhone.'' www.nytimes.com/2002/08/19/business/apple-s-chief-in-the-risky-land-of-the-handhelds.html?pagewanted=all&src=pmAmong the evidence, they say, is recent behind-the-scenes wrangling between Palm and Apple over linking Palm's own devices to Apple's new operating system -- apparently with little cooperation on Apple's part. Analysts also cite Apple's deal with Pixo, the tiny company that designed the software for Apple's popular iPod MP3 music player; that deal includes a license for Apple to use Pixo's software with a second product. And analysts note that the presence of a variety of features in the new Macintosh OS software that would make more sense in a hand-held device than a desktop computer. ''When you connect the dots, you end up at a phone,'' said Charles Wolf, a financial analyst who follows Apple for Needham & Company. Compared with the Newton, which was delivered prematurely in 1993 to a market not yet ready for such products, Apple's new device would reach a field in which other companies have already plowed the ground -- including giants like Microsoft, Nokia and Motorola, as well as start-ups like Handspring and Danger. This crowded field could pose risks for Apple, if its product were seen to fall short of the competition. And yet, entering an already established market could give Mr. Jobs the opportunity to show off his and Apple's vaunted innovation and marketing skills. Certainly, Apple's push into the market for a hand-held communicator would be an abrupt departure for Mr. Jobs, who continues publicly to disavow talk of such a move. But analysts and people close to the company say that the plan is under way and that the evidence is manifest in the features and elements of the new version of the Macintosh operating system. Mr. Jobs -- who was a co-founder of Apple and handpicked Mr. Sculley as its president, only to be forced out by him in 1985 -- returned five years ago when the company was on the brink of collapse. In a remarkable turnaround effort, Mr. Jobs has taken pains to distance Apple from the Sculley-Newton legacy. He canceled the Newton soon after returning and has pooh-poohed the industry's personal digital assistants as ''junk'' and worse. Behind the scenes, though, Mr. Jobs has been actively exploring the computing world beyond the desktop. Soon after he arrived back at Apple, for example, he attempted to buy Palm for $1 billion, according to a Silicon Valley executive familiar with the offer. Palm rejected the idea, this executive said. Now, with the release of the newest version of the Macintosh operating system, Mr. Jobs appears intent on taking Apple itself into the hand-held market. The move would play into Apple's so-called digital hub strategy, in which the Macintosh desktop computer is the center of a web of peripheral devices. The highly anticipated Macintosh OS X, Version 10.2, which began shipping on the company's newest computers last week, will go on sale for existing Macintosh users on Saturday. While the software is being marketed as an improvement for desktop computer users, it could have just as big a future in powering a yet-to-be announced Apple hand-held computer-phone. Mr. Jobs continues to be coy. He insists that he still dislikes the idea of the conventional personal digital assistant, saying that the devices are too hard to use and offer little real utility. But a telephone with personal digital assistant features is another matter. ''We decided that between now and next year, the P.D.A. is going to be subsumed by the telephone,'' he said last week in an interview. ''We think the P.D.A. is going away.'' And even while protesting that the company had no plans to introduce such a device, he grudgingly acknowledged that combining some of Apple's industrial design and user-interface innovations would be a good idea in a device that performed both phone and computing functions. A look at the laundry list of features in the company's new version of OS X indicates that a computer-phone is much more than a vague idea for Apple. Of the 12 new OS X features the company has been emphasizing on its Web site, most would be desirable for a hand-held phone, including chat capabilities, mail, an address book, calendar features, automatic networking and a synchronization feature that will become available in September. And several of the features, including the company's handwriting-recognition technology and Sherlock information-retrieval program, would be much more relevant to a small, portable device than to a desktop computer. Sherlock in particular has been repositioned in a way that would make it a perfect counterpart for a portable phone. Its original purpose, which was finding files and content on the computer's local disk, has been transformed into a more general ''find'' utility program. Now, Sherlock is being extended to search for types of information like airline and movie schedules and restaurant locations. The software can display maps and driving directions. But details of the plan are unlikely to emerge from Mr. Jobs or his team before Apple is ready to introduce a new product. The company, which in the 1980's and 90's was known among reporters as ''a ship that leaks from the top,'' is now obsessive about guarding the secrecy of its future products. All Mr. Jobs would say on the matter was that the cellphone computers already on the market fall far short, and that some of the user-interface and industrial design touches already evident in the iPod would be perfect for an improved, consumer-friendly version of such a product. An Apple phone could be a particularly tempting product for Mr. Jobs, giving him the opportunity to overcome Mr. Sculley's largest failure. He could also rectify the Newton's single biggest shortcoming: the device's inability to communicate easily with the Macintosh desktop computer. Apple has already begun offering Bluetooth local wireless networking technology for peripheral devices, a feature that would make it simple to share information between a phone and a computer. Furthermore, the cost of adding phone capabilities to palmtop computers is falling rapidly. ''It's easier and easier for a company like Apple to go to a Taiwanese manufacturer for wireless telephone components,'' said David Carey, chief executive of Portelligent, a technical market research company based in Austin, Tex. He said the parts required for adding advanced cellular capabilities to a device now cost as little as $50. Of course, that is why Mr. Jobs's greatest challenge with an iPhone might be elbowing his way into a crowded marketplace, where other companies already have supplier and manufacturing relationships in place. ''There's no question that Apple could design a cool phone,'' said Andy Neff, a Bear, Stearns analyst in New York. ''The key is being able to build an infrastructure.''
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Post by artman1033 on Sept 30, 2012 13:43:58 GMT -8
To be fair, I will post the following. I have highlighted a very troubling paragraph. Pegatron expected to ship 3 million iPad minis in Q4: Barclays 2012/09/30 14:53:48 Taipei, Sept. 30 (CNA) Taiwanese contract maker Pegatron Corp.'s non-notebook computer business would continue to drive its sales growth in the second half of 2012 despite the low initial yield rate of Apple Inc.'s smaller iPad, British bank Barclays Plc said recently. In a research note dated Sept. 27, Barclays said it expected Pegatron to ship 3 million units of the iPad mini in the fourth quarter, which would result in revenues of NT$16.2 billion (US$552.4 million) or an 8 percent hike in its current sales forecast for the period. Barclays had originally forecast that Pegatron would assemble 70 percent of the total iPad mini production this year, but the ratio was revised down to only 30 percent because of Pegatron's likely yield rate issue, the bank said. "Unlike Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Pegatron lacks the experience for tablet assembly, which has a long learning curve," Kirk Yang, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Barclays, wrote in the note. In particular, the new iPad mini is expected to have a narrower bezel allowing for a larger screen in the 7.85-inch form factor, causing a relatively lower assembly yield rate than the 9.7-inch iPad version, Yang said. Taiwan's Hon Hai, which was currently the exclusive assembler of iPads, would assemble 6 million to 7 million units of the iPad mini, or 60 percent of the total allocation for 2012, he added. Although Barclays' analysis suggested that the mass production of iPad minis had been delayed to October from September on account of supply constraints of some key components, Yang believed Apple would not postpone its iPad mini launch."As most iPad component vendors ramp up shipments in September that would continue into the fourth quarter of 2012, we do not see any signs of a postponed shipment schedule, suggesting an on-time October product launch," he noted. In addition, Yang forecast Pegatron's non-Apple tablet shipments to grow by 29 percent year-on-year to 4 million units in 2012, helped by new orders from software giant Microsoft Corp., U.S. bookstore chain Barnes & Noble Inc. and some white-box makers. A white-box tablet is a model without a registered brand name, which is usually cheaper than branded tablets and is expected to gain traction among price-sensitive consumers. Barclays maintained its "overweight" stock rating on Pegatron with a target price of NT$47 (US$1.6). Shares of Pegatron closed 2.28 percent higher at NT$38.15 on Friday in Taipei. (By Jeffrey Wu) ENDITEM/Shradhha focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aECO&ID=201209300004
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Post by BillH on Sept 30, 2012 18:50:20 GMT -8
I don't believe price has much to do with the decision as to whether to market an iPad mini. People won't buy a 12 cup coffeemaker when it's the same price as an 8 cup if the 8 cup serves there needs better. So it will be with the new iPad. Not sure which angle you are looking at. I agree people would buy the smaller cheaper ipad which would undermine Apple's revenue growth and EPS growth. People migrate to lower cost then justify in their own mind that the perceived value is equal, the trad-offs. I think the best example of this is the 3gs. To begin with it started at $99, then $49, then free. I have to say, for someone to think that getting that phone for "free" compared to the 4S at $199 was just not logical. Heck, you lost 8g in space. I'm saying the use case trumps the price issue. I quit buying the Accord when it turned into a mid size as a smaller vehicle suits my needs better. I'm willing to pay as much (or more) for a smaller vehicle that doesn't sacrifice amenities. Same thinking applies to the smaller iPad. Some would undoubtably find the smaller form factor MORE useful and be willing to pay for it as if it were larger. There will always be those that base decisions on raw tonnage of course. I expect Samsung to fulfill that market with a 13" tablet sooner than later.
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Mav
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Post by Mav on Sept 30, 2012 18:54:40 GMT -8
Well, you _will_ (see: Toyota Corolla without a V6 option, smaller iPad with reduced performance/lower-res screen), but you might not notice or care much. I'm convinced there's a use case for smaller tablets. Eddy Cue was convinced, and I'm pretty sure Apple is convinced. IMHO, it's just a question of whether a smaller iPad is in the queue for this year.
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Post by davidcv100 on Oct 1, 2012 6:19:59 GMT -8
October 01, 2012 Barclays Bank Forecasts 9 Million iPad mini units for 2012www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2012/10/barclays-bank-forecasts-9-million-ipad-mini-units-for-2012.html Research notes from British bank Barclays show that Apple is still on target to release the iPad mini in 2012 and should sell up to 9 million units. Production in one plant has reduced the number of iPads that were expected for the year. British bank Barclays reports that Taiwan's Pegatron has an initial yield rate of Apple's smaller iPad that is low. In a research note dated Sept. 27, Barclays said it expected Pegatron to ship 3 million units of the iPad mini in the fourth quarter. Barclays had originally forecast that Pegatron would assemble 70 percent of the total iPad mini production this year, but the ratio was revised down to only 30 percent because of Pegatron's likely yield rate issue, reports Focus Taiwan. "Unlike Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Pegatron lacks the experience for tablet assembly, which has a long learning curve," Kirk Yang, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Barclays, wrote in the note. In particular, the new iPad mini is expected to have a narrower bezel allowing for a larger screen in the 7.85-inch form factor, causing a relatively lower assembly yield rate than the 9.7-inch iPad version, Yang said. Taiwan's Hon Hai, which was currently the exclusive assembler of iPads, would assemble 6 million to 7 million units of the iPad mini, or 60 percent of the total allocation for 2012, he added. Although Barclays' analysis suggested that the mass production of iPad minis had been delayed to October from September on account of supply constraints of some key components, Yang believed Apple would not postpone its iPad mini launch. "As most iPad component vendors ramp up shipments in September that would continue into the fourth quarter of 2012, we do not see any signs of a postponed shipment schedule, suggesting an on-time October product launch," he noted. Nationalism Running High in TaiwanOther news from Taiwan this morning is that Taiwan's information Minister and government spokesman faced heavy criticism for posting a picture of an iPhone on his Facebook page. Trying to avoid uproar, the minister stated that he didn't yet possess the iPhone and was only considering it. Nationalism is running high in Taiwan of late. In mid-August we reported that Taiwan's Economics Minister Shih Yen-shiang urged the public to show more support for HTC Corp., a Taiwanese smartphone maker. The Minister stated that the public should cherish the country's own brand." In late 2011, the Premier of Taiwan even took a shoot at Apple. The latest incident with Taiwan's information minister over the weekend was in context to an outcry for supporting HTC. At the end of the day, we fully understand the Minister's lust for the iPhone 5 and his need to conceal it from the stance the Taiwanese government is taking. I say – Enjoy your iPhone 5, Minister Hu Yu-wei – you're only human.
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Post by Lstream on Oct 1, 2012 7:16:21 GMT -8
I wonder how all of Apple's supply chain partners in Taiwan feel about this nationalism nonsense?
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Post by davidcv100 on Oct 1, 2012 8:29:05 GMT -8
Rumor: iPad mini invitations set to be mailed out Oct. 10 By Philip Elmer-DeWitt October 1, 2012: 12:23 PM ET
That would suggest an Oct. 17 unveiling with sales to begin in early November
FORTUNE -- This is a rumor we have no reason to believe except it comes from a major Apple (AAPL) investor who says he's heard it from "multiple sources." According to our source, who asked not be named, there appears to be some truth to the widespread rumors that Apple is preparing to launch a smaller and cheaper version of the iPad -- often called the iPad mini or iPad air and usually described as having a 7.85-inch screen. What our source adds is the specificity of a date: The press, he says, can expect invitations to go out on Oct. 10. If the rumor is true, and if Apple follows its usual scheduling protocol, that would suggest a special event to unveil the product on Wednesday, Oct. 17, with a launch day of Friday Nov. 2 -- plenty of time to capture holiday sales. Apple has not commented on the rumor, which is not surprising given that the company has never uttered a word in public -- one way or the other -- about its future tablet product plans.
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Post by moltenfire on Oct 1, 2012 8:51:45 GMT -8
Now we wait for the loop to confirm.
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Post by davidcv100 on Oct 1, 2012 11:40:16 GMT -8
Fwiw, more iPad Mini rumors . . .
Monday, October 01, 2012, 15:15 pm Rumor: 'iPad mini' production now underway in Brazil By Katie Marsal
With an official unveiling expected this month, Apple is said to be currently building "iPad mini" units at a Foxconn factory in Brazil.
Citing an unnamed source, Japanese blog Macotakara reported on Monday that production of the iPad mini is currently underway at a Brazilian factory. It was not known whether units were also being built in China, where most of Apple's devices are assembled.
The source also reportedly said that the final production unit does not have a microphone hole on the back side of the case. The new iPhone 5 added a microphone between the rear-facing camera and flash on the back of the unit, and mockups of Apple's smaller iPad also showed a rear mic.
Monday's report didn't identify Foxconn by name, but the company is responsible for assembling the majority of Apple's products, and opened a new factory in Brazil earlier this year.
Rumors first surfaced in July that Apple would produce its 7.85-inch iPad at a Foxconn factory in Brazil starting in September. The same website reported over the summer that production would begin in time for a fall launch.
The latest report continues a flurry of iPad mini related news that has surfaced on Monday. Earlier reports pegged a possible Oct. 17 event to unveil the anticipated device, while a mockup of the rumored product was compared to a Google Nexus 7 and an Amazon Kindle Fire HD.
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Post by artman1033 on Oct 1, 2012 13:36:15 GMT -8
here is an observation from a comment to the above article in macrumors:
The brazil factory just does final assembly to reduce the cost of the product in high tariff Brazil. The story makes no sense if all the iPad minis are to be made there. So it is either that there is a first run there for security reasons (stop the leaks) or the story isn't true.
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Post by davidcv100 on Oct 1, 2012 14:01:19 GMT -8
here is an observation from a comment to the above article in macrumors: The brazil factory just does final assembly to reduce the cost of the product in high tariff Brazil. The story makes no sense if all the iPad minis are to be made there. So it is either that there is a first run there for security reasons (stop the leaks) or the story isn't true.And, in further support of your post . . . Why it wouldn’t make sense for Apple to use Brazil as a production hub for the ‘iPad mini’1ST OCTOBER 2012 by ANNA HEIM thenextweb.com/apple/2012/10/01/why-wouldnt-make-sense-apple-use-brazil-production-hub-ipad-mini/?awesm=tnw.to_k53C&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=social%20media&utm_medium=SpreadusAccording to MacRumors, a source told the Japanese blog Macotakara that ‘iPads mini’ are being produced in Foxconn’s Brazilian factory. Yet, there are several elements that lead us to think this wouldn’t make sense for Apple. As a matter of fact, the main reason why Foxconn is assembling some iPhones and iPads in Brazil is to escape the country’s heavy taxes on imported electronics.
Still, Brazil remains a secondary, local-oriented production hub for Apple and its subcontractor. Despite the tax breaks the Taiwanese manufacturer obtained from Brazil’s local authorities, it only relocated part of its production in the country – and not for the most recent technologies and products.
For instance, Foxconn’s iPhone production in Brazil reportedly stops at the iPhone 4S. In addition, the Brazilian government has been complaining that Foxconn is only planning to produce LCD/LED screens in its upcoming $500m Brazilian industrial park, rather than more modern OLED ones.
While this is certainly frustrating from the government’s perspective, it’s not hard to see why Foxconn still prefers to produce in China. The answer is very simple: production costs. Although Foxconn’s Brazilian employees earn more than their Chinese counterparts, they recently threatened to go on strike due to to poor working conditions.
More generally, it is expensive to produce and distribute goods in Brazil – and the reasons for this so-called Brazil Cost go well beyond taxes. As we reported, it results from several factors, including poor transportation infrastructure and many hidden costs, which means it can’t be fixed solely by tax waivers.
In this context, it would be surprising to see Foxconn use Brazil as a global production hub for Apple’s upcoming tablet. However, it will be interesting to see if the ‘iPads mini’ sold in the country will be manufactured locally when they hit the shelves.
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Post by rutgersguy92 on Oct 1, 2012 16:30:28 GMT -8
That looks like one of those fake TVs you often find in a furniture store, made of cardboard and plastic, put in to serve as an ornament for a dresser or TV stand. I too think the Mini is coming, but that YouTube video wouldn't convince me of that.
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Post by adamthompson32 on Oct 1, 2012 17:35:22 GMT -8
The lack of iPad Mini would be a gross miscalculation by Apple. I completely agree. The author's point about iPad Mini focuses on price point being covered by the iPad 2. I don't mean to be harsh, but that's idiotic. It's all about hitting multiple screen sizes, not multiple price points. Sure, Apple may like having products at various price points, but that is largely going to be a function of hitting multiple screen sizes in the touch computing market. Anyone who thinks an iPad Mini isn't coming at this point is obviously blind to everything being leaked today but also blind to sound business strategy in this burgeoning market.
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JDSoCal
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Post by JDSoCal on Oct 1, 2012 22:24:42 GMT -8
The lack of iPad Mini would be a gross miscalculation by Apple. I completely agree. The author's point about iPad Mini focuses on price point being covered by the iPad 2. I don't mean to be harsh, but that's idiotic. It's all about hitting multiple screen sizes, not multiple price points. Sure, Apple may like having products at various price points, but that is largely going to be a function of hitting multiple screen sizes in the touch computing market. Anyone who thinks an iPad Mini isn't coming at this point is obviously blind to everything being leaked today but also blind to sound business strategy in this burgeoning market. Exactly. Glad to see you being intelligent again, Adam. You know, people, Honda sells motorcycles and cars that are roughly the same price. If they didn't, Yamaha and Kawasaki and Suzuki would sell more motorcycles. Better to risk cannibalizing your own products than having someone else do it.
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Post by mbeauch on Oct 2, 2012 5:24:41 GMT -8
If it is announced on the 17th, why would it be 2 weeks? Is this the reason for the move to Thursday? At this point I will take anything to help with AAPL
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Post by artman1033 on Oct 2, 2012 5:44:02 GMT -8
Is there still a screen shortage? The new iPod touch STILL does not show a shipping date. And folks say Apple is coming out with a NEW product, with a NEW screen size.
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Post by davidcv100 on Oct 2, 2012 6:44:59 GMT -8
AU Optronics reportedly building 'iPad mini' screens ahead of November launchBy Sam Oliver appleinsider.com/articles/12/10/02/au-optronics-reportedly-building-ipad-mini-screens-ahead-of-november-launchApple is said to have tapped AU Optronics to build displays for its 7.85-inch iPad, reportedly set to hit the market in November. The details were published on Tuesday by sometimes-accurate industry publication DigiTimes. Citing unnamed sources in Taiwan, they said that AU Optronics recently landed orders to provide displays for Apple's so-called "iPad mini." Apple is expected to hold a media event this month to unveil its new, smaller iPad. One rumor published on Monday claimed that the company is planning to send out invitations to the media on Oct. 10, which would suggest the event itself would be held a week later on Wednesday, Oct. 17. If those dates prove true, it would imply a late October or early November launch for the iPad mini, based on Apple's previous timeframes for product launches. AU Optronics has previously been identified as a potential supplier for Apple's rumored iPad mini. One report from August also suggested that LG Display Co. would build 7.85-inch screens for the new iPad. It's expected that Apple's smaller iPad will feature a screen resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels, which is the same resolution as the iPad 2 and would allow iPad applications to run without modification. But the same number of pixels would be packed into a smaller 7.85-inch screen, making it a higher resolution display than the iPad 2, which currently sells for $399.
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Post by hellojapan on Oct 2, 2012 7:27:54 GMT -8
I don't understand where all of the concern for overlapping price points is coming from. There are plenty of Apple products with overlapping prices. You can get an iPad or a Mac Mini for the same price. You can get a iMac and a MacBook Pro for the same price. A 13-inch MacBook Pro is the same price as a 13-inch MacBook Air.
Who cares if the 4-inch iPod and the iPad mini are both priced at 299? They are different devices with different use cases and people want them for different reasons. The iPad mini will not fit in your pocket, will not have a retina display and will probably have a worse camera or no camera.
The iPad mini is a crucial step in continuing to own the education market, being in every restaurant as a menu replacement, solidifying dominance in industries like airlines, and it is more practical than the iPad anywhere where stand-up computing is required.
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