MacRumors reports today that an old iPad rumour has reared its head once again, that of the 7†“mini†iPad. According to a translated story in Taiwan’s United Daily News, Apple has ordered samples of 7.85-inch screens with the same 1024x768 resolution as the current version of the iPad from AU Optronics and LG Display. According to the report, Apple is planning to launch this new iPad mini early next year. In the past, as MacRumors points out, Steve Jobs had always said that he thought 7 inches was simply too small for a high-quality tablet. However, as the story also points out, it is possible that Apple is once again thinking about releasing a smaller, and presumably cheaper, iPad in order to counteract the threat of Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet, which is due to launch in November for $199. MacRumors quotes Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White as saying that according to his sources, Apple is definitely thinking about releasing an iPad mini early next year, specifically to challenge the Kindle Fire. However, White says that the word “mini†is referring more to the price than the size of the tablet, and he predicts that Apple will price it at around $200.
Source: 'iPad Mini' Rumors Revived with Claims of 7.85-Inch Screen - Mac Rumors