Even though speculations on the mini iPad continue to emerge it appears that the sales of the regular-sized Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad have remained strong. Speculations have emerged that offering a smaller version of the tablet gives an indication that sales of the regular-sized iPad are slowing down. Recent reports have suggested that the mini iPad will have a price range of around $249 up to $299.
The supposed smaller iPad will reportedly feature a screen measuring 7.85 inches with a resolution of 1024 by 768. This is the same resolution as the first two versions of the tablet offering of Apple. Reports have also indicated that six million units of the mini iPad will be available once it is launched into the market.
Some industry watchers are bemused at the possibility that Apple will offer the mini iPad, which is around two inches smaller than the regular-sized iPad although a seven-inch version of the tablet will likely go into the same market of the Amazon Kindle Fire.
However the smaller display on the mini iPad may prove to be a challenge for content providers since most of the content is optimized for a larger size. The display on the mini iPad is also bigger compared to the display of smartphones.
The estimated cost of the iPad may also work against the possibility of a smaller-sized iPad. According to iSupply Research, the cost of the Wi-Fi only 16GB model of the iPad 2 is around $245, which is similar to the lower limit of the price range for the mini iPad. Although the smaller screen and battery may result to a reduction on the cost of production, it may be too small to offer flexibility in the pricing of a smaller-sized iPad.
Some industry watchers have indicated that offering the mini iPad into the market may affect the sales of the higher-priced version of the device. This will result to sacrificing the higher profit margin offered by the higher-priced models for the lower profit margin of the smaller-sized device.
Whether Apple will release the mini iPad into the market or not remains to be seen although some industry watchers are puzzled on the strategy of the company with the upcoming version of the device.
