Thoughts: iPad mini could be big with women

We told you yesterday that The New York Times joined The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg in backing the rumor calling for a smaller, cheaper iPad, affectionately dubbed by the media the iPad mini. But the smaller $249-$299 iPad wouldn’t just give Google’s $199 Nexus 7 tablet a run for its money, it might strike a chord with women similarly to how the first iPod mini music player with its five attractive colors (silver, gold, pink, blue and green) had become big with female buyers…

Wait, Apple’s gonna release iPad mini in a bunch of colors?

I wouldn’t go as far to say it would, but it struck me as indicative what former Apple manager Leslie Grandy told the Times concerning the seven inch form factor and women:

While a seven-inch device is too big for pants pockets, it is a good size for women’s purses.

Come again?

I really do feel like this is the sweet spot for them.

And though Grandy is no longer with Apple (she consults and advises startups), this coming from a former Apple manager has more weight to it than a bunch of quotes from crazypants analyst.

The iPad’s popularity is universal regardless of language, creed, race, age or gender, but there’s no denying that women (and toddlers) are especially loving this device. Asymco analyst Horace Dediu thinks the smaller iPad could strike a chord with the mass market because it’s more suited to media than its bigger brother and fills in better as a pocket e-reader.

And if there’s an argument to be made that a whole bunch of people are passing on the device simply because it’s too large and heavy for ordinary folks to carry around, women should be especially interested in a beautiful light iPad mini for their purses.

Men?

They already carry all sorts of unnecessary items on them all the time, anyway.

Consequentially, something designed to easily slip inside a woman’s purse while looking sleek and sexy could easily hit a nerve among soccer moms, high street girls and chicks in general. Priced attractively and designed stylishly, the iPad mini could even become a fashion item, a must-have if you will.

Look no further than the original iPod mini, whose ultra-portable design and five attractive colors had made it instantly popular with women and youth in general. It was a game-changing product in that it mainstreamed the iPod brand, so sales exploded as a result and Apple cemented its de facto choke hold grip on the music player market which continues to this date.

Could Apple replicate the strategy with the iPad mini? It’s hard to say precisely.

Things are a bit different in tablet space. Apple dominates, but there are two popular alternatives as well: Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Google’s Nexus 7, both undercutting the dominant player substantially.

And don’t dismiss Google’s product lightly. I’m sure it’ll become a smash hit unless it runs into production issues, a very probable scenario should demand continue to be strong this year.

Andy Ihnatko wrote in his glowing Nexus 7 review for Chicago Sun Times that Google’s tablet is by and large the best seven incher out there. Other reviewers seem to agree. He also notes that “a hip-pocket sized tablet computer backed by the fully armed and operational iTunes battle station of apps, music and video would be amazing”.

Notice how he describes the iPad mini as needing a hip appearance in order to make waves (and he isn’t even a soccer mom)? And while the iPad mini will be admittedly worth more than looks, we should keep in mind that looks sells.

Just ask your significant other.

So, the iPad mini, female buyers and women’s purses.

Meet me in comments?