Following yesterday's report by Bloomberg that Apple is planning to debut a smaller, inexpensive iPad by year-end, The Wall Street Journal (an unofficial Apple mouthpiece) on Wednesday cited the obligatory "people familiar with the matter", reporting that Apple's component suppliers in Asia are preparing for mass production of the iPad mini in September. Get your sandpapers ready!
Hot on the heels of analyst-based reports regarding a smaller iPad, Bloomberg is out with its own story this afternoon.
The credible news outlet says that it has received word from people with "knowledge of the plans" that Apple is looking to unveil a 7-8-inch tablet this October...
If you believe the rumor-mill, smaller iPads have been spotted at Apple. And if you believe the usually cred§ible Wall Street Journal, Apple's in fact been developing a shrunken iPad to address the low-to-mid range of the market. And with Amazon's Kindle Fire and now Google's Nexus 7 tablet fighting for these customers, no wonder the iPad mini rumors are beginning to surface all over again...
It was inevitable that after Google's Nexus 7 announcement, the "iPad Mini" rumors would start surfacing again. The 7-inch Asus-branded tablet has garnered quite a bit of attention this week.
Apple has long been believed to be working on its own 7-inch slate, with reports coming from both Apple-insiders and news outlets alike that such a product exists. But will we ever see it?
If this morning's prospects of getting a glimpse at iOS 6 and new Mac hardware aren't exciting enough for you, maybe this will pique your interest. We've come across some photos of what appears to be the rumored 7-inch iPad.
Rumors that Apple is working on an "iPad Mini" have really ramped up in the last 6 months, gaining support from credible news outlets and Apple insiders alike. But so far, we've yet to see any real evidence of the project...
An analyst wrote in a research note today, based on his supply chain checks, that he expected Apple's rumored television set to feature a Kinect-like motion sensing and a new kind of remote that resembles the iPad and relies heavily on touch gestures.
He also believes Apple will launch an iPad mini in September, alongside the next iPhone...
Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster's been insisting repeatedly on his checks with suppliers suggesting Apple will launch the next iPhone in October of this year, even in the face of Qualcomm chip supply issues. We've also heard independent claims of the handset not being finalized yet, but still being set for an October release.
And now, another analyst has chimed in, citing checks with Apple's supply chain in Taiwan that point to a September release rather than October...
This 7-inch iPad seems to be becoming more and more real by the week. Not only has the device been confirmed by industry insiders and other credible sources, but part suppliers are now receiving orders from Apple to build the thing.
Makotakara passes along a report from The Liberty Times, a publication that the site describes as "one of the top four major Taiwan news media," regarding the purported 'iPad Mini.' And it appears that Apple is moving forward with plans to produce the smaller tablet...
As rumors concerning an alleged $200 iPad mini have lately begun picking up considerable steam, industry sources from Apple's supply chain in Asia have chimed in with claims that Taiwanese suppliers are building specialized plants to meet Apple's ever-growing demand for parts and components that go into its iPhone and iPad.
The sources also mention these new production facilities are being constructed in preparation of the iPad mini, said to feature a 7.85-inch display and a low price close to $200.
Apple, which shipped nearly 50 million smartphones and tablets in the first quarter of this year, is responsible for a big chunk of its suppliers' profits.
The Cupertino company controls an estimated two-thirds of the tablet market, though Apple's lead is believed to diminish as Windows 8-based tablets and those running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich arrive later this year...
iMore is out with a new report today, claiming that it has learned from a reliable source that Apple will be going forward with plans to release a 7-inch iPad this fall. The tablet will launch in October, alongside the new iPhone, and cost less than $250.
While it's easy to chalk this up to just another "iPad mini" rumor — we know, there's been a lot of them — it's worth noting that iMore has been fairly accurate in the past with Apple info, most recently nailing the new iPad event date last March...
Citing sources close to Apple's supply chain, Asian hit-and-miss trade publication DigiTimes reported this morning that Apple will launch a sixth-generation iPhone in September, followed by the long-rumored seven-inch iPad mini in August and a fourth-generation iPad in the fourth quarter of this year.
According to the report, Pegatron has reportedly landed orders for the next iPhone while Foxconn is said to manufacture the seven-inch iPad mini, presumably designed to tackle the lower-end of the tablet market currently occupied by Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire tablet...
In a note to investors today, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said that it was a "question of when, not if" Apple would release the rumored 7.85-inch iPad. He believes it would make strategic sense for it to expand its tablet family.
"A smaller iPad would be the competition's worst nightmare," he explained. Apple's competitors are already having trouble beating the company on price at $399 and $499. They wouldn't stand a chance against a $299 tablet...