Could a Smaller iPad be on the Horizon?
I love my iPad. I have had it now for almost a year and the more I use it the more I love it. I got an iPhone for Christmas and I was worried that it might affect how much I used my iPad. It turns out, it doesn’t. The two sizes of screens make them both valuable to me for different things. If it is twitter or something quick and on the go, I will usually use the iPhone. For reading or anything a little bit more in depth, I definitely use the iPad. Well really, it is an iPad 2. Now, it appears that Apple might go and complicate things even further for me.
According to geek.com, there is a 7.85 inch iPad in existence at the Apple Labs. This potential iPad would be similar in size to the Kindle Fire. But really, is it necessary? I’m sitting here trying to think… would I have a need for something bigger than an iPhone yet smaller than an iPad…and if so, what would I use it for? My initial response to both of those questions is a resounding NO. It seems to me that an iPad mini would be more of a marketing ploy than something designed for ease of use. Apple has always been about the user experience. The size of the iPhone makes sense for what it is and what it does. The same could be said of the iPad. In fact, I’m sure there were countless discussions, heck even arguments, about the size of the iPad and every other imaginable detail. There is and was a reason for the iPad being the size it is. The main one being, it was the best for the user.
I may be going out on a bit of a limb here but I am going to say that the reason the Kindle Fire exists in its current size is to create an alternative to the iPad. It seems that the marketing of, and quite possibly the development of, the Kindle Fire was aimed at creating a cheaper alternative to the iPad. I’m sure many hours of thought and discussion went into the user experience as well…however, I am going to bet that it wasn’t the overriding focus. If it were, it would have been marketed instead on its own merits instead of as an alternative to the iPad.
So, going back to the iPad mini. I almost feel like Apple would be selling out and falling into the reactionary trap if this were to move beyond the development desk and onto the desks of consumers. When Steve Jobs made his return to Apple he refocused the company by insisting that Apple be the very best at what it does and focus on a few products that they could make the very best of. I hope this legacy continues on with this company. I also hope that if what I’m calling the iPad mini does get released, I’m proven completely wrong! I also recognize that I didn’t think I needed both the iPad and the iPhone. Clearly I was wrong there too. And really, when it comes down to it can there be too many fun Apple gadgets? As long as they maintain the level of innovation and quality, I’ll keep loving them!
Lastly, if you have a Kindle Fire and think it is better than the iPad; I’d love to hear your thoughts below. I haven’t extensively researched this product and am just basing my view on this from their marketing campaigns and from what friends have said about their Kindle Fire tablets. I don’t think it is a bad product. I just think my iPad is better. 
So, with that… let the discussion begin!
Make it a GREAT day!
-Mr. DAPs
Mr. DAPs is the founder of DAPs Magic, the unofficial Disney fan club. He is the editor for DAPs Magic Disney News and posts regularly on DAPs Magic Geeks Corner. He is the co-host of Geeks Corner (www.thegeekscorner.com) and also has a photoblog mrdaps.com. He is a Disney expert and visits Disneyland regularly.
