Rumors about a new tablet from Apple called the iPad Mini has long been discussed in the Internet. Recently, new pictures showing the design of the iPad Mini have surfaced which further strengthened the rumor that Apple would be releasing the iPad Mini in the market.

iPad Mini Specifications and Features

The new images for the supposed iPad Mini supports the rumor that it would introduce tablets that would have a smaller screen. Rumored specification of iPad Mini includes the following:

  • 7-inch display with 1024 x 768 screen resolution
  • 8GB flash storage
  • New camera location
  • Better battery life
  • Thinner design

The rumored selling price for the iPad Mini is around US$229 and the probable release date would be by October, 2012.

iPad Mini in the Market

A smaller-sized Apple tablet in the form of iPad Mini is said to be Apple's strategy in competing with other 7-inch tablets like Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire. It can also be Apple's strategy of offering a "cheaper" tablet to the market. Industry experts believe that if ever Apple would push through with the iPad Mini, this would totally change the tablet market. Tom Mainelli, a research director at IDC shares this sentiment stating that "If Apple launches a sub-$300, 7-inch product into the market later this year as rumored, we expect the company's grip on this market to become even stronger".

According to IDC, if Apple would go ahead with the launching of iPad Mini, this would mean that Apple's total market share in the tablet market would be above the 60% mark thus having a bigger share in the tablet market. IDC also disclosed that once Apple released the iPad Mini in the market, the forecast sales of iOS in the market would be 67.1 million in 2012 (62.5% market share), 90.1 million units in 2013 (63.1% market share), and 134.9 million in 2016 (60.8% market share). IDC also predicts that total sales for Apple's iPad mini would be around 9.1 million (2012), 20.7 million (2013), and 30.2 million (2016).

Apple's biggest rival in the tablet market are Android-based tablets but the threat from Android would diminish if Apple would be able to control the "lower-end" tablet demand if iPad Mini would push through. Mainelli further explained this analysis remarking that "After a strong surge in 4Q11, Android's fortunes have dimmed in 2012. Apple's continued strength, as well as the economies of scale the company's huge shipment totals engender, continues to make it extremely difficult for other vendors to gain purchase in this market."

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