The iPad mini 2 release date is more likely to be around Q4 2013, just in time for the small iPad anniversary. That is based on the recent pronouncements of Apple CEO Tim Cook himself. The long waiting period has different effects on eager buyers. Some of them are still waiting patiently. Some are swept away by the competition, particularly the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. If you couldn't wait to get a new small tablet, you could be the next to switch.

"Our teams are hard at work on some amazing new hardware, software, and services that we can't wait to introduce this fall and throughout 2014," Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said on the company's earnings call. This is interpreted by many as a sign that the June release date for the iPhone 5S may all be wishful thinking. In effect, the supposedly subsequent release of iPad mini 2 couldn't be sooner than late Q3 or early Q4. So are you still going to wait for the mini 2?

Here are some of the reasons why other iPad mini 2 shoppers have decided to go for the Galaxy Note 8:

1. Android for a change. Small talks with friends and family sometimes touch upon gadgets and tech news. Occasionally, Apple loyalists are faced with temptations. For instance, an iPhone 5 or iPad mini owner is asked to really look closely into the Note II phablet or the Note 8. It is possible others would find some OS controls more intuitive and user-friendly on Android devices. This is how others are "recruited" into the Android universe.

2. Screen display. As the iPad mini skipped Apple's Retina technology, the Galaxy Note 8 does not come with Samsung's AMOLED display. Still, the Note 8's 1280 x 800 pixels (188 ppi) looks better than the iPad mini's 1024 x 768 pixels (162 ppi).

3. S-Pen. Samsung's S-Pen works beautifully with devices that come with it. There are dedicated apps that work great with the S-Pen, and there are users who just get more creative with it. A tablet buyer who enjoys doodling whatnots would definitely enjoy it.

The reasons mentioned above may have convinced former Apple mini buyers to switch shopping directions. But it is difficult to imagine them not caring anymore for the iPad mini 2 release date. When the next Apple small tablet comes out, chances are buyers will still line up in long queues. That's just how Apple has made an impact on its buyers.

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