Wondering what a 7.85-inch iPad Mini might look like, or how it might feel in your hands? MacRumors has worked with CiccareseDesign to produce a mockup, as well as a true-to-size model of the device that you can print out and handle for yourself.
The question lingers as to whether Apple will actually release a smaller version of the iPad. Judging by Steve Jobs’ prior assertion that a 7-inch tablet wouldn’t provide a good user experience, it seems unlikely:
We’re not not making a 7-inch tablet because we don’t want to hit a lower price point. We just believe it’s too small to hit the user experience people want. When we make decisions, it’s not about cost, it’s about value when you factor in the software. We’re all about the best products at aggressive prices.
He even famously stated during a Q4 2010 conference call that users would have to sand down their fingers to make the experience work:
It’s meaningless unless your tablet also includes sandpaper, so that the user can sand down their fingers to around one quarter of their present size
That being said, there’s a lingering idea that Apple will need to directly compete with the Kindle Fire, although Apple’s never gone out of their way to directly compete with other manufacturers before, especially when it comes to their product design, and the Kinde Fire has ranked poorly on usability reports as a result of the smaller “cramped” screen.
In the end, user experience and content are more important factors – and Apple has consistently proven that they are very good in both of these areas. Adjusting the price of the iPad 2 once the iPad 3 is released could also provide a significant boost.
What are your thoughts? Would a 7-inch iPad be “dead on arrival,” or is a smaller version of the iPad something that Apple might actually produce?
Head on over to MacRumors to download their printable scale-model of a 7.85-inch iPad mini and find out for yourself if you’d find it acceptable.