RUMOR: 5.6- and 7-inch iPads for Christmas launch?
The iPad has been an untarnished success for Apple, now it seems the company is set to introduce two new and smaller iPad models, just in time for Christmas!
The usual shady component manufacturing sources (Digitimes) are chattering, saying Apple may be getting services in from Compal Electronics, who may be manufacturing 5.6-inch and 7-inch OLED panels for the future iPads.
The Digitimes sources claimed Apple has “recently placed new iPad orders to Taiwan-based component makers for the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011 with 9.7-inch, 5.6-inch and 7-inch models all included.”
The smaller models will aim at the eBook reader market, the report states, while some slight changes will be made to the current model iPad, which will remain positioned as the most addictive multimedia machine ever (which it is).
However, Digitimes Research senior analyst, Mingchi Kuo, warns that these claims should be taken with a pinch of salt, pointing out that current OLED capacity isn’t great, with Samsung (the largest OLED maker) unable to produce enough panels for its own products. The analyst is also unsure that Compal would want Apple’s orders, as margins are too low.
The rumor does make us wonder if Apple now plans putting a big battle up against Sony and Nintendo in smaller than iPad but larger than iPod touch games console markets. (We wonder if the iPod touch will suddenly become the iPad mini?)
And we reckon Kindle prices will continue to decline.
The iPad has been an untarnished success for Apple, now it seems the company is set to introduce two new and smaller iPad models, just in time for Christmas!
The usual shady component manufacturing sources (Digitimes) are chattering, saying Apple may be getting services in from Compal Electronics, who may be manufacturing 5.6-inch and 7-inch OLED panels for the future iPads.
The Digitimes sources claimed Apple has “recently placed new iPad orders to Taiwan-based component makers for the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011 with 9.7-inch, 5.6-inch and 7-inch models all included.”
The smaller models will aim at the eBook reader market, the report states, while some slight changes will be made to the current model iPad, which will remain positioned as the most addictive multimedia machine ever (which it is).
However, Digitimes Research senior analyst, Mingchi Kuo, warns that these claims should be taken with a pinch of salt, pointing out that current OLED capacity isn’t great, with Samsung (the largest OLED maker) unable to produce enough panels for its own products. The analyst is also unsure that Compal would want Apple’s orders, as margins are too low.
The rumor does make us wonder if Apple now plans putting a big battle up against Sony and Nintendo in smaller than iPad but larger than iPod touch games console markets. (We wonder if the iPod touch will suddenly become the iPad mini?)
And we reckon Kindle prices will continue to decline.
