Will the iPad Mini Rain on Google’s Parade?

The iPad Mini is the most anticipated tablet PC these days. A lot of rumors and speculations have made the rounds all over the Internet regarding its specs and its launch date. So far, Apple has been mum on the subject and all we have are leaked photos of “supposed” units, but you cannot really say if it truly is the real thing. The biggest rumor, so far, was that invitation would be sent to members of the press the day of the event that would launch the product. However, October 10 came and went, and no invitations have been sent. 

image credit to zdnet.com

A lot of people said that Apple would not be producing a smaller version of its famous tablet PC, the iPad. However, things have apparently changed, because if we are to believe those leaked pictures, they are now on the verge of introducing the iPad Mini. As expected, everybody is excited, especially vendors that sell Kindle Fire and smaller tablets because it would provide more competition in the market. This competition between the 7-inch tablets could result in the prices of tablet PCs being driven down further and becoming more affordable for the public. 

image credit to droidforums.net

Now that the Google Nexus 7 has been released and the Kindle Fire is on its second generation already, the iPad Mini should have really attractive specs in order to sway those who are planning to catch up with the current leaders of the 7-inch tablet market. One great feature that should work in the iPad Mini’s favor is the Retina screen. If this is present on the device, people will definitely think twice about choosing from among the current crop and wait for it. Of course, if the Cupertino company could keep the price of the device under $250 even for 16GB, then it would be really competitive. Those who sell Kindle Touch will confirm this.

Of course, it helps that the iPad Mini has the Apple brand connected to it. You know fanboys and fangirls of Tim Cook’s company will be first in line to pre-order this product when the time comes. However, for the skeptics who are already sold on purchasing Android-based tablets, the iPad Mini has to prove itself first. Aside from the aesthetics and form factor, the processor, operating system and available storage would play a significant role in the decision making process of the buyer.

Now, the latest rumors are saying that the iPad Mini will only be available with Wi-Fi connectivity. This may be something critics will qualify as a huge fail, although it could just be classified as nitpicking. After all, a majority of tablet PC owners do not really find the 3G/4G connectivity option that useful.

Those who sell Kindle DX 3G are just wishing that the iPad Mini be made available soon. As for the latest items that claim that the product may be delayed again for a month, we can only speculate that this would be advantageous for Apple, so that they can meet what is shaping up to be a huge demand for the device.