Apple is out with the iPad Mini and as expected it is shipping soon across the world. Apple first launched the iPad in 2010 with a 9.7″ display. iPhone OS was scaled up to support the 1024×768 resolution of the iPad and subsequently it was renamed to iOS. Apple worked its magic to bring all iPhone compatible apps to the iPad from day 1 by allowing users to view it in 2x the size. Fast forward to 2012, the 3rd generation iPad is out and Apple has over 100,000 apps on the App Store.
Apple is now tapping the smaller screen market with a 7.9″ tablet. When Samsung responded with a 7″ Android tablet in 2010 to counter the Apple iPad, Steve Jobs commented calling 7″ a misfit and Dead-On-Arrival. It did turn true with Android on tablets failing miserably with a phone operating system being stretched to fit larger screens. Is Apple’s response with iPad Mini due to increasing momentum of Android tablets? Because they conceded market to Android in phones with just one iPhone model?
These answers may not be answered, but for now, speculations are welcome on when the iPad Mini would reach India. India has started to get iPad models shortly after its international launch. The iPad 2 and the new iPad came quickly to India. Given international shipments for iPad Mini begins on November 2, it is safe to assume that Apple would release the same in India in mid-December. However given the holiday season rush, there might well be a delay till Jan 2013.
On the pricing front, it is pretty straight forward. The new iPad sells for Rs 31,500 in India. We expect the iPad Mini to retail for INR 20800. Also given the potentially large market in developing nations for a smaller screen iPad, Apple might well give more priority to India interms of both, availability and pricing.