The Mac Observer

5.6- and 7-inch iPads Coming

Rumor
4:23 PM, Jul. 13th ET, 2010
TMO Talk (58)
Articles by Author John Martellaro on Twitter Contact Author
Comments (23)

Apple plans to launch a second generation iPad with 5.6-inch (14 cm) and 7-inch (18 cm) screens, according to DigiTimes on Tuesday. The iPads would be more focused on eBooks and less on multimedia.

“The sources noted that 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,” DigiTimes reported. The 9.7-inch model is said to have only minor changes and no camera was mentioned.

This move, if it proves correct, would be very similar to how Apple undercut competition with the original iPod by shipping smaller, less expensive iPods like the nano and shuffle. These appealed to a wider market due to the lower price and served to increase Apple’s market share.

The report also noted comments by their senior analyst that Samsung, a major supplier of OLED panels, can’t even supply their own needs, so it remains unlikely that Apple would be able to switch to OLED panels in smaller iPads sold by the millions.

DigiTimes has not always been on the mark with its insider information, so, as usual, take this rumor with a grain of salt.

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23 Observer Comments

   Actions geoduck said on July 13th, 2010 at 3:32 PM (Edited: 01/26/2012 2:46 PM):

9.7, 7, 5.6, and the iPodTouch. a nice spread.
Add to that the 3cm screen that appeared last week and Apple would have all the bases covered.

This is to the author of this article: unless you are expecting your articles to be read just by citizens of the USA, Liberia and Burma, can you please, from now one, put between parenthesis – using the International System – any unit you use in the vintage imperial system? It will be nice to know the sizes of this iPads in centimeters. THANKS:

I can see the headlines now. You know they’re coming.

Apple releases Min-iPads

Meanwhile the world still buys beer in pints…

   Actions geoduck said on July 13th, 2010 at 4:09 PM (Edited: 01/26/2012 2:46 PM):

US pints (16oz) or Imperial pints (20oz)
smile

   Actions measure this said on July 13th, 2010 at 4:48 PM:

It will be nice to know the sizes of this iPads in centimeters. THANKS:

If you can’t do the conversion yourself, either Google it or find an app to do it.  Problem solved.

   Actions webjprgm said on July 13th, 2010 at 5:19 PM (Edited: 10/21/2011 3:48 PM):

Mike is probably right in a political correctness sense, but I think in a practical sense inches are just fine because conversion is simple.  Do British sites always post inches/miles/gallons?

BTW, no way is there going to be a 3 inch iPad.  But I’ll say 40% chance on the 5/7/9 inch ones.  Maybe next year?

I don’t understand why they’d have 3 models… what’s to differentiate the 7 from the 9 other than screen size?  Will there be memory and/or processor differences as well?  It seems the only way this would really work would be to tie capacity differences to size… only the 9 would have 64 MB, otherwise the smaller ones max out at 32 MB?  Seems like it makes it unnecessarily complicated to choose which one you want.

From the song Seven of Mine by Warp 11...

One minute you’re cruel
And then you’re kind
You gave me a virus, but baby I don’t mind
‘Cause I self destruct when I see your behind
I’ll show you the difference between seven and nine…

   Actions Lee Dronick said on July 13th, 2010 at 6:45 PM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

Meanwhile the world still buys beer in pints…

The metric system has no soul, no poetry.

Even still I buy Two Buck Chuck in 750ml bottles, or if you prefer 0.79251611175 qt bottles smile

I don’t understand why they’d have 3 models… what’s to differentiate the 7 from the 9 other than screen size?

Differentiation by weight?  It matters to some while reading books.

+

In the name of international multi-dimentional relations, I am an American citizen who regularly purchases English-made Tanqueray in as large a bottle as I can find. Not sure the liters/quarts/poetry, but it’s honking BIG, and that works for me. smile

mrmgraphiucs

This is to the author of this article: unless you are expecting your articles to be read just by citizens of the USA, Liberia and Burma, can you please, from now one, put between parenthesis – using the International System – any unit you use in the vintage imperial system? It will be nice to know the sizes of this iPads in centimeters. THANKS:

Umm get a calculator and do the math you lazy a**

@webjprgm…
they already have a 3” ipad. Its called an ipod touch!

   Actions iJack said on July 13th, 2010 at 10:18 PM (Edited: 09/26/2011 1:30 PM):

The metric system has no soul, no poetry.

The meter = 1/40,000,000 of the circumference of the earth measured around the poles.  You don’t think that has poetry?

It’s 3 cm, not 3 inches you dummies! Do the math! Oh wait, you guys can’t…

   Actions Lee Dronick said on July 13th, 2010 at 10:20 PM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

Differentiation by weight?  It matters to some while reading books.

Excellent point. I haven’t handled a Kindle, but the Nook I tried is very light in weight compared to the iPad.

   Actions iJack said on July 13th, 2010 at 10:20 PM (Edited: 09/26/2011 1:30 PM):

I am an American citizen who regularly purchases English-made Tanqueray in as large a bottle as I can find.

Tanqueray is made in Scotland, actually.

   Actions Lee Dronick said on July 13th, 2010 at 10:32 PM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

Tanqueray is made in Scotland, actually.

I’ll be having a wee dram of it before bed.

5.6” & 7” iPads? I want a 13”!

My dad, who is barely able to handle a Mac really wanted an iPad - and for all sorts of reasons. The instant access to a huge range of software was a very big reason, but the biggest reason was the very simple interface. The 10” was just too small for him to read comfortably and the zooming feature just makes it too awkward.

An alternative? Give me an iOS that can run on a Mac.

   Actions bewolff said on July 14th, 2010 at 12:05 AM (Edited: 07/14/2010 3:48 PM):

And soon after it will come out with a 9 centimeter Ipad model which will have mobile telephone capability.  It will be good for making calls, text messaging, and will continue to run the apps that will make it worthwhile. The only draw back is that it might have poor reception which it will mask with suspect coding calculations.  Oh, wait, they have that…

I’ll believe this when I see them. Until then, having all these different sizes of iPads really goes against the simplified lineup ideal Apple has touted since Jobs came back. Unless they offer something to differentiate themselves besides screen size, I don’t see Apple diluting iPod Touch and iPad sales with—not one, but two—devices in between. They would have been rid of the iPod Classic by now if they could get 160GB+ storage into the thinner Touch at a price point they liked.

0.000707070707, 0.000883838384 and 0.00122474747 furlongs

   Actions webjprgm said on July 14th, 2010 at 11:12 AM (Edited: 10/21/2011 3:48 PM):

@Mike Sorry, I meant 3cm, as “Dummy” pointed out.

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