‘No Reason Other Than Form Factor’

Vincent Messina, Cult of Android:

Instead of going for the jugular, Apple jumped into shark infested waters with a 7.9-inch, 1024 × 768, 16GB tablet priced at $329. Sure, it’s Apple, but it’s almost $100 more than the 32GB Nexus 7, it’s over $100 more expensive than the Kindle Fire HD, $29 more expensive than the Fire HD 8.9, and not to mention only $70 less than its cousin the iPad 2 (with whom it shares similar specs).

For Apple consumers, there’s simply no reason other than form factor to choose the Mini over any of the other iPads Apple has to offer.

We shall see. But remember the iPod Mini, which debuted to similar reactions in January 2004 — it was deemed too expensive compared to the better-spec’d regular iPod that cost just $50 more. The only thing the iPod Mini had going for it was its smaller thinner form factor. It went on to become the best-selling iPod.

★ Wednesday, 24 October 2012