Apple Wants iPad Mini to Succeed but Not to Cannibalize New iPad Sales
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5. The new Dock connector
Apple is reportedly working on a new Dock connector that is much smaller than its current option. According to the latest rumors, that might mean that Apple offers up a 9-pin Dock connector in the iPad Mini. Will it be a major improvement? Unlikely. But it'll be a notable one, nonetheless.
6. A much cheaper price
The iPad Mini's chief competitors, including the Nexus 7, come in at just $199 to start. Realizing that, Apple will need to significantly cut the price of its iPad Mini to match those products. Will the device hit $199? It's unlikely. But a price of $249 or $299 seems like a sure bet.
7. An extremely thin design
One of the key aspects of the purported iPad Mini cases that have cropped up on the Web lately is a thin design. It appears as though Apple has decided that in order for the tablet to set itself apart from competitors, it'll need to come with an extremely thin design. The new iPad is thin. But the iPad Mini might just be even thinner than its predecessor.
8. 8GB of onboard storage
The problem with small, thin, cheap tablets is that they don't typically come with ample storage. Considering the new iPad starts at 16GB of onboard storage, it's extremely likely that Apple's smaller slate will deliver just 8GB of storage to start. It's unfortunate, but it's the name of the cheap tablet game at the moment.
9. The same iPad look
Judging by the iPad Mini cases that have surfaced, Apple isn't taking too many liberties with the design. The device will still have a prominent touch-screen, it'll come with a physical home button, and it has a space on the back for a rear camera. Those looking for a fresh, new design won't find it in the iPad Mini.
10. Not much else
Looking for other features? Don't. The fact is, Apple's iPad Mini will be cheap. And although Apple wants the iPad Mini to succeed, it doesn't want to cannibalize new iPad sales. So the company will deliver just enough to beat the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire. But anything beyond that isn't coming to the iPad Mini.
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