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ipad mini
Apple has unveiled the iPad Air, a top-of-the-range tablet that is 20% thinner than the previous version.
The 9.7in computer is 0.3in thick and weighs 1lb, which Apple claims is the lightest full-sized tablet on the market.
iPad Air is powered by the same A7 chip found in Apple’s iPhone 5S.
The launch comes at a time when some analysts have suggested that Google’s Android is about to overtake Apple’s iOS as the bestselling tablet platform.
Apple also announced a new version of its iPad Mini.
Apple has unveiled the iPad Air that is 20 percent thinner than the previous version
iPad Mini’s 7.9in screen has been upgraded to feature 2048 by 1536 pixels – the same as the larger model. It is being branded as “retina” to highlight the increased resolution.
Apple also announced that the latest version of its Mac operating system, Mavericks, would be offered at no cost to owners of computers already running any version of OS X released since 2009. It is the first time the company has not charged for a major Mac OS upgrade.
By contrast the full version of Windows 8.1 is sold for about $150, although it is free to existing Windows 8 users.
Linux-based Ubuntu has always been offered without charge. Chromebook computers also get free upgrades for Google’s PC operating system.
New laptops, productivity and leisure apps were also unveiled. However, Apple did not show off a new TV set-top box as some had speculated.
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Apple has been denied a trademark for its iPad Mini by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The trademark application for iPad Mini was turned down because the name was “merely descriptive” and did not create a unique meaning, it said.
However, Apple still has until July to persuade the Patent Office that the smaller tablet differs sufficiently from its iconic device.
Apple has been denied a trademark for its iPad Mini by the US Patent and Trademark Office
Apple has been involved in a series of patent disputes with rival firms.
It won a landmark case against Korea’s Samsung last year but this month, a judge in the US ordered the $1 billion in damages awarded to Apple be cut by 40% and set a new trial to assess the level of damages.
The award was the biggest in a series of global legal fights between the two companies over patents.
The Patent Office issued the letter in January, although it has only just emerged.
The letter said the “applied-for mark merely describes a feature or characteristic of applicant’s goods”.
The terms “mini” and “pad” and the prefix “i-” were all descriptive, it decided.
Neither as individual terms nor as a composite result – iPad Mini – did they “create a unique, incongruous, or non-descriptive meaning in relation to the goods being small handheld mobile devices comprising tablet computers capable of providing internet access”.
In its last quarter to January, Apple said that it sold a record 22.9 million iPads and iPad Minis.
Korean giant Samsung has filed papers at a US court claiming that Apple’s latest iPad mini, released this month, infringes eight technology patents.
Samsung has asked a judge to add the 7.9-inch Apple tablet to a list of products, including the iPod Touch 5, and the iPad 4, which it claims violate patents on radio signaling technologies.
A patent war has engulfed technology giants with firms trying to make sure the others’ latest products are involved in the legal dispute in a bid get sales banned.
Apple and Samsung have filed cases against each other in more than 10 countries, each accusing the other of violating its patents.
Last week Apple successfully applied to add Google’s latest mobile operating system, Android 4.2, Jelly Bean, to the case.
In a minor victory for Samsung, on Wednesday, the judge ordered Apple to disclose the financial details of its patent licensing deal with HTC.
Samsung has filed papers at a US court claiming that Apple’s latest iPad mini, released this month, infringes eight technology patents
Apple and HTC signed a 10-year license agreement earlier this month, but did not make the details public.
But the court ordered Apple to produce a full copy of the settlement agreement “without delay”, subject to an “attorneys’ eyes only” designation, meaning it will not be made public.
Legal experts say the question of which patents are covered by the HTC settlement, and licensing details, could be instrumental in Samsung’s efforts to thwart Apple’s subsequent quest for a permanent sales ban on its products.
Samsung has argued it is “almost certain” that the HTC deal covers some of the same patents involved in its own litigation with Apple.
It seeks to show Apple is willing to license its technology if the price is right.
It has been speculated that HTC has agreed to pay Apple a royalty of up to $8 on each smartphone it sells, but the figure has been flatly denied by the firm’s chief executive.
The settlement of Apple and HTC ended their worldwide litigation and brought to a close one of the first major flare-ups in the global smartphone patent wars.
Apple first sued HTC in 2010, setting in motion a legal conflagration that has since circled the globe and engulfed the biggest names in mobile technology.
Apple’s new iPad Mini has gone on sale around the world.
While a few diehard fans queued for hours to be among the first to own the new smaller iPad, queues were tiny compared to previous launches.
In Hong Kong, reports even claim that staff outnumbered the customers when the store opened.
Experts say bad weather, Hurricane Sandy and increased competition from rivals such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft could be behind to lack of queues.
Experts believe the effects of Hurricane Sandy and the large number of online orders mean the queues were smaller.
Apple fans lined up in several Asian cities to get their hands on the iPad Mini on Friday, but the device, priced above rival gadgets from Google and Amazon.com, attracted smaller crowds than at the company’s previous global rollouts.
Apple Inc’s global gadget rollouts are typically high-energy affairs drawing droves of buyers who stand in line for hours.
But a proliferation of comparable rival devices may have sapped some interest.
About 50 people waited for the Apple store in Sydney, Australia, to open, where in the past the line had stretched for several blocks when the company debuted new iPhones.
At the head of Friday’s line was Patrick Li, who had been waiting since 4:30 a.m. and was keen to get his hands on the 7.9-inch slate.
“It’s light, easy to handle, and I’ll use it to read books. It’s better than the original iPad,” Patrick Li said.
There were queues of 100 or more outside Apple stores in Tokyo and Seoul when the device went on sale, but when the company’s flagship Hong Kong store opened staff appeared to outnumber those waiting in line.
The iPad Mini marks Apple’s first foray into the smaller-tablet segment, and the latest salvo in a global mobile-device war that has engulfed combatants from Internet search leader Google Inc to Web retailer Amazon.com Inc and software giant Microsoft Corp.
Apple’s new iPad Mini has gone on sale around the world
Microsoft’s 10-inch Surface tablet, powered by the just-launched Windows 8 software, went on sale in October, while Google and Amazon now dominate sales of smaller, 7-inch multimedia tablets.
Unveiled last week, the iPad Mini has won mostly positive reviews, with criticism centring on a screen considered inferior to rivals’ and a lofty price tag.
The new tablet essentially replicates most of the features of its full-sized sibling, but in a smaller package.
“Well, first of all it’s so thin and light and very cute – so cute!” said iPad Mini customer Ten Ebihara at the Apple store in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district.
Also on Friday, Apple rolled out its fourth-generation iPad, with the same 9.7-inch display as the previous version but with a faster A6X processor and better Wi-Fi. Both devices were going on sale in more than 30 countries.
Apple will likely sell between 1 million and 1.5 million iPad Minis in the first weekend, far short of the 3 million third-generation iPads sold last March in their first weekend, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.
“The reason we expect fewer iPad Minis compared to the 3rd Gen is because of the lack of the wireless option and newness of the smaller form factor for consumers,” Gene Munster said in a note to clients.
“We believe that over time that will change.”
Reviewers have applauded Apple for squeezing most of the iPad’s features into a smaller package that can be comfortably manipulated with one hand.
James Vohradsky, a 20 year-old student who previously queued for 17 hours at the Sydney store to buy the iPhone 5, only stood in line for an hour and a half this time.
“I had an iPad 1 before, I kind of miss it because I sold it about a year ago.
“It’s just more practical to have the mini because I found it a bit too big. The image is really good and it’s got the fast A5 chip too,” James Vohradsky said.
The iPad was launched in 2010 by late Apple boss Steve Jobs and since then it has taken a big chunk out of PC sales, upending the industry and reinventing mobile computing with its apps-based ecosystem.
A smaller tablet is the first device to be added to Apple’s compact portfolio under Cook, who took over from Steve Jobs just before his death a year ago. Analysts credit Google and Amazon for influencing the decision.
Some investors worry that Apple might have lost its chief visionary with Steve Jobs, and that new management might not be able to stay ahead of the pack as rivals innovate and encroach on its market share.
There were queues of 100 or more outside Apple stores in Tokyo and Seoul when the device went on sale, but when the company’s flagship Hong Kong store opened staff appeared to outnumber those waiting in line.
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Apple has revealed its new smaller tablet iPad Mini with a 7.9 inch screen that is set to blow away its rivals in the tablet market this Christmas.
The widely-anticipated 7.9 in (20.1 cm) iPad Mini, which is 7.2 mm thick and weighs 0.68 lbs, was announced at an event in San Jose, California.
The entry wi-fi-only model, with 16GB storage, will cost $415 and be available on 2 November.
The iPad Mini will compete directly with similar sized tablets from Google and Amazon.
Apple’s vice-president of marketing Phil Schiller told attendees that the device was 23% thinner and 53% lighter than the third-generation iPad, which was released in March this year.
The other wi-fi-only models will have a recommended retail price of $535 for 32GB and $660 for 64GB.
The devices with cellular capability will be released “a couple of weeks” after the wi-fi-only models, the company said. They will be priced at $568 for 16GB, $691 for 32GB and $815 for 64GB.
The firm also announced upgrades to its Macbook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini ranges of computers.
Its new iMac machines have been made 80% thinner than previous models, Phil Schiller said.
The full-sized iPad, which is just seven months old, was given its own lower-key upgrade. Calling it the “fourth generation” iPad, Phil Schiller said its new A6X chip meant it had twice the CPU power of the third-generation model.
Apple has revealed its new smaller tablet iPad Mini with a 7.9 inch screen that is set to blow away its rivals in the tablet market this Christmas
Paddy Smith, online editor for Stuff.tv, said some Apple users could see the iPad upgrade as a “kick in the face” as it is such a new product.
“I think a lot of people will be upset to see a new full size iPad so soon,” he said.
“For many people that represents a pretty major purchase, something you wouldn’t want to do more than once a year.”
The iPad Mini launch ends years of speculation that Apple was considering launching a new, smaller version of its bestselling iPad range.
In 2010, late founder Steve Jobs described 7 in tablets as being “too small”.
However, Apple’s apparent change of heart comes in the face of mounting pressure from its closest competitors, who already offer smaller – and crucially, cheaper – products.
However, consultants IDC predict that the new device will boost Apple’s already dominant position in the tablet market.
It said that Apple will hold a 68% share of the market in 2012, compared to 29% for Android tablets.
Both will fall off slightly next year with the launch of Windows 8 tablets, IDC said.
At 6:00 p.m. Tuesday evening, Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to take to the stage in a San Jose theatre to introduce Apple’s latest blockbuster product – a mini tablet set to fend off competition from Amazon’s Kindle Fire and a raft of relatively cheap smaller tablet computers.
The shrunken iPad is rumored to have a screen that is 7.8 inches across the diagonal – which compares to 9.7 on the original version.
Tech watchers suggest the device – like the latest incarnation of the iPhone – will work on the superfast 4G mobile network.
Apple is said to be planning to charge $350 for the smaller version, which is around half the price of the cheapest iPad 3.
However, it will remain considerably more expensive than Amazon’s Kindle Fire, which costs $200, and the higher specification Kindle Fire HD, which is $250.
Amazon has suggested it is selling its tablets at a loss in order to get it into the hands of families.
The idea is that it can then cash in through sales of a vast library of books, music, films and TV programmes.
Apple’s innovative phones, tablets and computers have always come with a hefty price premium, while its rise to become the world’s most valuable company has been fuelled by sales through its vast iTunes store.
It is thought that Apple will also launch a tweaked version of the iPad 3 that works on the 4G network.
HOW SMALL?
iPad Mini is thought to be 7.85in diagonally, compared to the 9.7in of the full-size iPad.
This would allow it to be used easily on public transport, and fit into a (large) jacket pocket.
TrustedReviews is predicting the mini – which some are dubbing the iPad nano – will use a 1,024 x 768 pixel panel.
Apple’s yet-to-be-announced iPad Mini has apparently been revealed in full for the first time in the best set of pictures yet leaked on the internet.
iPad Mini has apparently been revealed in full for the first time in the best set of pictures yet leaked on the internet
Sonny Dickson, a researcher for fansite 9to5mac.com, published the images on his Twitter feed last week, sparking a wave of excitement among Apple enthusiasts.
The images show a device that is significantly smaller than the regular iPad.
According to rumors it boasts a 7.85 in liquid crystal display, making it a rival to Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire.
The images also show the iPad Mini utilizes the controversial new connector introduced with the iPhone 5, which has made all accessories available to previous Apple gadgets obsolete at a stroke.
It also emerged that Apple had instructed suppliers in China to manufacture 10 million of the new smaller tablet computers, showing faith in their product in the face of stiff competition.
Insiders say the iPad Mini will go on sale November 2.
As yet, however, Apple has not officially confirmed any of the reports, rumors of leaks about a smaller iPad.
Apple’s iPad Mini has apparently been revealed in full for the first time in the best set of pictures yet leaked on the internet.
Sonny Dickson, a researcher for fansite 9to5mac.com, published the images on his Twitter feed yesterday, sparking a wave of excitement among Apple enthusiasts.
The images show a device that is significantly smaller than the regular iPad. According to rumors it boasts a 7.85 in liquid crystal display, making it a rival to Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire.
The images also show the iPad Mini utilizes the controversial new connector introduced with the iPhone 5, which has made all accessories available to previous Apple gadgets obsolete at a stroke.
It emerged yesterday that Apple had instructed suppliers in China to manufacture 10 million of the new smaller tablet computers, showing faith in their product in the face of stiff competition.
Insiders say the iPad Mini will be announced on October 17, a few days from the releases of Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Microsoft’s Surface tablets, and go on sale November 2.
As yet, however, Apple has not officially confirmed any of the reports, rumors of leaks about a smaller iPad.
Apple’s 9-inch device dominates the market, but smaller, cheaper tablets have been eating away at the iPad’s popularity. The iPad mini is expected to go on sale around the world on November 2nd, according to online speculation.
HOW SMALL?
The mini is thought to be 7 in diagonally, compared to the 9.7 in of the full-size iPad.
This would allow it to be used easily on public transport, and fit into a (large) jacket pocket.
TrustedReviews is predicting the mini – which some are dubbing the iPad nano – will use a 1,024 x 768 pixel panel.
The Mini launch comes as research suggests a quarter of us – 22% – own a tablet, with another 3% regularly borrowing someone else’s tablet for web browsing.
About 68% of the 9,5123 adults surveyed said they purchased their tablet within the last year.
The U.S. survey by the Pew Research Center also suggests the flood of cheaper tablets, such as the Google Nexus or Amazon Fire, are weakening Apple’s grip on the market.
A year ago, Apple had more than 80% of the market, but this has now dropped to less around 52%.
The Kindle Fire has 21% of the market, meanwhile Samsung’s Galaxy tablet has 8%.
Out of those surveyed, 44% of adults who said they have a smartphone, 46% have an Android phone, 38% have an iPhone and 10% have a Blackberry.
Apple is believed to be launching an iPad Mini in October, and now fansite Apple.pro claims to have photographed the eight-inch evolution of the iPad.
Apple is notoriously secretive on the run-up to new launches, but leaks from within the industry, including from suppliers and partners, have all but confirmed the device is on its way this Autumn.
The Apple Mini is believed to sport an eight-inch screen, making it a shrunken version of the iPad’s ten-inches.
This will allow a higher degree of portability over previous models, and also give Apple the ammunition to compete with Google, which recently brought out a seven-inch range of Nexus tablets.
Fansite Apple.pro claims to have photographed the eight-inch evolution of the iPad
Apple.Pro also reports this is a 3G-capable model, meaning you can use data on the go.
While Steve Jobs was famously against smaller iPads, the success of the Nexus and Amazon’s “Fire” of budget tablets appears to have convinced Apple there is a market for the slim-line device.
Rumors from Apple suppliers suggest the innards of the Mini will be equivalent to an iPad 2, which analysts suggest will be more than enough to power the shrunken device.
The third iPad had a specification increase but also increased slightly in weight due to the demands of the high-definition Retina display.
Apple is also believed to be announcing the iPhone 5 during September, although it has not yet confirmed a launch date.
The new device which is expected to boast a display of less than eight inches will be unveiled at a separate event, so as not to dilute the impact of the iPhone’s launch, according to analysts.
“I don’t think Apple would want reviews of both a new iPhone and new-size iPad appearing at the same time,” said Daring Fireball’s John Gruber.
“Why share the spotlight? Why have another Apple product battling with the iPhone for the top spots in news coverage?
“The more I think about it, the less sense it makes for the iPhone to even share the stage at the announcement with any other product.
“The iPhone is too big, too cool and garners too much attention – and it’s in Apple’s interest to keep that attention undiluted.”
There’s no official announcement from Apple that the iPad mini/iPad nano is even in the works, so a release date for the tablet is even more up in the air.
Although if the rumors turn out to be true, we can expect Apple to start rolling out the iPad mini very soon after a extraordinarily over-hyped launch event.
According to a Digitimes source, the iPad nano could start production in the third quarter of 2012.
Analyst Shaw Wu says the “exact timing” for an iPad mini release date “is difficult to predict”, but said its launch is a “question of when, not if”.
A report straight out of China suggests that key Apple manufactures Foxconn and Pegatron have started to receive orders for the new iPad mini. It goes on to say the factories will have 6 million units ready for a launch in Q3 of 2012.
Apple has announced its annual WWDC event running from June 11-15, which sold out in just two hours, and there’s a chance we could see the Cupertino firm announce the iPad mini there, possibly alongside the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 – but then again, we could also see Apple launch a new ice cream factory, such is the chances of all three of those happening.
A iMore source claims that the iPad Mini will be ready by October 2012.
There's no official announcement from Apple that the iPad mini is even in the works, so a release date for the tablet is even more up in the air
Apple is known for its extravagant products, launch events and pricing policies, however the iPad mini may herald a new era for those who long for an Apple device, but simply can’t part with an arm and a leg to buy one.
It’s thought that Apple’s idea behind the iPad nano is to tackle the budget end of the which, where the Amazon Kindle Fire is currently king, and a Digitimes source predicts it could land with a very reasonable $249-$299 price tag.
As the name suggests, an iPad which will be sporting a screen smaller than the stock 9.7-inch display found on the first three Apple tablets.
In February, a Wall Street Journal report claimed a source from an Apple component supplier had confirmed it was testing a smaller screen for Apple, in the region of 8-inches with a similar resolution to the iPad 2.
In March, Digitimes reported that the new iPad mini would actually come with a 7.85-inch display – a tad bigger than the 7-inch screen found on the Kindle Fire.
April saw Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu reveal that Apple had been testing devices with screens ranging from 4 to 12-inches and highlighted that the 7.85-inch format would be most likely “when, not if” the iPad mini is launched.
Shaw Wu also predicted the iPad nano would sport the same resolution as the original iPad and iPad 2, at 1,024 x 768 – meaning developers wouldn’t have to tweak their apps.
According to an iMore source, the mini iPad will sport a 7-inch screen with the same retina display as the iPhone 4S and new iPad.
To help keep the cost of the iPad mini down, one source reckons it will ship with just 8 GB of internal storage – the same amount as the Amazon Kindle Fire.
Well, we’re still unsure whether Apple will go down the iPad mini route. Steve Jobs made his stance on smaller tablets quite clear and it would be a daring move by the Cupertino-firm to go against its popular former boss.
The budget tablet market is one which is definitely growing, and one which Apple is currently not part of, so it won’t be too much of a surprise if the firm does decide to go down this route.
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