The blogosphere, twitterverse, etc. have all been aflutter recently with rumors that Apple is planning to introduce a smaller iPad. The objective: to swat away competition from Amazon's pesky Kindle Fire and any others looking to gain entry on the lower end of the tablet market.
A note by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster to investors, referenced in numerous news reports, said that Apple could expect to sell as many as six million of the new, smaller iPads during the holiday season. Mr. Munster believes the new unit would come with a screen under eight inches, include 16 gigs of storage and be priced at $299. That size and pricing would give it an entry point above its iPod Touch and below its entry level iPad.
While rumors have swirled about a new "mini" iPad in the past, they have amounted to nothing more than idle speculation up to this point. Mr. Munster and others believe, however, that reports from Asian suppliers are reliable and indicative of Apple management's intentions. The introduction of lower priced iPad would almost assuredly cut into Android tablet sales.
Speaking of Android, All Things Digital has reported that Amazon plans to ship some two million units of its newest generation Kindle Fire during the third quarter. The new thinner and lighter unit will come with a variety of upgrades, including an improved display and built-in camera. The report did not include planned pricing for the new tablet.