Apple Introduces a Baby iPad

October 23, 2012 — by Per Christensson

Today, Apple introduced several new products, including a 13" MacBook Pro with Retina Display, a new Mac mini, a new iMac, and a new iPad. While some of these updates were significant (especially the redesigned iMac), they were all overshadowed by Apple's announcement of a new product, the iPad mini.

The iPad mini isn't a surprise to the Apple faithful, since there has been speculation surrounding the device for several months. When I first heard the rumors, I thought there would be no need for an iPad mini. After all, the iPad already bridges the supposed gap between an iPhone and a MacBook. Do we really need another device between the iPhone and the iPad?

However, the more I thought of it, the more the iPad mini began to make sense. First of all, Apple has sold over 100 million iPads since the launch of the first iPad just a few years ago. There is definitely a market for a smaller version. Additionally, a smaller "baby" model that fits in your pocket could be an ideal size for students and professionals, such as those in the medical field. The fact that you can grip the new iPad with one hand makes it easier to carry and easier to show the screen to others.

The iPad mini is available for pre-order on October 26 (probably not coincidentally the same day as the Windows 8 launch). It will be interesting to see if the new iPad mini outsells the the standard version. I think it will. If you have your own predictions, I would be interested to hear them.