Apple to Launch “More Affordable” iPad Mini at $199 – $249?

iPad mini

iPad mini

According to a new report Apple is expected to launch lower priced iPad mini this year that could hit the market at $199 – $249 price points. With Android gaining market share in the smartphone and tablet market many analysts believe that the Cupertino, Calif., based company should address the low priced market segment.

We’ve reported on rumors about Apple working on a cheaper iPhone and now as iPad mini refresh is expected soon reports about cheaper iPad mini are beginning to flourish. The second gen iPad mini is expected to carry the same design but feature high resolution retina display and upgraded cameras. The processors and RAM would also see an update to support the high processing power required by the retina display.

In a research note, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentions:

Prior to iPad mini 2 launch, Apple might roll out a more affordable iPad mini to compete with Android products. To cut costs, Apple might push for lower component prices, use a more advanced process to produce the A5 processor, simplify metal casing production, remove the rear camera, cut storage to 8GB and find more component suppliers to lower costs. We think this cheaper iPad mini retail for US$199~249.

Kuo believes that at a lower price point Apple will be able to cater to the low end of the tablet market which is currently dominated by Android tablets. Apple has publicly denied all reports of a low-cost product and have continued to stress on quality of the products. However, it will be interesting to see if the company introduces a low cost tablet in the market to remain competitive and stop Android from dominating any particular market segment.

{via MacRumors}

Advertisement

Leave a Reply