Rumors of a Mini-Me Apple iPad Won’t Die

Despite Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ harsh comments about a seven-inch slate, saying that the form factor would be unusable and would require users to file down their fingers so they can touch-type on the smaller screen real estate, rumors of a more compact iPad tablet are again making the rounds on the Internet.

Kaufman Bros analyst Shaw Wu argues that having a smaller iPad would help Apple to expand its product portfolios and appeal to a new set of demographics: “Having different sizes expands the market and makes it appeal to more people.”

In a check with suppliers, sources say that a revamped iPad would feature cameras on the front and rear, a display of better resolution than the current first generation model, and a slimmer and lighter form factor.

According to Reuters, another source indicates that a smaller model is under way. That model is described to have a screen about half the size of the current model.

Apple’s current iPad has a screen size of 9.7-inch. A tablet of screen size of about 7-inch diagonal would render a display about half the size of the current iPad. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, an Android tablet of 7-inch screen size, is about half the screen real estate of the current iPad’s nearly-10-inch display.

Via: Reuters