After last week’s reports of the iPad mini going into production in Apple’s Asian manufacturing partner facilities, today the WSJ is reporting that Apple has placed orders for 10 million units of the smaller iPad for the fourth quarter alone.
If true, Apple is expecting massive Holiday season demand for the iPad mini, which is expected to have a 7.85-inch display and should be priced under $350. The iPad mini will compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD and the Asus Nexus 7.
Despite being the dominant player in the tablet space, Apple is seeing its market share declining slowly but steadily, mostly with a slew of 7-inch tablets. Apple hopes to stem the decline with its own 7-inch offering, which was earlier ridiculed by the late Steve Jobs. We expect Apple to play on the extra 0.85 inches of display on the iPad mini and somehow convince buyers that it makes all the difference in the world to have that extra real estate.
Latest rumors have also indicated that Apple could use the same anodized aluminum finish as the iPhone 5 and it could even come in multiple color variants like the new iPod touch. Earlier reports also suggest Apple would start sending out invites for the iPad mini launch event on October 10 with the launch itself happening on October 17.
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Image Credit: Ukrainian iPhone
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