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7-inch iPad 'finished,' may take after iPhone 4 design

updated 09:20 am EDT, Fri September 24, 2010

Several decoys allegedly in place


A 7-inch iPad does exist, and is in fact a finished product, rumors from Shenzhen, China are said to indicate. Although five or more designs are allegedly in circulation, these are said to be a distraction to prevent people from discovering the real one. Cosmetically, the latter is claimed to more closely resemble the iPhone 4 than the first-generation iPad.

Shenzhen is home to the Longhua campus plant of Foxconn, Apple's largest manufacturing partner. The company regularly receives some of the first outside glimpses of any future Apple product, as it must begin production weeks in advance to keep up with demand. It's not known how close a 7-inch iPad might be to production, but other reports have pointed to a release in early 2011, or even late this year.


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By Electronista Staff

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  1. bobolicious

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2002

    +4
    09/24, 09:54am | report spam | reply

    The iPoad...?

    ...hybrid - it goes 'both ways'... :)


  1. rombe3jr

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2010

    +2
    09/24, 09:56am | report spam | reply

    Hmmm...

    Not sure how I feel about a 7 incher yet... one of those sizes that can fit in your back pocket but too big and uncomfotable for the front. Perhaps women who schlep a purse everywhere would delight in one but it seems like the 4" Evo 4G and Droid X have the mens market cornered. Then again, any man who would carry a standard iPad may be interested I guess... anyone in that boat? I personally have been interested in the iPad for reading, email, browsing, viewing photos... but generally would use it at home. Can't really picture myself carrying in public much.


  1. iphonerulez

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2008

    +1
    09/24, 10:02am | report spam | reply

    If Apple were to build a 7" iPad, you can

    bet it will be very thin and light when compared to rest of the tablet competition. I figure the cost would have to be nearly as much as a current unsubsidized iPhone if it has a cellphone chip and/or video chat capabilities. It's definitely going to have to cost more than a high-end iPod Touch, but far less than a Samsung Galaxy Tab. Apple will basically be able to scale up the iPod Touch or scale down the iPad which gives Apple a significant edge.

    I'm willing to bet Apple's pricing of the device is going to leave the competition reeling due to the fact that Apple will have an advantage of high quantity production and sharing of components with other devices in its product line.


  1. hayesk

    Professional Poster

    Joined: Sep 1999

    0
    09/24, 10:03am | report spam | reply

    The latter?

    "Although five or more designs are allegedly in circulation, these are said to be a distraction to prevent people from discovering the real one. Cosmetically, the latter is claimed to more closely resemble the iPhone 4 than the first-generation iPad."

    Usually when you say "the latter" you list the things you are referring to in the previous sentence. The latter of what? Perhaps describe the "five or more designs" so that "the latter" has useful context.


  1. gregrochedc

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2005

    -2
    09/24, 10:21am | report spam | reply

    The latter

    I think actually "the latter" is "the second of two" and "the last" would be for "the last of more than two". Of my two comments, the former is related to a previous post, the latter is for the person who wrote the article.


  1. lamewing

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2004

    +3
    09/24, 04:12pm | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    A true notepad

    If only Apple would provide such a device with stylus support (sell the stylus separately and make extra $$$) so that we students could use the iPad (whatever the size) as a true notepad-like device instead of just a consumption device!!!


  1. YangZone

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2000

    0
    09/25, 07:36am | report spam | reply

    phone feature?

    it wold be attractive to me if it was also an unlocked GSM phone...


  1. Jonathan-Tanya

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Oct 2004

    0
    09/28, 11:36am | report spam | reply

    Ditto

    I would love it as a phone too.

    The discussion was in part about carrying it everywhere - well if you do that, why do you also need a phone?

    I don't think many people carry the 10" iPad everywhere - but 7" has a better chance at it.

    You know they make watch phones with tiny 1.5" screens that have a built in bluetooth headset.
    You get a call, you just extract the headset from the watch and stick it in your ear.

    But 7" is really easily put in one hand, and you could stick the whole device up to your ear - it's still smaller than phones of old.

    Once we have a device that we can carry everywhere, only then will a lot of people conclude their cellphone is a superfluous second device - doing nothing that their larger 7" tablet can't do, only slower and with a tiny postage stamp screen.

    Who really carries both an iPod touch and iPhone - anyone? very few people, very few people at all.

    The real promise of the tablet, is when it replaces the smartphone completely. And it will eat into regular computer sales eventually. You'll only want a regular computer for specific tasks that require heavy duty work.


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