Ipad Mini To Replace ipod touch?

There are strong rumors that Apple will release a new, small mobile tablet for just games and apps. I’d just like to point out to the many that ignore this fact that Apple already has a device like this. It’s called an iPod touch. And as I see it, when the iPad mini (or whatever they call it) comes around, the iPod touch will be out the window.

The iPhone was popular,  but it was the affordable touch that really launched the mobile revolution. Millions of kids put it on their wish lists, and it sold incredibly well, bringing along app sales as well. But as smartphones and tablets such as Google’s Nexus 7 become more affordable and prevalent, the iPod touch is losing relevance.

This is where the new iPad mini will come in. The new iPad mini will be an affordable, mid-sized mobile device for the masses. Don’t expect it to be too much smaller than the iPad though. With the new iPhone likely growing in size to around 4 inches of screen real estate, they don’t want to cannibalize phone sales. The latest rumors, the industry, and common sense point to a screen at around 7 inches in size like Google’s Nexus 7, Barnes and Noble’s Nook Touch, and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. The screen will definitely be Retina Quality.

 Unlike the android tablets listed above, I believe (although many reporters disagree) that the new nano-sized iPad will have a 4:3 aspect ratio similar to the iPad’s. To compare, the Kindle fire has a 17:10 screen aspect ratio. That means much more screen real estate. The tablet will undoubtably be very light, thin, and sturdy which provides another advantage over competitors who have been using less sturdy plastics. Cameras will probably be the same as the current iPod touch, and it may offer 4G.

Now what everybody cares about. Price. I expect the new devices will probably start at around $350 or about $150 cheaper than the cheapest full-sized iPad. So those are my predictions. I’m confident in them, and you’ll see in late October or sometime around then.