Why Apple Will Make a 7-inch iPad

If you were around in 2010, you probably watched, or at least read about, Steve Jobs launching the iPad.  And let’s face it, who didn’t?

Back then in 2010, however, during the introduction of the iPad, Steve Jobs said that 7-inch tablets were DOA and that the 9.7-inch iPad was the optimal size for a magical touch interface.

Even with word coming down from on high that Apple wasn’t about to release a smaller version of the iPad, rumors continued to persist since 2010 to today that deep in their super secret lab, Apple in fact had a 7-inch iPad prototype.  And now it looks like Apple is getting ready to release the tablet that Jobs said they would never do.  Back then.

So why the sudden change in heart from that early stance in 2010?

Rene Ritchie of iMore.com has an editorial up that I read last night and found myself agreeing with his position that the time is right for Apple to enter the 7-inch, low end tablet market.

“[E]ven considering the current iPad’s incredible market lead, some customers are still choosing between it and a smaller and/or less expensive tablet.”

And let’s face it, there are a number of cheap 7-inch crappy Android powered tablets floating around out there.  But there are a few 7-inch tablets that are starting to gain some traction in the marketplace, namely the Barnes & Noble Nook, the Amazon Kindle Fire, and most recently, the Google Nexus 7 that will go on sale in a few short weeks.

If there was ever a time for Apple to jump into lower cost 7-inch tablet market, it’s now.

Check out Mr. Ritchie’s full article on iMore.com.

[Via iMore.com…]