It’s the rumors that make life interesting.
Per Unwired View and MyDrivers.com, rumors of a smaller iPad with a 7.85-inch display continue have cropped up, with one new report out of the Far East claiming the device will feature a Sharp IGZO display and will cost under US$300.
The latest details claim Apple’s so-called iPad mini will be as thin as the iPad 2, according to anonymous sources. The machine translation indicates that the “endurance has also been strengthened,” perhaps referring to the battery life of the rumored device.
The report also said that Apple’s smaller iPad will feature Sharp’s IGZO display technology, named for its use of indium, gallium and zinc. The new screen would be optimized to reach 330 pixels per inch, according to the latest rumor.
Finally, the new iPad is rumored to have a capacity of 8 gigabytes with a price between US$249 and $299. It was said that Apple’s primary target with a smaller iPad is Google’s newly unveiled Nexus 7, as well as the Amazon Kindle Fire, both of which are available for US$199.
But the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire feature 7-inch displays, while Apple’s rumored new iPad has been said in various reports to feature a slightly larger 7.85-inch display. Rumors of a smaller iPad have lingered since Apple launched its first model in 2010.
Speculation on a smaller form factor iPad gained traction again this year in February when The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple officials have been showing off designs for a smaller iPad that has a similar screen resolution as the iPad 2. The report did caution, though, that Apple could be simply testing new designs and might not actually release the device.
As for IGZO technology, it was also rumored to be featured in the high-resolution Retina display of Apple’s third-generation iPad. But those claims didn’t pan out, and follow-up reports suggested that Sharp’s new screen technology couldn’t meet Apple’s approval process.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.