Knowing our readers insatiable appetite for all things Apple, I was interested to see an article in StrategyEye today, itself reporting on an All Things Digital rumour, that Apple is set to launch its iPad Mini in October. All Things Digital is an unusually good source of accurate rumours.
The news recently has been full of e-reader stories. The latest around Barnes and Noble’s decision to launch their Nook e-reader in the UK via John Lewis. On a recent seaside holiday, it was noticeable how many of our guests brought both iPads and Kindles – for example my wife, sister-in-law and 8 year-old-niece. Why not just one device for both functions?
The problems with using the iPad as an e-reader are:
- It is too big and heavy to hold for long periods when reading
- The battery life is too short for book reading
- It is too expensive to risk taking to the pool
- It is hopeless in bright sunshine.
I guess an iPad mini could solve problems a)-c) but I doubt they can do much about the sunshine issue.
But the market at stake is huge. I personally think an iPad Mini will be a major hit. If the price point is low enough, I can see everyone in a family having their own iPad rather than the ‘sharing’ which is the norm now. Also if Apple can turn the iPad Mini into a viable e-reader, it opens up a huge new revenue stream for e-books.
On the other hand, do we want a world totally dominated by Apple? The Samsung case has elicited quite a backlash. Owning an Apple product in the past meant you were a cool free spirit – particularly when compared to those ‘evil’ Microsoft users. The accolade has served Apple well and it would be well advised to safeguard it zealously