iPad 8" Mini Coming?
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Apple engineers are said to be testing a iPad mini version in its Asian workshops.


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Apple have a (possibly) 8″ model in the pipeline, meaning almost  2″ smaller than its current iPad and iPad 2 models, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Rumour has it there is also an iPad 3 is also on the cards for a March 7 debut – complete with 4G LTE, Retina screen (2048_1536) and quad-core Apple A6 processor.

Read: March 7 iPad 3 Day?

However, it appears consumers are less keen on the idea of a smaller tab – with almost 50% of those polled by WSJ say they would not buy a smaller device, while 27% said they were game for a mini iPad while the rest were ‘undecided’.

However, iOS’ rivals like Samsung have already taken the smaller tablet route – releasing an 8.9″ Galaxy Tab model on Android available in Australia and are also set to launch a 7″ super light 343 g model running Android 4.0 soon on Telstra.
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Apple may also be going after the market share grabbed by 7″ Amazon Kindle Fire, which sells for $199 in the US and is already the e-tailer’s best selling product ever, said to available in Australia priced at $250 later this year.

 

The iPad Mini would aimed at the budget tablet consumer market – below its premium priced  iPad 2 which starts at $579.

Read Samsung To Launch New 7″ 4G Galaxy Tab With Android 4.0