Earlier today, a senior analyst at Digitimes research claimed that Apple is planning to launch a 5 to 7 inch version of the iPad in the first quarter of 2011. The smaller iPad will be priced below $400 and will target consumers who focus mainly on reading and do not have a high demand for text input. For comparison, the current iPad has a 9.7 inch display while the iPod touch has a 3.5 inch display, but both the Nook and Kindle have a 6-inch screen.
I will certainly admit that I was surprised by the iPad’s overwhelmingly positive reviews, so I won’t start bashing this idea just yet. However, if Apple does come out with this smaller iPad at a competitive price, it could make things difficult for Amazon’s Kindle which currently sells for $259.00 and has that 6 inch display.