Cult of Mac is reporting a complete list of iPad Mini models has leaked, and it confirms most of the rumors I’ve heard over the past few months:
Lower Price: The starting price for an 8 GB wifi unit is $249, $100 more than the 7″ Kindle Fire, going up to $649 for a 64 GB with cellular connectivity.
LTE/Cellular: Speaking of LTE, there are both wifi and LTE versions in all storage capacities. That’s a pretty good deal– $649 is the starting price for the original iPad with just wifi; if you’re good with the smaller size, you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Oh, and we’re not calling it WiFi + 4G anymore, since 4G LTE connectivity isn’t available outside of the US and Canada (there goes my European vacation…).
Color: It’s not going to be available in multiple colors like the new iPod Touch. Bummer. It will, however be available in black and white like the iPad and iPhone.
For me, I really prefer the larger size. I’ve used a 7″ Kindle Fire off and on since it came out, and the 9.5″ size really works for me. If I want something smaller, I’ll just use my iPhone. But for someone who wants the iPad experience without shelling out the full-sized iPad price, this is a great option.
I’m betting, too, that with the iPad Mini, we’ll see a rise in the use of iPads for education. At $249, you can buy 2 Minis for the price of one regular iPad. It’s perfect for parents who want their child to use an iPad– but not their iPad– or school districts that are dipping their toes in the eBook pond. Paired with the underutilized iBooks 2 platform, offering this lower price point will really allow Apple to change eBooks in education (as noted by TUAW’s Erica Sadun).
What do you think? Will you run out to buy an iPad Mini for yourself or your kids?
