Apple is expected to announce its next generation iPad 5 in the not so distant future. According to leaked images, the iPad 5 will take design cues from the iPad mini in looks and size, but will retain the same 9.7-inch display found on all previous iPads. You might want to wait for the iPad mini 2 with Retina display, since many people feel the updated iPad mini 2 is the iPad everyone has been waiting for.
Apple has been notorious for miniaturizing its most popular devices as a way to create a new line of product, and it has always been a huge success for the company. Take the iPod for instance: when Apple released the iPod mini and subsequently the iPod nano, both devices became more popular than its full-sized counterpart. Consumers seem to enjoy mini devices from the folks in Cupertino.
A report by NPD DisaplaySearch is predicting that the iPad mini will overtake sales of full-size iPads this year:
"Apple had planned to sell 40M iPad minis (7.9") and 60M iPads (9.7") in 2013. However, the reality seems to be the reverse, as the iPad mini has been more popular than the iPad. We now understand that Apple may be planning to sell 55M iPad minis (7.9") and 33M iPads (9.7") in 2013."
The lack of Retina display was the biggest criticism Apple faced when it released the iPad mini. When Apple adds a Retina display, get ready for the iPad mini 2 to further cannibalize sales of full-size iPads, as many people put off purchasing the iPad mini for this reason alone. CNET believes the iPad mini 2 is the most anticipated iPad Apple will release in 2013.
I switched from an iPad 3 to an iPad mini when it was released in November and while I wish it had a Retina display, its smaller design made a huge difference, in my opinion and I found that I use it much more than any previous iPad. Its 7.9-inch display is large enough to still be an iPad and its smaller size makes it much more desirable to take out and about, something I hardly ever did with a full size iPad. While the iPad 5 is expected to be smaller and lighter, there's no way of getting around carrying an almost 10-inch display. Will the iPad mini 2 with Retina display be the perfect iPad for you and make it a better choice than the iPad 5 or iPad 4? Let us know what you think in the comments.
