In If the present iPad model is too pricey for your wallet, perhaps you could wait till early next year. There are rumours that Apple is planning to launch an entry-level mini tablet early next year. The iPad mini could carry the same price tag as the Kindle Fire. As usual Apple has refused to confirm or deny the reports.
The rumours of an iPad mini being in the pipeline have originated from Brian White, who is an analyst with Ticonderoga Securities. He has been touring China and Taiwan and meeting with component suppliers, where he has heard rumblings of a so-called "iPad mini" arriving next year. The "mini" name doesn't necessarily refer to the size of the device, he said, but a lower entry-level price.
According to Brian White such a device could arrive in the first few months of 2012, allowing Apple to tap into a "more price sensitive consumer segment," and also fend off the Amazon Kindle Fire.
In a note to investors Brian White wrote, Our research is pointing to the unveiling of a lower priced iPad in the first few months of 2012 that is aimed at expanding the companys market potential by tapping into a more price sensitive consumer segment. Essentially, this iPad mini will also fend off the recently announced Amazon (AMZN, $235.48, NR) Kindle Fire that addresses the low-end tablet market with a $199 price tag but could lead to bigger tablet ambitions from the online retailer in the future.
If a tablet from Apple becomes available for around $200, then many buyers could become interested. Brian White has maintained a Buy rating on Apple stock with a 12-month price target of $666.
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