Of late, much has been written about the impending launch of a smaller, cheaper iPad, popularly dubbed the 'iPad
Mini'. The Mini is rumored to be sporting a 7.85 inch screen, and other cheaper
components, and is expected to cost between $249 and $299. Analysts also report
that the Mini is designed to be Apple's secret weapon against Android tablets;
specifically, the Amazon Kindle Fire.
These rumors will be put to rest one
way or another later this year. And as we wait for that to happen, most folks
seem to have ignored the fact that Apple
is already in the middle of a low(er) priced tablet war, and going by the trends I have seen, seems to
be winning.
Apple has always maintained a
refurbished store online. However, over the past few weeks, the deals -
especially on iPad's - have been getting a lot sweeter. Take for instance this
deal: You can buy a 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad 2 on Apple's refurb store for $319!
(other models have been similarly discounted). And that includes free shipping! Compare that to the $199 you will end up
paying for the Amazon Kindle Fire. I agree, the $120 difference between the two
is pretty large. But that said, here is
what the extra $120 will buy you:
- A larger screen
- A better processor
- 8GB more in storage
- Front and back cameras
- The latest operating system, and
- An infinitely better app-store (iOS haters, please don’t deny this fact)
If that's not enough, Apple is also
throwing in a one year warranty (the same warranty as a brand new iPad), free
ship to store, etc.
To some, that might not still seal the
deal. But for many, many people out there, it does. Being a gadget-geek, I tend
to track some of the deals-focused forums/sites out there. Take a look at these
threads on SlickDeals (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3) set up specifically to track the
refurb sale of the 16GB model. These three threads alone have garnered nearly
230K hits. Also, the time-line indicates that Apple cannot keep up with the
demand - Whenever Apple replenishes its stock of refurb tablets, it tends to
sell out in minutes. That’s a sure sign of winning, is it not?
Whether you think that that the Apple
deal wins over the Kindle Fire, or not, you have to admit that this deal has
all other Android tablets beat. For instance, today, on the DailySteals website
you can buy the Moto Xoom 32GB for.... $350!!!
Here's the bottom-line: Whether or not the iPad Mini is
real, it is clear that Apple is trying to do to the tablet market what they’ve
done to the MP3 market — dominate. And unless Google's got magic Android Jellybeans,
this war just might be entering its last phase.