

The case for a 7.8” iPad - quarterto
http://castirony.com/post/26466421254/the-case-for-a-7-8-ipad

======
arn
For visual reference, we made a printable PDF for a 7.85" iPad that shows it
in actual size: [http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/23/this-is-
what-a-7-85-inch...](http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/23/this-is-
what-a-7-85-inch-ipad-looks-and-feels-like/)

Or you can view this page on your current iPad:
<http://cdn.macrumors.com/downloads/ipadmini/>

The UI seems fine. As mentioned in the article, elements are no smaller than
an iPhone.

~~~
mmobile
More good links for a visual reference:

Compared to the iPad 3: [http://versusio.com/en/apple-ipad-mini-64gb-wifi-
cellular-vs...](http://versusio.com/en/apple-ipad-mini-64gb-wifi-cellular-vs-
apple-ipad-3-64gb-wifi-cellular)

Compared to the Nexus 7: [http://versusio.com/en/apple-ipad-mini-64gb-wifi-
cellular-vs...](http://versusio.com/en/apple-ipad-mini-64gb-wifi-cellular-vs-
google-nexus-7)

To see the 7.85" in real size click in the top right corner.

~~~
smashing
I think the iPad 3* has 2048-by-1536-pixel resolution. Your site claims it has
a 1024-by-768-pixel resolution. Why?

* <https://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/>

------
ajaimk
4(iPod touch and iPhone), 7.85, 9.7 = Apple trying to do to tablets what they
did for MP3 players.

Dominate every possible price range with a slightly more expensive and greatly
superior product. Dominate the supply chain and maximize profits. People are
willing to pay the $100 premium is Apple makes a better product (No, I don't
want a iOS vs. Android discussion here).

I'd say, the 7.85" is coming out soon. Also, the PPI argument has been out
through DaringFireball for months now. This isn't a recent find.

~~~
pvidler
Is it likely to be a $100 premium? The iPad 3 is $499 and the iPad 2 is $399,
so I'd expect what amounts to a mini iPad 2 to be maybe $299... So based on
that I assume you are comparing it to the new google tablet, except that this
is being sold at cost -- I don't think we'll be seeing too many android
tablets of comparable quality at that price.

~~~
protomyth
If they do release a iPad mini, I would expect Apple to quit making the iPad
2. I also would expect the $299 price point, but would not be surprised if the
went $249 or $199.

------
hrktb
The gist of this discussion is that a little arbitrary shrinking of UI
elements won't be a big deal, because the guidelines advocated for a few more
pixels on the ipad than on the iphone.

It feels like lazy logic, and until now Apple has never forced user apps at a
lower physical size that targeted by the developper, at least on the iOS
front. Good quality iphone and ipad apps are expected to be pixel perfect and
thoroughly designed for the target device, and Apple pushed with all it's
weight in this direction. It would be strange for apple to just say from now
on "screw the physical size, who cares about interface details, they'll just
learn to click better"

~~~
sjmulder
The point is that UI elements on the iPad are now slightly bigger than on the
iPhone because of the lower DPI (ignoring the retina screen). Pixel-wise, UI
elements are the same size between the iPad and the iPhone.

Shrinking the iPad to 7.85" would give it the same density as the iPhone and
UI elements would be the same size.

~~~
hrktb
> _UI elements would be the same size_

I understand your point, UI elements would be the same size as if they were
rendered on the iphone. And that's not the same size as they were intended in
the first place, if the app targeted the ipad.

------
nchlswu
I don't see Apple being one to release the tablet just to compete. The 7"
would eat into 10" sales and a new formfactor only adds another resolution
that devs have to account for (unless the original iPad's resolution is
effectively retina at a 7" size?).

When it comes to portability, would 7" be that much more portable? I know
people can put these in their pockets, but it's hardly practical.

Ultimately, it doesn't quite make sense to me at this moment. In the event
that Apple does release a 7" one day, I really think there'd have to be a
drastic repositioning of the 10" or the 7" would serve some special niche
purpose

~~~
arn
Part of the point of the article is that it would not really add another
resolution that devs would have to account for.

A 7.85" iPad could have the exact same resolution as a non-retina 9.7" iPad
and still have the same pixel density as the iPhone. This would result in UI
elements that would be no smaller than normal for the iPhone, making it
relatively easy for existing iPad apps to run with no modification.

~~~
telcodud
Can you walk us through the math you did to arrive at the following
conclusion?

 _A 7.85" iPad could have the exact same resolution as a non-retina 9.7" iPad
and still have the same pixel density as the iPhone._

~~~
arn
So the trick is that Apple tells App devs that the minimal tappable UI element
at 44x44 points.

\- The original iPhone had a PPI of 163PPI

\- The original iPad had a PPI of 132PPI

The 44x44 point recommendation was the same for the iPhone and iPad. So the
minimal tappable element on the iPad happened to be physically bigger even
though it was the same # of points.

A 7.85" iPad happens to have a PPI of 163PPI. (same as original iPhone)

So that means any UI element designed with a minimum of 44x44 points will
still be as tappable on a 7.85" iPad as it was on the iPhone. If you see the
PDF/actual-size file I linked in another comment, you'll see the UI elements
on a 7.85" iPad are no smaller than elements on an iPhone.

actual math here: [http://www.appadvice.com/appnn/2012/03/apple-
has-163-reasons...](http://www.appadvice.com/appnn/2012/03/apple-
has-163-reasons-to-release-fabled-ipad-mini)

------
ezy
Given that the iphone is quite portable and a 4.5" model is all but assured,
I'm not sure I see the point of having a 7" tablet. The issue with the 10" is
that it's not quite as portable as some people would like -- but the 7" seems
to fragment the product line a little too much given that you already have the
ipod touch.

On the other hand, the one way I _could_ see this working is if they reshuffle
categories such that the lower resolution iPads _and_ the iPod touch fade away
to be replaced by the 7" wifi model. That would make some sense.

EDIT: Ooops, 4", not 4.5"

~~~
quarterto
_a 4.5" model is all but assured_

Citation? All the evidence I've seen points to a 4" model.
[http://www.cultofmac.com/177233/yet-another-4-inch-
iphone-5-...](http://www.cultofmac.com/177233/yet-another-4-inch-
iphone-5-display-surfaces-with-in-cell-touch-technology/)

~~~
achompas
Right. In addition, the '7" iPad' is rumored to actually have a 7.85" screen,
so that Apple would now have a 4" phone, an ~8" tablet, and a ~10" tablet. I'd
say those devices are easily distinguished from one another.

~~~
bwilliams18
If they came out with an 8" I'd want the 10" to bump up to 12" I think it
would still be manageable, you'd have 4 inch differentiation among each
product.

