Who is the iPad Mini for?

Who needs the iPad Mini?

The invites been sent, and the announcement itself is days away. The questions about pricing and SKU's will be answered soon while one question will remain. Who is the iPad Mini for?

The immediate respons is that the purpose of the iPad Mini is to compete directly with the Kindle Fires and Nexus 7s of the world. The problem is, isn't Apple a little late to the 7" party? Wouldn't the majority of consumers in the market for a 7ish inch tablet no longer be in the market because they have already chosen and purchased their Android powered tablet? Don't get me wrong, the market for this particular type of device continues to grow, we know this because the heavy hitters continue to up the ante unloading newer more powerful models with increasingly impressive tech at an exceptionally low price point. But who is Apple's model for?

Anyone who knows Apple understands their products shine in a way the others rarely do. They shine in the the way the software relies on the hardware and visa versa. It is an interdependent relationship that is so effective because both pieces are equally invested in each another. The interoperability of the two, and the magic they create mask the fact that the hardware is rarely bleeding or even leading edge. The only exception to this comes in the form of Apple's Flagship products, the iPhone and the iPad. The two products play a game of hardware leap frog showcasing the hardware chops Apple can produce at the time. Especially now that the release of the two is separated by about a half a year. But even the iPhone 5 which showcases Apple's most powerful processor to-date can't stand toe to toe in raw processing power with it's competition. The average Apple consumer cares not about benchmark scores though. They are more interested in what happens when you add the power of the hardware with the usability of the software. This creates a bar that is nearly unreachable by Apples competitors, user experience nirvanna!

So will the hardware of the iPad Mini compete with those of the droid world? It'll be a close race but I predict Apple will not be first in raw spec's. The iPad Mini will have a processor similar to the latest Touch which brings all of the features of Apples latest iOS. The screen will be of exceptional quality. Combine this with the consistency of the OS and the Mini will be a contender.

The Mini will also come with another plus not yet mentioned, the Apple ecosystem. The Mini will fit right in with the rest of your Apple products, whether it be a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or the hundreds of previously downloaded Apps waiting for you in the cloud. You're familiar with this space and it's comfortable, it is here where you are at home! Apple has a competitive ecosystem, the others do as well. Amazon is one of the strongest in this space, providing content in many ways that is unmatched. Throw in their whispersync technology that allows you to pick up where you left off regardless of media type is downright magical.

So again, I ask, who is the iPad Mini for? I consider myself a loyal Apple fan but until recently, I had not given the Mini a second thought. Why? Because I like consolidation of products. The reason I love my iPad is because it is a "jack of all trades, master of none" device. It does 99% of what I need a "computer" to do. Here is the jack, the master part are the things it could do better, like providing a better reading experience. At times the iPad is just too cumbersome and heavy to read with in bed for any extended period of time. Does this warrant the purchase of the iPad Mini? For some, the answer is yes. Like any gadget, If the Mini fulfills a need for you then the purchase could be considered logical. This at it's most basic aspect, is the purpose of all consumer goods. The fulfilling of a need. People have their own needs, which means they are the only ones that can make this decision. Is there a segment of the market that has already purchased an Android 7" tablet simply because Apple hasn't provided an option yet? Probably. Are there consumers who have dealt with the bulk of the iPad simply because they have too much invested in their ecosystem to go some place else? I'd imagine. Are there gadget geeks out there that want every possible gadget developed just because. Most definitely yes. The iPad Mini is for all of these types of people.

This is only partially who the Mini is for though. It's obvious the primary type of purchaser the Mini is really for, and Samsung has already told us this. If Samsung knows then we definitely know. Ill be waiting in line for the iPad Mini. Don't worry it's not for me, I'm just holding this spot for my parents who were introduced to, and fell in love with Apple through the very consumer friendly iPhone. Apple, I can guarantee, thanks me for this.