The wait is officially over: Apple finally introduced their newest line of gadgets on Tuesday including the iPad mini tablet.
Rumors had been speculating about the iPad mini even before the event was announced by Apple on Oct. 12. The tablet starting price will be $329 for the 16GB version and the 4G version will cost $458.
"You knew there'd be something called Mini in this presentation," joked vice president of marketing Phil Schiller before revealing the device according to Fox News.
The new device comes with features like an improved 7.9-inch screen that weighs almost half as much as the normal iPad does according to USA Today. It will also contain a duel-core A5 processor, 10 hour battery life and two mini cameras. The device will be made of aluminum.
Two different versions will be available when released including versions that come with Wi-Fi and those that come with LTE wireless connectivity as well. It is believed that the iPad mini will now compete directly with Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire.
The Kindle and Nexus both have 7-inch screens and Apple stated at the event that the iPad mini will have a faster Wi-Fi connection compared to its competitors.
Some think that the iPad mini may actually compete with the larger iPad versions as well, something that would have to be considered bad for the company. The company has sold 84 million iPads since it was first released.
The Kindle Fire is sold at an average price of $159, meanwhile the average price for the Nexus 7 is at around $200.
While the news of the iPad mini is a huge, some have been saying the new Apple device isn't much to get excited about. Some have gone as far to say the product is a prime example of Apple attempting to keep with the times instead of setting the trend like their fans are used to from the company.
"The single biggest concern I hear is Apple has perhaps lost a step on the innovation front," said Will Power, senior analyst with Robert W. Baird & Co to Yahoo. "That is the secret sauce at Apple, and if they don't stir that, that is going to create problems.
The company also introduced updates to Macintosh computers and a larger iPad compared to the previous edition released in Apr. 2010. The larger iPad will come with a 9.7 inch screen and an updated hardware compared to the previous edition.
Preorder for the Wi-Fi only iPad mini will begin on Oct. 26, and the device will be in stores by Nov. 2. The invitation-only event was held at the California Theater in San Jose, CA.
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