Apple To Combat Kindle with iPad Mini

Kindle Fire has generated a lot of buzz since it was launched a few weeks ago. Priced at $199, Kindle Fire will sell like hot cakes, especially during the upcoming holiday season. While Apple has the best tablet on the market, the company is not ready to concede an inch to its competitors. That could explain the rumors of iPad Mini being in the works. Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities suggests a more affordable iPad could make its debut in 2012. He is basing his information on rumblings he has heard in China.

We believe this lower priced iPad could be priced in the mid-to-high-$200 range… We expect this will be followed by a much more powerful, feature rich standard-priced iPad 3 in (the second quarter of 2012).

iPad Mini won’t necessarily have a smaller screen than the current generation iPads. Apple has been quite aggressive with its pricing and is expected to be even more aggressive in the future. Targeting the lower-end of the market will allow Apple to protect its marketshare for a longer period of time.