back to article Third of iPad owners want smaller slabs

Market watcher Strategy Analytics has been asking iPad owners about their desires for the platform and found that a third of them want a tablet with a different size screen. That said, the current size remains the favourite for the majority of users, and that remains the case when owners of other tablets were questioned too: …

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  1. James 51

    7" Playbook

    Which currys has dropped the price of (again).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Rubbish

      I bought the iPad for the screen size, the retina display is a bonus, why would you want to squint at a smaller screen?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    People who paid money for a 10 inch iPad were asked what size they preferred. Not surprisingly, they answered 10 inches. The vast majority of those who prefer a different size didn't buy a tablet, so were not asked.

    1. FartingHippo
      Stop

      Yup. It's like claiming McDonalds did the right thing selling burgers because 95% of their customers prefer burgers to salads.

    2. Craigness

      I paid for a 10" tablet but I'd prefer an 8.2". That's the Xoom 2 Media Edition. Unfortunately the size was the only thing going for it.

  3. CompuGuide

    Hmm, not sure about this.

    I predict that the 7" format will be a huge success (Android or Apple).

    While the iPad is a superb machine, it's just not portable enough and the Nexus 7's popularity shows that when the tablet is of high enough quality then it will catch on..

  4. Justin 9
    FAIL

    Third of iPad owners are T**T's

    Third of iPad owners are imbeciles

    or

    Third of iPad owners will say they want whatever a market analyst propmts them to say.

    10" is a great size for the iPad or any tother tablet. I had a 7" tablet prior to the iPad, hated it. To big for a phone and too small to do anything usefull on.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Third of iPad owners are T**T's

      7" is a perfect size for holding in one hand. In case you need the other hand for something...else.

      Like holding yourseld upright on a train or bus - why, whatever else did you think I meant?

    2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Third of iPad owners are T**T's

      "Third of iPad owners are imbeciles"

      Oh, do grow up. Not all people's needs are identical, which is why more than one product is released in each market sector, and more than one type often sells.

      For reading ebooks, a 7" tablet is often better. For PDFs and manuals, 10" probably is. For video the bigger the better, except when portability comes into it, when suddenly 7" (or even 5") might look a lot better. The 4:3 iPad is better for websites, the 16:9 Androids are better for widescreen video. Even a few seconds thought should show this to be obvious.

      I really like the idea of a 7" Galaxy Note, which would be really nice for reading and (obviously) note-taking. However, I'm not sure I can really justify spending the extra cash, when I've got an iPad, which can do both of these things too, if not as well.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Third of iPad owners are T**T's

      That's how I feel about the 10" tablets. Not big enough for home use yet too big to carry around. A 7" tablet fits in a jacket pocket or purse so I can bring it everywhere, and I do.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Third of iPad owners are T**T's @Justin 9

      That's one he'll of a chip you're carrying on your shoulder. Can't afford one or didn't mummy buy you one for Christmas?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    perhaps...

    Some of those who use a 10in iPad have seen how stupid they look using it as a camera/video camera in public.

    I'm just back from my holiday and I had to stop myself from laughing out loud a few times when I saw somebody walking down the street filming or taking photos with an iPad. They were probably thinking 'how cool do I look'...even when they tried in vain to shield the screen from the sun so they could see what they had taken/filmed...Lol..if only they knew (maybe some now do).

    I've no objection to tablets - but a portable camera/video device for tourists it ain't.

    1. Test Man
      Thumb Up

      Re: perhaps...

      I saw one person use an iPad 2 at a wedding. This was hilarious - because you'd think that, considering the iPad 2 has an awful video camera (another iPad 2 owner's words), he'd actually use a proper recording device that's been in existence for far longer... say, a camcorder! This bloke really came across as a look-at-me sort of off-putting person.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: perhaps...

      Looks like at least El Reg commentard thinks it does look cool to use a tablet as a camera in public then..:-)

      What could be better (and an Idea for Apple/Samsung/etc) would be the ability to put the tablet in the backpack and have a cabled (or short range wireless) mini cam/heads-up with controls - maybe the ability to link the spangly hidef videocam sunglasses to the tablet (which can be used to review in a nice shaded area)...or they could just use a proper camera/video. dunno.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: perhaps...

        for example.....these

        http://www.pivothead.com/products/

    3. Drat
      Happy

      Re: perhaps...

      This just makes me think of Dom Joly on Trigger Happy TV using his massive mobile phone :)

  6. Kevin Johnston

    Sample size?

    I'm sorry, but they asked less than 1,000 people across 6 countries (regions?) and expect people to take their results seriously???

    Even if you ignore the aspects already identified in the above comments, you cannot call this a representative sample when according to figures from the Reg, Q2 2012 shipments of tablets were over 20 million....

  7. Tankboy
    Mushroom

    Let the fanboi flaming commence!

  8. squilookle
    Thumb Down

    The timing of this is suspect. It looks to me like, because of the rumours of aa 7in device, they have gone out and asked "Would you like a 7 or 10 in device?". If you ask that, then of course somepeople are going to say 7in.

    Now, if they asked "What size tablet would you like: 5in, 6in, 7in, 8in, 9in, 10in or 11in" without leading the participants, that might be worth something. Better yet, make mock ups of the tablets scaled to each size and get them to hold them and state their preference, as that might also be worth something.

    Without looking at the report I don't know if they did any of this, but from the article it looks like yet another bit of useless "research" from an analyst, trying to get publicity by getting their name into an article that has the words "Apple" and "iPad" in the headline, because we all know folk click the link and read when they see that.

    One last bit in my post that is turning into a rant: Accusations of Apple fans buying whatever Apple sells aside: I am sure that Apple have done their own research and, if they do release a 7in pad, they have already ascertained themselves that there is some demand for it.

    1. jai

      "without looking at the report"??

      I quite agree, they probably didn't do any of those things, and their sample size was ridiculously small, but you can't slag off the quality of their research if you're not going to put any time or effort into doing your own to find out if the report details any of these things.

      Oy there, Mr Pot, let me introduce to you the esteemed Mr Kettle.....

      1. squilookle

        I don't agree with you and I reject your Pot/Kettle statement. I'm commenting on a web forum on El Reg based on what I have read in the attached article. I don't believe i need to read the report to comment. I have also stated I have not read the report as a disclaimer. In the content of these forums, I would say I have been more than fair.

        If i were writing an article of my own, or a report of my own in response, or otherwise stating my opinions as fact, then you're quite right, I would need to read the report and possibly do further research myself, and your statement would be justified.

  9. AndeckVee
    Childcatcher

    7 vs 10 inch

    guess this depends on what you want the tablet for, 7" is good for Corporate types that need to have teh latest tech to show off whilst answering e-mails whilst traveling, 10" is better for home usrs that want to stream movies and other media files and need teh screen real estate.

    now if only somebody would create a tablet that has a removeable MP3 player that streams from theh main unit or has it's own memory you really could take all of your media with you.

    Won't somebody think of the children as they will be the main users of any tablet after they ask to "borrow" the olds machine...

  10. Hagglefoot
    Childcatcher

    Ferrari looks, but mini under the bonnet.

    7" = Netbook and 10" = Laptop is the way I see it and therefore I suspect the ratios of sales will be about the same. It would be nice to think it was smaller, better, faster, cheaper by design but looking at the specs and the limitations of space within the 7" form factor I cant see people being fooled into thinking they are getting anything comparable between the 10" and the 7" in fact the margins for the 7" will be higher because the marketing will no doubt appear to promise that they can do the same but the manufacturing overheads will be exactly the same, so technically you will be paying more for less. Not to mention the future sales of glasses by specsavers et al.

  11. Ad@m
    Go

    Paper formats

    Surely the requirements for form factors is roughly analogous to that for good old paper formats i.e.:

    iPad 10" = A4

    7" = A5

    iPhone = Address Book

    Each is useful in the right context

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Apple has responded by saying "You get what we say you need so there!"

    1. Martin
      Happy

      "...and if you don't like it, it's because you're holding it wrong."

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Will phones and tablets meet at some point?

    Phone screens get bigger and tablets are shrinking.

    1. jai

      Samsung's Note is practically the same size as the SIII

  14. simlb
    Trollface

    Horses for Courses

    There is no right or wrong here as both size devices work for different situations.

    And, if Apple do release a 7" tablet then some people will buy it regardless even if it costs more than a good-spec 10" Android tablet. That's their choice.

    However, what happens when people have trouble hitting web links or buttons on the screen and Apple subsequently assert that they are 'touching the screen wrong'?

  15. Blergh
    WTF?

    I want a bigger one!!!!!

    Give me a bigger iPad!!! I don't want a smaller one, what use is that? If you want smaller use an iPhone. Give me a bigger iPad!!!! Something which you can comfortably watch video on (bigger TVs are better aren't they) and perhaps something that I can play 2 player games on (with someone at the same time) when placed on the table. I don't know what exact size I'd want, would 20" do?

    To give context my current iPad is a home device which almost completely replaces the home computer, I don't use it as travel device. For those that do I still don't get the clamor for a 7" device, since it would still be too big for a pocket and the current 10" isn't exactly too huge if you are carrying it in a bag anyway.

    1. Blank Reg

      Re: I want a bigger one!!!!!

      A 7 inch ipad would be too big for a pocket due to the silly aspect ratio, but a 7 inch widescreen tablet is only a little bigger than a paperback book, which have fit nicely in pockets for a very long time.

  16. Rufus McDufus
    Paris Hilton

    Paris says

    ...a 10" is far more satisfying.

    1. Craigness
      Gimp

      Re: Paris says

      Android for the length or an Ipad for the extra width?

      1. dssf
        Joke

        Re: Paris says

        But, would width be girth?

        Maybe apple tried it in for size and decided 7" makes a better weapon than a 10"er...

  17. Dana W

    Apple fan buying a Nexus.

    I'm waiting on the "theoretical" seven inch iPad announcements. if there is one at a semi sane price, I want one. Otherwise this Apple fan "Three Macs, two iPods and and iPhone 4s" is buying a 16 gig Nexus 7.

    I've nothing against giving Android a try.

    Its not just cost, though it does factor in. I don't want a 10 inch iPad. Too big for my purse. if it can't ride in the same slot I usually keep my Kindle its not an aid for me, its an encumbrance. And I don't believe I"m the only one. If I'm going to carry a device in a separate case, I'll carry my actual LAPTOP. I want a tablet to be a convenience, not another hindrance.

    1. DryBones
      Pint

      Re: Apple fan buying a Nexus.

      Try a Nexus out in store if possible, as with most things tech hands-on testing is best. That said, both OS will be (and are) pleasantly snappy. Obviously if the tablet is intended for the purse, a stern cover is needed.

      Also:

      * I half expect a $299 price point for the mini, between cost savings and a light subsidy. It needs some separation from the 3 to be looked at... Or maybe it doesn't. Proximity to the 10" iPad in price will show how loyal/rabid fans are.

      * Swype beats every other virtual keyboard hollow. Yes, including SwiftKey. It's beta for ICS right now, but if it's not on the demo unit, make them install it. Seriously. Yes, this requires installing code not directly from Google Play.

      * Nexus 7 has a replaceable battery. I like things where one has the option of replacing wear parts themself. But that's just me, I like having the option to do the work (pop cover off, unplug cable, swap battery, replace cable and cover).

      1. Dana W
        Happy

        Re: Apple fan buying a Nexus.

        Agreed, My Kindle has a strong case and Its been fine in my purse for two years. I bought the new bag partly for the extra leather pocket that is just right for a seven inch slab. "You will be seeing a lot of that in bags in the future" I agree on the topic of replaceable batteries as well, though most batteries in anything are replaceable if you have skill and patience. I've fixed Apple kit and Kindles, so I'm used to meddling where I'm "not supposed to"

        I did not know about the different virtual keyboards though so thanks for the heads up on that. Once I was sure the tools to play games with the Android firmware were well established for OS X a lot of my reservations against trying an Android tablet went away. I don't want to be saddled with last years OS Now I need to find a place that is not Best Buy where I cam play with one.

        1. DryBones

          Re: Apple fan buying a Nexus.

          Milo.com is your friend in this, I think. Staples has 'em. Cheers.

  18. Robert Carnegie Silver badge

    I've got a 7 inch Samsung tablet-phone.

    Since I've got one, I do not want one. Because I've got it.

    So I think there is scnpe for confusion. I bought the size of device that I wanted. If I'd gone for Apple, then I couldn't have had this size. So, there are more dissatisfied Apple customers - at least in this respect. And that's what the survey shows - I think.

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