Rumor: iPad Mini could be launched “soon” for $249 to $299 to compete against Google

It was hoped that following the presentation of the Google multimedia tablet, Nexus 7, we could revive to surface rumors of a compact version of iPad so that the Cupertino company could compete against the 7-inch Android devices like the popular Kindle so Fire. A new report says iPad Mini would be almost ready to be presented with a 7.85 inch screen manufactured by Sharp IGZO technology and a thickness similar to iPad 2.

The Chinese website MyDrivers published today this new information that says that the new compact Apple tablet will come with a price between $249 and $299 when it launches, according to “analysts”. A compact new Apple tablet would act as a lever in a market in which the Android tablets – and to a lesser extent Blackberry Playbook – have a monopoly, and in which a particular media device from Amazon seems to prevail with very simple hardware and offers a wide range of online services.

But why waste the opportunity to offer the same price as the competition? At present, the low cost tablets are competing in a different league from iPad, offering more limited services to achieve a sales price that is affordable for the average pocket. This iPad Mini would incorporate in one way or another the capabilities of its big brother, with a more convenient format for use as an ebook reader (or iBooks) that is lighter and easy to carry, best for those who are not decided on buying larger tabelt. A maximum price of $300 – $100 below the iPad 2 – although excessive compared to the tablets of Google and Amazon, it seems right for a device that looks more like the 7 inch Android tablets “traditional” such as the Acer Iconia Tab A100 that was launched for $249 Dollars.

It remains to be seen whether this rumor is just one of the vast from the imagination of technology market analysts, a test of the business will for Apple itself, or indeed we are about to see a new iPad model, focusing on another class of users. In any case, do you think its the right time for an iPad Mini?