iPad mini to dent sales of Windows 8 devices: Analyst

Apple and Microsoft have recently launched their respective tablets -- the iPad mini and the Surface. Apple has a good track record with the iPad, and what may be a key advantage for Microsoft is that it is new to the tablet segment with a new operating system designed to work across multiple platforms. An analyst now states that Windows 8 devices will face a setback as the iPad mini can be termed as the competition’s worst nightmare.

As per a report on Cnet, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu states that the iPad mini will cause major agitation for the competition that runs on the Windows 8 platform. In an investor’s note he states, “We continue to believe iPad Mini is the competition's worst nightmare and will likely slow down adoption of competitor tablets. In particular, we believe this could end up being a very tough holiday season for Windows 8.”

The price point is higher than expected

Elaborating on his point that the iPad mini will be successful, Wu states that the price point will be the driving force behind the sales of the 7.9-inch tablet. The $329 iPad will be a key advantage over the competition, and he cites the Microsoft Surface RT as an example and the $599 price tag that it bears. Wu calls the Surface "arguably overpriced".

The iPad mini has an aluminium and glass design 7.2mm thick, and weighs only 0.68 pounds. As per an official statement by Apple, the iPad mini has 35 percent more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets, and up to 67 percent more usable viewing area when browsing the web. The dual-core A5 chip on the iPad mini allows for responsive graphics and a multi-touch experience that Apple believes to be both, fast and fluid while still providing all-day battery life.

The iPad mini features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5-megapixel iSight camera at the back, which allows for recording full 1080p HD video. The iSight camera includes video image stabilisation and both cameras feature backside illumination, which Apple claims will allow users to capture great pictures in low light. The iPad mini also allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

The iPad mini features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for speeds up to 150Mbps, which Apple says is twice the Wi-Fi performance compared to previous the iPad models. The iPad mini is available in a Wi-Fi version and a cellular one, which are world-ready with built-in support for most wireless standards, including LTE and DC-HSDPA. The iPad mini data plans will be available sans contract; so users will be only required to sign up and activate service directly from their iPad. Using the Personal Hotspot feature you can share a fast cellular data connection via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB with up to five other devices such as the MacBook Pro, the iPod touch or another iPad.

Apple launched the Wi-Fi version of the iPad mini in select markets for a suggested retail price of $329 for the 16GB model, $429 for the 32GB model, and $529 for the 64GB model in the US. It will be available in two colour options -- black and slate, and white and silver.