Rumor Surfaces: New 7-inch iPad in Development?
Steve Jobs' Skepticism Towards 7-inch Tablets
Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, expressed skepticism towards 7-inch tablets, believing they would struggle to deliver an optimal user experience compared to larger tablets like the iPad. His reasoning was based on the importance of ensuring tablets were practical, functional devices, rather than just larger smartphones.
Jobs believed that tablets smaller than 9 inches could not match the usability and immersive experience provided by the larger iPad screen size. The 9.7-inch size was seen as the minimum threshold for a tablet to be practical for reading, browsing, and other common tablet tasks. This size provided the balance between portability and usability that Jobs prioritized.
His criticism extended to tablets smaller than the iPad's 10-inch screen size, stating they were not suitable for an optimal tablet PC experience. This view was evident in his dismissal of products like the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab and Research in Motion's Playbook.
Despite his skepticism, Jobs was optimistic about the tablet PC segment, describing it as a "new model of computing." However, he questioned the decision of vendors to proceed with Android tablet plans despite Google's pleas to hold off, as the OS was not yet optimized for tablets.
Jobs's sentiments towards smaller-sized tablets were not limited to Android devices. He once stated that the 7-inch iPad would remain a prototype and would not be produced. Despite his initial reservations, the tablet market has boomed, with Jobs referring to it as a "tiger by the tail."
[1] It's important to note that this article does not imply that Steve Jobs' predictions were accurate. The market has shown a significant demand for 7-inch tablets, with various manufacturers releasing successful models.
- Steve Jobs was not a proponent of e-readers and smaller tablets, such as the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab and Research in Motion's Playbook, deeming them inadequate for a practical and immersive tablet PC experience.
- Given Steve Jobs' stance on smaller tablets, he likely would have considered e-readers, with their screens typically below 9 inches, as mere gadgets, rather than functional devices, because of their inferior usability compared to larger technology like the iPad.
