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Surprise! $250 iPad Mini would be a hit, says online deals site

ipad-mini-coming-in-2012-rumorWhat happens when an online deals site surveys a group of people about a theoretical Apple product at a crazy new low price? As it turns out, everyone wants one! Imagine that. Today, PriceGrabber, an online shopping/deals site, released the results of just such a survey. The site asked 2,603 US online shoppers whether they’d want a 7-inch iPad Mini (a rumored product) if it were released later this year for $250-$300. Fifty two percent of people said, sure, that sounds great. Are we surprised? 

A smaller version of the iPad has been circling the rumor mills for more than a year, but we still have no firm evidence to support that it’s happening. Most of these rumors point toward an 8-inch model, not 7-inch, and I haven’t seen many rumors indicating Apple would price it at $250. For all we know, it could be $600. That is, again, if it exists at all. 

But, let’s pretend it is conveniently 7 inches and $250. Here’s what some random shoppers thought about it on the spot for a survey:

  • 52 percent said they’d consider purchasing it
  • 48 percent said they would not purchase it
  • 22 percent currently own a tablet. 
  • 68 percent of these tablet owners have an iPad and 10 percent have a Kindle Fire. 
  • 64 percent said the lower price was the reason they’d buy
  • 54 percent said it was the smaller size
  • 20 percent said they love Apple products and always buy them no matter what

Of those who wanted an iPad Mini, below are the features they want most:

  • 84% indicated reduced price
  • 65% indicated at least 3G connectivity
  • 60% indicated reduced size
  • 60% indicated ultra thin body
  • 43% indicated retina display
  • 37% indicated full Siri integration
  • 31% unique and new design
  • 30% indicated that it be launched with iOS 6

So what have we learned? It looks like there’s definitely a market for an Apple branded smaller tablet among tech savvy, cost conscious consumers, but they seem to want it at a cheap price. Convenient results for a survey done by PriceGrabber.com.

Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
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