It seems like just about every month Apple is coming out with some new gadget or upgrade to one of there previous products. Today Apple introduced the iPad Mini, which will be the first major extension int he companies line or products in over two years. The cost for this new device will start at $329 and will be available November 2nd or on presale this Friday.
The iPad mini apparently was a product that Steve Jobs had dismissed early on because he thought these smaller tablets were highly prone to failure in the market. But as other companies such as Google and Samsung have had their mini tablets fail Apple defends themselves by saying those products were just not what the consumer wanted. This time around Apple has taken the time to ensure its features were good enough for their customers.
Analysts at today’s meeting say that the release of the iPad mini will help maintain Apples momentum in the industry. Many analysts also predict that this products will become a key player in education and emerging markets such as China. With this being said Apple is already forecasting for a high demand for this product globally.
As we saw with the release of the iPhone 5, Apple needs to be able to manage their quality of their products and forecast accurately for the demand in this new product. Inventory management is going to be key as these new products are going to be demanded in stores and online to customers all over the world. It will be interesting to see the quality of this new device as well as how Apple keeps up with consumer demand.