Apple today announced the iPad mini, comparing it in all respects to the Google Nexus 7 - widely regarded as the best 7-inch Android tablet - in an unprecedented demolition of the competitor’s tablet.
iPad mini - specs, prices, NZ availability
The 7.9inch iPad mini is 7.2mm thick and weighs 308-312g.It uses the dual core A5 processor, as used in the iPad 2, and as with the iPad 2, the resolution of the screen is 1024 x 768 - though in a smaller form factor which should make images seem smoother compared to the iPad 2. It comes in black or white with a silver back. Apple claims that the battery life is 10 hours.
The iPad mini will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions, in either Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi+3G versions. New Zealand prices start from $479, for the Wi-Fi 16GB version, to $979 for the Wi-Fi+3G 64GB version.
Pre-orders open on October 26, for shipping on November 2. Wi-Fi+3G version will likely ship two weeks later, as per the US.
Wi-Fi
- 16GB NZ$ 479
- 32GB NZ$ 629
- 64GB NZ$ 779
Wi-Fi + 3G
- 16GB NZ$ 680
- 32GB NZ$ 829
- 64GB NZ$ 979
The iPad mini will use Apple’s new lightning connector, and Apple is also updating the Retina iPad with lightning connector and faster A6X processor.
iPad mini vs Nexus 7: Apple lays the smackdown
In an unexpected move, Apple’s Phil Schiller compared the iPad mini directly to the Nexus 7, talking about the Nexus's plastic build and poor range of tablet-optimised apps, as well as presenting slides illustrating the 35% larger screen on the iPad mini.
However, Apple didn’t mention that the pixel pitch (the number of pixels per inch) is higher at 216 on the Nexus, compared to 163 on the iPad mini.
While we haven’t yet compared the two screens, we compared the iPad 2 and Nexus 7 earlier this year, and found that the screen on the Nexus 7 was lower quality than the iPad2, with poorer colour saturation. It also appears slightly grainy.
In New Zealand, because of the cost of importing the Nexus 7, it works out only $80 cheaper to buy the Nexus 7 16GB than the iPad mini 16GB. For that reason, alone the iPad mini will outsell the Nexus here.
Side by side, Nexus 7 and iPad mini
 | Apple ipad mini | Google Nexus 7 |
| Dimensions | 200mm x 135mm x 7.2mm | 199mm x 120mm x 10.5mm |
| Weight | 308g (Wi-Fi); 312g (Wi-Fi + 3G | 340g |
| Processor | dual-core A5 | quad-core Tegra 3 |
| RAM | 1GB | 1GB |
| Capacity | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB | 8GB, 16GB |
| Camera(s) | 5MP/1.2MP | 1.2MP |
| Tablet-optimised apps | >275,000 | not stated |
| Screen size | 7.9in IPS | 7in IPS |
| Screen resolution | 1024 x 768 (163ppi) | 1280 x 800 (216ppi) |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11n, 2.4GHz/5GHz | 802.11n, 2.4GHz |
| Battery capacity | 4490mAh* | 4325mAh |
| Claimed battery life | up to 10hrs | up to 10hrs |
| Price | $479 (16GB) | $399 (16GB)** |
*Not yet confirmed by Apple
**Parallel import/price from Dick Smith.