As you know, the upcoming media event for Apple’s smaller, thinner, and less expensive tablet, the as-yet-named iPad Air iPad mini, is being widely reported as happening on October 23,2012.
While the invites haven’t gone out yet, we’re seeing a rumor that the event will focus on iBooks, which makes a ton of sense considering that a smaller iPad is in the same market category as a device like the Amazon Kindle Fire, which is kind of like a souped-up eReader, with media consumption its main purpose, at least from Amazon’s perspective.
While this seems like a plausible rumor, I’m not ready to fully embrace it yet.
While iBooks is indeed in competition with Amazon and, to a lesser extent, Google and Barnes & Noble as an eReader device, I can’t help but see the iPad ecosystem in general as much bigger. Yes, a smaller iPad mini will be a fantastic form factor for reading and purchasing electronic books, magazines, and even textbooks. The new iPad is successful in this area as well.
It’s also fairly plausible that both iBooks and iBooks Author will get an update, as The Next Web is reporting, as they’re both overdue for some Apple tinkering. They’ll also most likely be some updates that are specifically due to the iPad mini, or whatever it will be called, simply because it makes sense to do so.
I don’t see how the event will “mostly” be about anything except the new, smaller iPad. Of course, time will tell, but there’s a lot more to be announced about such a cool new product than it’s eReader capabilities. What makes the iPad tablet so fantastic, and so much better–in my opinion–than the other tablets on the market, is the app ecosystem. The incredible wealth of apps available for an iPad of any size make it an ideal device for creation and consumption, gaming and productivity, reading and writing. It’s simply magical, to borrow a Jobsism.
I’d love to see a new iBooks, and of course can’t wait to see a new iPad Air, but this rumor, to me, is a bit on the airy side itself.
Source: The Next Web
Via: MacRumors
