Rumor: iPad Mini will finally make its appearance

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We have covered this plenty of times. Although former Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, was of a opinion that 9.7-inch screen for the tablet is a perfect screen size, there have been plenty of rumors floating around that Apple might actually be considering to bring iPad Mini with smaller screen size this year.

According to Digitimes, Apple will release a smaller screen sized tablet in order to defend against Microsoft’s Windows based tablets. It also reports that iPad 3 will be released in only two version: a 16GB mode and a 32GB model. There’s no reasoning as to why Apple won’t be releasing a 64GB model.

Makers in Apple’s iPad supply chain have started delivering samples of 7.85-inch iPads for verification, with volume production likely to begin in the third quarter of 2012 at the earliest, according to industry sources.

The price of the 7.85-inch iPad is likely to be set at US$249-299, since Apple is also expected to release an 8GB iPad 2 for US$349-399, and has lowered the price of the 16GB iPad 2 to US$449, the sources noted.

Going by Digitimes history of getting its scoops right, we would just shrug off the report. There’s no way we could believe that Apple might go away with higher capacity 64GB model. And more importantly, even Android tablets haven’t been able to give a competition to the iPad yet, Apple fearing Windows based tablets is a bit overstretch.

If you ask me, I’ll take Digitimes report with a pinch of salt.

Apple is expected to unveil iPad 3 on March 7 in San Francisco.