Edible Apple

A report from the Guardian today claims that Apple will have more than an iPad Mini to show off at its rumored  iPad-themed special event which will likely take place sometime in mid-October. Specifically, the report notes that Apple this month will also be unveiling a revamped iPad that will be 4G compatible in the UK.

What’s more, the report claims that the iPad Mini will only come in a Wi-Fi version. This is an interesting rumor because part of the impetus behind Apple’s decision to develop a smaller iPad is that competitors have been able to chip away at the iPad’s market share armor with smaller tablet devices at lower pricepoints.

Industry sources indicated to the Guardian that they do not expect to see 3G-capable versions of the iPad mini. That would allow Apple to produce it comparatively cheaply and to limit the top price of the product, while retaining mobile broadband connectivity for its pricier iPad line.

To that end, Apple will undoubtedly be pricing the iPad Mini rather aggressively and will consequently have to make some design compromises. For example, don’t bet on the the iPad Mini coming with a Retina Display. In that same vein, perhaps Apple is looking to provide users looking for LTE service a reason to pay a little bit more for a full-fledged iPad. Further, folks who are more price conscious will likely care more about a cheap buy-in point than they will about LTE connectivity which would require a month to month plan anyhow.

Apple surprised pundits and analysts everywhere when it revealed pricing on the original iPad. While many thought Apple would sell the device for upwards of $800, Apple shocked everyone when they announced a $499 buy-in point. Similarly, while some analysts are expecting a pricepoint of $250 for the iPad Mini, don’t be surprised if Apple shocks everyone once again and prices it at a measly $199, putting it on the same playing field as the Google Nexus 7 and just slightly more expensive than the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Lastly, this isn’t the first we’ve heard of Apple potentially releasing a revamped iPad this fall. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said as much this past Summer, noting Apple’s plans to release a modified iPad before the end of the year. Further, a revamped iPad might help explain a new iPad designation of “iPad3,6” which one developer recently noticed making an appearance in his analytics log.