Apple will debut a smaller iPad by the end of this year, Bloomberg said Wednesday, citing two sources.
The smaller iPad is expected to bear a 7 or 8 inch screen, and may be officially unveiled by October.
An iPad at 7 inches could could impact car navigation and rear seat entertainment as the screen size would fit in dashboards and head rests. Apple owns 61 percent of the tablet market, says Gartner, and tablet sales are expected to reach 119 million this year.
For Apple, a smaller iPad would help it defend its market share against new rival Google, which will release its Nexus 7 ($199) 7 inch tablet this July. Microsoft will also enter the market this fall with a larger 10.6-inch “Surface” tablet with a very thin cover that doubles as a keyboard.
Source: Bloomberg
