The Rumored Next Apple Device: Apple Mini Thins

Taiwanese sources have claimed that up to 10m iPad Mini’s could ship in 2012, featuring a new touch screen technology that should make any iPad Mini the thinnest iPads yet.

You’ve gotta love those secret Taiwanese and Chinese technology sources, for they often know super secret stuff about what tech is coming next – although as will all rumours, they can’t always be believed.

That said, the latest iRumours sound compelling: not only will there be mini 7 or 7.85-inch iPads this year, so sayeth the secret sources, and not only could up to 10 million of the magical and slightly smaller iDevices of wonder ship “this year”, but a new touch screen technology could see thinner iPads then ever.

The news comes via the sometimes right, and sometimes wrong newsmakers from famous Taiwanese tech news outfit, Digitimes, with news that Apple’s now slightly less secret iPad Mini is due to use a new “thin film touch technology” called “G/F2”.

Apple Smarts

The Apple philosophy is to create your own competition. The only thing that can go against Apple is another Apple, all these in terms of functionality, usability, design and hype. Apple has the best tablet in the world with its iPad3, and when it creates the next iPad gen, the current iPad3 will drop a $100 in price. Apple's only competition thus by far is Apple.

Hot iPad: What's Not There to Love

iPad enthusiasts looking for the latest and greatest tablet will likely find something to love in the new iPad, especially if the Retina display lives up to the hype. Owners of the first iPad will find many reasons to upgrade at this point, including getting a camera, probably much better performance, and that display. They'll also have the alternative of a less-expensive, one-step upgrade from the original iPad to the iPad 2. A 16GB, Wi-Fi iPad 2 now costs $399.

If you already own an iPad 2 and are feeling satisfied with that, you're not missing out on a wholesale retooling of the iPad if you don't upgrade now.

Finally, it's no surprise that Apple didn't drop prices on the new iPad. The company's been able to sell its tablet for these prices all along, easily beating out similarly priced and even lower-priced competitors. And that's probably why we're not seeing a "Kindle Fire killer" either, despite rumors that a smaller iPad would be in today's lineup.