Apple CEO Tim Cook has stressed that the firm will never create a 7-inch tablet. Late co-founder Steve Jobs had also stated that a tablet smaller than the original 9.7-inch iPad would be too uncomfortable for consumers, who apparently couldn't use their entire fingers to utilize the device.
Speaking during a conference call with investors, he said, "We would not make a 7-inch tablet. We don't think they're good products."
While the recently unveiled iPad Mini is a smaller tablet than the iPad 4, it still boasts a 7.9-inch display. The revised tablet is "in a whole different league," he said when referring to competition. The extra size of the device offers consumers considerably larger viewing area that isn't restricted and cramped like smaller devices such as Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD, the Apple executive said.
Its premium price, meanwhile, was also defended as Cook stated that the tablet is significantly less profitable than other products within its lineup. While Google's Nexus 7 has turned out to be a commercial success for the firm, it is reportedly planning a direct iPad competitor via a 10-inch Nexus tablet.
