This Week In Apple Rumors: Cheap iPad Mini, New MacBook, And Retina Display Macs

Every week the numerous blogs covering the machinations of the Apple empire float unconfirmed rumors, blatant speculation and questionably-sourced reports on what the company might be unveiling in the near or distant future. Let's take a look back at what the Apple blogs were excited about during the week of April 9 - April 15. Check out our last edition of Apple rumors here, and for all the latest follow me on Twitter right here.

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Comments

[WestCoastLib]

08:17 PM on 04/17/2012

heard a rumor that Googles the new Apple and Apple's the new MS

?

[bring in swat]

06:30 PM on 04/17/2012

they'll be lining up around the block to buy what they were told was "stupid" and "idiotic" 2 years ago...now they must be "revolutionary" and "brilliant".

[dwyer222]

05:26 PM on 04/17/2012

Nothing matters until we get a new Pro. Come on, dammit!

[Mroptimistic]

04:02 PM on 04/17/2012

Me see!
IPhone 5 him number 1!
Sister turn8 she factory with me work.
She so excited!
Miss Mr. steve soo baad.
we get raise?

[RV1025]

02:47 PM on 04/17/2012

Where are all the AAPL short-sellers???
Apple was doomed, eh?

We're back over $600/share, baby!

Let me know what you guys shorted your shares at. I'll gladly take every share off of your hands, thanks in advance.

:-)

[kc1174]

02:13 PM on 04/17/2012

HuffPost - try reporting news. This isn't news, it's rumor. No Pulitzer prize for this. And if people want to see what's going on with Apple, go to buyersguide.macrumors.com/

[Grady Klein]

03:25 PM on 04/17/2012

It is news it if applies to something I might buy. It is a technological rumor, therefore it is news, be it true or not. If you would rather not read it, there are many other articles to read. :)

[kc1174]

03:58 PM on 04/17/2012

Fair enough, but the website listed above goes into far more accurate detail than this article does.

[Anthony Dodd]

01:30 PM on 04/17/2012

An iPad Mini could remove the bezel frame and physical button -- giving the buyer the exact same screen space in a smaller form factor. Meanwhile the 'classic iPad' could expand into the bezel, offering extra viewing space at the same size factor.

[scodwyer]

01:03 PM on 04/17/2012

You get what you pay for,,,I love Apple, never had a virus....PC's always getting viruses....having them fixed has cost more than buying an Apple product in the first place. Customer service at Apple is A+++.....I had a dell, and other pcs.....customer service is overseas....the language barrier is an issue.

[Grady Klein]

03:27 PM on 04/17/2012

Heh, funny. I hear there are plenty of viruses for a Mac, made a few myself. My PC has had less viruses than my brother's macbook. If you can't fix the PC yourself, there is no point in owning one. Build your own PC, its easy, and there isn't need to customer support. :)

[Dkbny]

02:51 AM on 04/18/2012

If you have that kinda time... And inclination.

[kc1174]

03:56 PM on 04/17/2012

I'm not sure how your post relates to the article, except to bash the personal computer. As for the virus comment, if your PC kept getting viruses, maybe it's the user at fault? Never had a single virus on mine if properly protected and if all hell does break loose, buy another HDD. From a HP and MacBook pro 17 owner. As for CSRs, just remember that these companies are global businesses before commenting on support being in India or wherever. At least they bother to learn our language and it seems to keep costs down.

[pepper1311]

04:41 AM on 04/18/2012

Apple support is in Texas.

[Rex Devious]

12:29 PM on 04/17/2012

I originally thought that an iPad mini was a dumb idea.

But after having used the existing iPad, I'm starting to think there is a use for something in between the iPhone and 9.7" iPad. The iPhone screen is too small for many tasks; but after awhile the weight and size of the 9.7" iPad can be a bit too much for truly portable computing.

Perhaps a 7.85" model would still provide sufficient screen real estate for the types of tasks that lend themselves to iOS, yet small and light enough to be held in one hand and bring along wherever you go.

At the same time though, the range of form factors if all the rumors are true, you wind up with: 1.54" iPod Nano, 3.5" iPhone/iPod, 4" iPhone (rumored), 7.85" iPad (rumored), 9.7" iPad, 11" MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Air/Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro.

That's an awful lot of products to produce to hit that "just right" form factor. If customers are that particular, perhaps Apple should start thinking about producing products that just plug into different form factors. Like, you have an iPod Nano with an A5 chip and core memory in it, that you can then dock into products that expand it's screen and battery capacity to any size up to a 17" iOS driven laptop - without the need for data synching or buying individual processors, GPS, cell antennae, etc. for each one.

[TomCinIllinois]

11:49 AM on 04/17/2012

The next MacBook Pros will likely be more like the Air, but with more processing power. No optical drive. Apple wants you to buy from iTunes. They will want to become your default software vendor, no matter whose software it is. Perhaps their ambitions for iTunes and the iCloud will make the next generation of MacBook Pros a bit less expensive.

[pepper1311]

04:48 AM on 04/18/2012

I have two I macs , Mac book pro and this iPad. I like using the cloud, as far as softwear goes, we have 25/25 fiber optic so it's easy to just download and cheaper. Up side updates are very easy.

[TomCinIllinois]

03:02 PM on 04/18/2012

But you are very dependent on the iCloud, and Apple acts as the gatekeeper to your iPad, and soon will likely be in a similar position with new MacBooks, collecting a hefty toll.

And, if you use the iCloud for things other than media, you are trusting a lot of information about yourself to Apple. You are also trusting them to be there as long as you need access to that information. They are huge now, but things can change quickly with new technologies.

[BoredLimoDriver]

11:45 AM on 04/17/2012

tempting, but i think i'll still pass on an iPad regardless of size or price. Besides, all the guys that sit and whip out their mini ipads will feel self conscious when the guy next to them pulls out his 9 incher.

[Dkbny]

02:53 AM on 04/18/2012

Ha,,

[Dkbny]

02:54 AM on 04/18/2012

Ha! LOL !!

[ehannock]

11:39 AM on 04/17/2012

When Apples were made in this country, PC users said they were too expensive! They could buy Dells, Sony's & other ones made in China, for less money. Now that Apple makes them in China to be competive in price, they're faulted for that. I love all their products- elegant system, fast, reliable.

[Sacchinftw]

11:44 AM on 04/17/2012

They're only expensive because Apple insists on every product having a significantly higher profit margin than their competitors...

[gbtimmon]

11:47 AM on 04/17/2012

Exactly NAND memory cost abost 4-8 dollars for 16 gb now. The difference between a 16 and 32 gb ipod is 100 dollars. Where is that extra 92 dollars coming from? Its pure markup. Just know that 50% of what you paying for is marketing when you by apple.

[Judith K Bogdanove]

02:01 PM on 04/17/2012

I think you're ignoring the fact that Apple products just plain work better, more reliably and are more esthetically satisfying than anything else on the market...EVER.

[bring in swat]

06:32 PM on 04/17/2012

the cost is still too expensive...bare bones a quad-core and then price the identical Mac...not even close, Mac is Way more expensive, marked up for the design, parts are all the same.

[cornel]

11:34 AM on 04/17/2012

With all those "New products" coming out, how come the Apple stock is taking a nose dive ? Still under $600.00 from it's high at $640.00 +

[ark0n]

12:30 PM on 04/17/2012

Still up 148% over this year. Comparing Apple to Apple is silly.

[truegreen]

11:32 AM on 04/17/2012

iPad mini? hmmmm

[RV1025]

11:28 AM on 04/17/2012

I complain about meat-eaters while gorging on triple cheeseburgers.

I complain about racists while screaming the N-word in my white hooded cloak.

I complain about Apple's success and creative tools while I have no outlets of my own.
I complain about Apple's products being made in China:

WHILE EVERY ELECTRONIC PRODUCT I OWN IS MADE IN CHINA.

Hypocrisy is my name.

(Oooooh, we're almost back to $600/share, baby!)