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The Still-Unseen iPad Mini is Expected to Cost $195 in Parts

Do you know how some bloggers don’t have anything better to do than gossip about Apple’s newest gadgets, including the ones which we don’t even know if they exist? Apparently that behavior extends to some industry analysts.

Apple Insider is reporting that one analyst with KGI Securitieshad nothing better to do this past week than look into his crystal ball and come up with a BOM for the iPad Mini

In spite of the fact that we don’t know anything about the CPU, screen size, cameras, or in fact any other solid info about the iPad Mini, Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the 16GB model will cost $195 in parts. And assuming there is a 4G 64GB model, that device will cost around $254 in terms of components.

Snide comments aside, he could be right. While we don’t know what the iPad Mini will contain, the price estimates above assume that it will be based on the same A5X chip found in the new iPad as well as use other premium components. If this guess is correct then it would fit the $329 price rumor which I disbelieved on Saturday.

The A5X chip has like 50 bajillion cores built into it, between the CPU and graphics processors. You don’t need something that powerful to run a 7″ screen – not unless the tablet also has a Retina screen. And I think this estimate assumes it does have a retina screen.

In any case, we’re going to have to wait until tomorrow to know for sure.

Update: Andrys Basten of KindleWorld left a comment and pointed out that this is the same guy who accurately predicted 2 Kindles and a Kindle Fire in the days before the Kindle Fire event last year. So he has a better than even chance of being correct now.

 

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Comments


Andrys October 22, 2012 um 11:54 am

He’s the analyst who, the day before the Kindle Fire and two new e-Ink touch units Sept 28, 2011, guessed them all, very close, price and specs. He was the only one who even guessed the two e-Inks and the pricing on them all.

http://kindleworld.blogspot.com/2011/09/appleinsider-predicts-kindle-e-ink.html

Nate Hoffelder October 22, 2012 um 12:16 pm

Damn. That means he is almost certainly correct on the price.


Andrys October 22, 2012 um 12:26 pm

We’ll finally know soon. Definitely interesting to see whether they’ll go for decent margins or to try to kill all their Android enemies ('for Steve') in one fell swoop – or even one swell foop 🙂

Nate Hoffelder October 22, 2012 um 12:30 pm

"for Steve" LOL


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