While much of the concern about Apple’s margins has come from speculation about the company’s plans to release a cheaper version of the iPhone, the company may also be pondering releasing a cheaper version of its popular iPad mini tablet. Barron’s points us to a new research note from Citigroup analyst Glen Yeung, who believes that Apple will be forced to release a cheaper version of the iPad mini by the end of the year to maintain its market share against a flood of cheap Android tablets.
Specifically, Yeung says that he and his colleagues “expect Apple to launch a lower cost iPad Mini” over the holiday quarter that will have a “similar screen resolution with a cheaper mechanical design” and will be “priced at around US$200-250, to defend its market share.” If Yeung’s research is accurate, then it should be a very busy fall for Apple since it’s already slated to release the iPhone 5S, a redesigned fifth-generation iPad, a low-cost version of the iPhone and a Retina-equipped version of the iPad mini.
