By Tony Field
Apple founder, the late Steve Jobs, hated the idea - but Apple has finally confirmed it's launching an iPad mini to compete in the increasingly competitive tablet market.
Rivals like Amazon are doing well with smaller and cheaper devices and the new offering from Apple will go on sale here at the end of the week.
“It's easier to lug around and read books on, to take on an airplane, it's a nice form factor,” says technology writer Maggie Reardon.
The New Zealand tablet market's a little different to the US, and some devices, like the Kindle Fire, aren’t even sold here.
“Here we are talking about $430 for the Google Nexus 7, and [it’s] only $40 more for the iPad, which has a larger screen, and I think is likely to be much more broadly picked up,” says technology writer Paul Spain.
Apple sprang one surprise today - a new version of its original iPad, just six months since the last revamp.
It's getting in early in what will be a crowded market for new products - including Friday's launch of Microsoft's new operating system and its tablet, Surface.
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