With the iPad mini to be announced next week, Apple may kill off their current low-end tablet, the iPad 2. For those of you that didn’t know, Apple still sells the iPad 2 for $399 via the Apple Online Store as it’s appealing to those who cannot afford the new iPad. However, with the release of the upcoming iPad mini, Apple will be able to fulfill that market’s needs even easier as the iPad mini’s pricing may start at only $250. Apple could then discontinue the iPad 2 as there won’t be as much of a need for the device.
So, why else may Apple discontinue the iPad 2? According to ModMyi, Apple is ramping up production of the iPad mini for the holiday season as some analysts, like Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray, believe Apple will sell 5 million iPad minis before the end of the year. Because of this, Apple may need to pull production of the iPad 2 so that their manufacturers can focus their effort on creating as many iPad minis as possible. This would make complete sense as Foxconn, the current manufacturer of the iPad line, is already under strain from producing the iPhone 5.
If you’re unaware, the iPad mini will likely go on sale November 2nd and should retail somewhere between $249 and $299 in the United States. The device will likely sport a 7.85-inch screen and a Lightning charging/syncing port.
