Although there are several seven-inch tablets available, Apple (News - Alert) feels their launch of the iPad Mini will be a success, due to its larger screen. The screen is designed to make the user feel as though they are using a regular-sized tablet, as the screen size is closer to ten inches and the display has a 4:3 aspect ratio. The Apple Mini is considered a seven-inch tablet, but its diagonal dimensions are 7.9 inches, almost an inch bigger than their nearest competitors, which offer a seven-inch diagonal screen.

 Some industry insiders are not sure that Apple using the same specs as their full-size tablets is a good idea for the smaller tablet. Vinita Jakhanwal , a spokesman and director for Small and Medium Displays at IHS (News - Alert) said, “By using a bigger display with a larger viewing area for the iPad Mini, Apple is trying to offer a media tablet that’s physically smaller than other iPads, but doesn’t totally compromise the user experience delivered by the larger members of the iPad line.” She went on to explain, “But, it differs by sticking with the 4:3 aspect ratio used in other iPads, rather than the wider aspect ratio of16:10 employed by competitors—a dimension that can be better suited for displaying high-definition video content in the landscape mode.”

Overall size of the Apple Mini is similar to the Kindle Fire HD and slightly larger, 13 percent, than the Google (News - Alert) Nexus 7. It does, however, provide 35 percent more viewing area than the Kindle, Nexus, or the Barnes and Noble Nook.

Several people are concerned about the price of the Apple Mini, as many people expected the company to be more competitive with the other seven-inch tablets. That is not the case, as Apple will have a $320 price tag (News - Alert) on it. That is only $70 less than the iPad 2 and more than $100 more than any of the similar competitors, which usually sell for $199.

Apple has a history of having much higher, premium prices than any of its competitors, but they also have a history of being successful with what they produce, regardless of the price point.