SAN JOSE, Calif. �?? Apple Inc. on Tuesday revealed a smaller version of its hit iPad tablet computer that will start at $329 and comes with a screen that�??s about two-thirds the size of the full-size model.
Apple starts taking orders for the new model on Friday Oct. 26 and will ship the Wi-Fi-only models on Nov. 2, said marketing chief Phil Schiller at an event in San Jose, Calif. Later, the company will add models capable of accessing �??LTE�?� wireless data networks.
The iPad mini weighs 0.68 pounds, half as much as the full-size iPad, and is as thin as a pencil, Schiller said.
The screen resolution is 1024 by 768 pixels, the same as the iPad 2 and a quarter of the resolution of the third-generation iPad.
�??It�??s not just a shrunken down iPad, it�??s an entirely new design,�?� Schiller said.
Company watchers have for a year been expecting the company to release a smaller iPad to counter cheaper tablets like Amazon.com Inc.�??s Kindle Fire. However, most were expecting it to cost between $250 and $300. At $329, it�??s twice the price of the basic Kindle Fire.
In a surprise, Apple also said it�??s upgrading its full-size iPad tablet just six months after launching a new model, doubling the speed of the processor. Previously, the company has updated the iPad once a year.
The fourth-generation iPad will have a better camera and work on more �??LTE�?� wireless data networks around the world. Apple is also replacing the 30-pin dock connector with the new, smaller �??Lightning�?� connector introduced with the iPhone 5 a month ago.
The price of the new full-size model stays the same as the previous version, starting at $499 for a Wi-Fi-only version with 16 gigabytes of memory.