iPad mini may debut in India soon, starting at Rs 21,900

With the iPhone 5 already launched in India, and the iPad mini reaching stores in select markets across the globe, there is much curiosity about the date the iPad mini will be launched in India, and the price it will be sold at. According to a recent report, the launch of the iPad mini is not far off, and the base version of the 7.9-inch tablet will sell for Rs 21,900.

The website claims that batches of the iPad mini are on their way to India, and these units will be shipped to resellers by the end of the next week. We contacted Apple and it stated that it is yet to finalise the date of availability and pricing of the iPad mini in India.

The 16GB iPad mini Wi-Fi only version will supposedly be available for Rs 21,900, while the 32GB and 64GB versions will be available for Rs 27,900 and Rs 33,900 respectively. The iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular version will come with a price tag of Rs 29,900 for the 16GB version, and the 32GB version will be available for Rs 35,900. The top of the line iPad mini, the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular version, will sell for Rs 41,900. Taking into consideration the US pricing and adding to it the relevant taxes applicable in India, if these prices are correct, then Apple has priced the device competitively here.

The price point is higher than expected

If the device is indeed priced at Rs 21,900 for the 16GB model, it can compete directly with the Nexus 7 and the Galaxy Tab 2 (310) both of which are priced slightly below Rs 20,000. Read our comparison between these three tablets here.

Apart from the iPad mini, Apple has also taken the wraps off the fourth generation iPad. This model is also expected to debut in India at around the same time as the 7.9-inch slate tablet.

The prices of the fourth generation, 9.7-inch iPad have also been revealed, with the Wi-Fi only version possibly selling at Rs 31,900, the 32GB model at Rs 37,900, and the 64GB version at Rs 43,900. The Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad 16GB version would cost Rs 39,900; the 32GB tablet, Rs 45,900; and the 64GB variant, Rs 51,900. If these prices hold true, the fourth generation iPad is priced higher than the third generation model it was intended to replace.

In the recent past, Apple priced some of its products rather high in India. A prime example is the new iPod touch portable media players. The Apple India website shows the iPod touch 32GB version priced at Rs 23,900 and the 64GB version at Rs 30,900. Keeping in mind the fact that the iPod touch is a portable media player minus the connectivity offered by a phone, the price for India could have been a bit lower. If the above mentioned price of the iPad mini is true then this tablet is cheaper than the PMP by Rs 2,000.

While both devices can be used for entirely different purposes, the option of purchasing an iPad mini would be a lot more feasible than the iPod touch. However, one would lose out on approximately 16GB of space, Retina Display capabilities and a few other features.