Apple 8-inch iPad Test – Report By WSJ

WSJ (Wall Street Journal) draw closer attention on Apple 8-inch iPad testing. That Apple is currently testing a smaller version of the iPad and Cupertino’s planning to produce a smaller, 8-inch slate to partner its 9.7-inch flagship that, if it ever sees the light of day, would compete with the highly successful Kindle Fire. It’ll pack a screen with a resolution close to the 1024 x 768 display on the current model.

This model might also run on LTE produced by AU Optronics and LG Display, as test device with the same screen resolution as the current iPad 2, which will apparently be replaced with the iPad 3’s high-res “retina display” possibly by March launch.

Apple wants to expand its product pipeline to maintain its leading position in the tablet market by releasing a cheaper model iPad to boost its demand to those on a budget. The Fire’s success suggests a big market for a shrunk-down iPad, if the price shrinks as well.