Tablets

Tim Cook says “Apple would never make a 7-inch tablet, they’re not good products”

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Yesterday, a nice little sound clip from Steve Jobs talking on a 2010 earnings call was creating some buzz (and snickers) from people around the net. Why? Because during the call, Mr. Jobs mentions why Apple would never make a 7-inch tablet. Of course, this led to discussions on how Tim Cook is running Apple into the ground, going against Steve Jobs’ wishes. Crazy stuff like that. Well, today Apple held their earnings call were Tim Cook decided to clarify on Apple’s position with 7-inch tablets. Did he backtrack? Not quite — according to him, the iPad Mini isn’t 7-inches. Duh! In your face. Take that, logic!

“(…) All comments Steve made before about 7-inch tablets…let me be clear, we would not make one of the 7-inch tablets. We don’t think they’re good products, and we would never make one. The iPad mini is not a compromised product like the 7-inch tablets. It’s in a whole different league.”

To be fair, he did mention how that little .9-inches made all the difference, making the iPad Mini’s display around 35% bigger than the Nexus 7’s, and putting their mini-pad in a class all of its own. So there you have it. Apple is never wrong. EVER.

[9to5Mac]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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117 Comments

  1. This guy is a complete idiot. I mean truly.

  2. Moron.

    That is all.

    1. I wonder if he gets a hard on by saying complete bullshit like this…

    2. The whole “the .7 inches matters!” could turn into a great “that’s what he said” joke

  3. To be fair, fellow Android users, a 7.9″ is not 7″
    It’s practically 8″.

    So yes, Apple hasn’t made a 7″ tablet.
    Rounding down a 7.9″ as a 7″ is weird.

    1. 8 = perfect, 7 = lame? wow, who would of thought .9″ was SO critical. But then again I must be a moron since I’m using Android devices rather than iOS. Forgive me Apple, for I am not worthy to touch your Retina displays (sniff).

      1. Nah, it’s just BS talk everyone does to sell. Just thought heck, it itches me that calling a 7.9 as a 7. Well, with 5 Android devices I guess I’m a certified moron too, haha.

    2. I think the argument Steve jobs was that anything smaller than an iPad is not practical and the iPad was the perfect size. I really don’t care but apples interface guidelines for apps outline touch sizes and Jobs comments about sanding fingers. You will now have apps optimized for 9.7 crammed into 7.9. Go sand your fingers!

      1. Yeah that guy should have realized his company made 3.5″ers…

    3. Samsung should sue….cuz 7.9 is awfully close to 7.7

      1. Ahahaha… that’s funny. *grin*

      2. That would just take Samsung down to Apple’s level… and I’d love to see an end to all the pointless lawsuits…

    4. Well… until next year when they release a 7.1-inch tablet and still insist it’s not 7-inches (technically, they’d be right).

      1. And they’d still be wrong too, because when Steve Jobs was talking about that, he clearly explained that Apple’s position was to never make any tablet smaller than 10″.

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gFAjfUT8wZI#t=103s

        1. The could just coin a new word “tablette” then they would still be right. hahaha

          1. Or Tappple.

        2. Isn’t the current iPad 9.7 inches?

          1. Yeah, he rounded it.

    5. No one is rounding down. But when you are basically claiming that 7 inch tablets suck and you go off and make a 7.9 inch tablet….. well you do the math.

    6. I think what was meant was that at one point they said they would never do a 7″ tablet. But cook went and approved this 7.9″ one. I do not think this violates what the late Jobs was saying. But he many have meant anything 7″

  4. Tim Cook = Douche bag = perfect replacement.

    1. Well he is lesser of a douche than Mr.Jobs was Heck I doubt Steve Jobs would even approve of anything Mr. Cook is doing. iPad Mini’s price semi reasonably… 4 inch iPhones ..Less Litigation.. Releasing a Alpha app (Apple Maps) so on an so on…. Mr Jobs probably would have kept to the Glass back… Now Mr.Cook is trying to compete and failing completely. Apple iPhone is bound to go the direct of the Crackberry in a few years.

    2. i don’t know about being a d-bag: the guy did apologize for iMaps. Tool seems more appropriate.

  5. i agree.

    not 7” but 7.9

    Huuuuge difference

  6. A whole new league, lol. And the fans will just believe whatever he says. So what´s the point they compared to the Nexus 7 if ain´t 7″ tablet.

    1. Exactly…that’s why I think it would be hilarious if on Monday, Google compares the Nexus 10 to the ipad mini. “Look how much more of each webpage you see on the gorgeous Nexus 10, which by the way, is the highest resolution tablet ever created. Period…as opposed to that other little thing from one of our competitors.”

    2. One good thing I like is that apple never references an android device or manufacturer unless it proves to be a threat to apple that they feel must be dealt with. Seeing how much effort they are throwing against the N7 I think its pretty clear that N7 is doing quite well and causing a lot of sweating at apple, so much so that they are falling over themselves releasing half a$$ products.

  7. “It’s in a whole different league” he says. Then why are you comparing it to a Nexus 7?

  8. who care, it will still sell like hot cake. couple of my frds are going to pre order it.

    1. LOLs, REALLY?! I asked a few peeps in my office who own iPhones and iPads and asked if they’d be buying an iPad Mini. One chuckled and asked why, it costs almost as much as an iPad, what’s the point? Another help up his iPhone 4S, laughed, and said “nah, I have an iPad Mini right here.”

  9. He also claimed that extra 0.9″ results in 50-60% more usable area, so I’m guessing he got his meds mixed up and couldn’t tell the difference between a Nexus and a Lexus. A 7″ Lexus is terribly useless.

    1. Ah, but on Lexus-Nexus you can be sure of the legal issues!

  10. Whole different league? I’d say 7.9″ puts Apple’s ipad mini in the league CREATED by Samsung last year with the Galaxy Tab 7.7. Get a grip, Cook…Apple hasn’t invented anything in years.

    1. Tim Cook: “But wait! That’s a seven point SEVEN inch tablet. Ours is seven point EIGHT SEVEN inches! It’s in a whole different league!”

      1. In all fairness though, being 7.9″ does in fact make it unique. As would be a 8.1 or 7.513231″ or 7.89 (though Apple would probably sue over that!)”

        7.9″. Apple again stands out from the crowd with it’s one-of-a-kind innovative products! The iSheep will buy them by the truckloads because of their “absolutely perfect size”. You know, unlike those stupid, lower social-class Android tablets.

        yawn.

        1. Apple sued Samsung over the Galaxy Tab which was 10.1″ diagonal AND a different screen ratio than the 9.7″ iPad…

          You can’t let them say the size difference makes it unique after they’ve already said in court that a different size is still copying…

          1. I think you totally missed the sarcasm in my comment……as well as my iSheep remark.

    2. All THEY do is copy someone else first our notification bar and yes they will probably start suing someone that uses a 7″ screen

  11. I sorta agree that the 7″ feels a little small and the bezel feels a little big.

    That been said, that main reason why I didn’t buy the Nexus 7 is no MHL support. That and I find tablets to be pointless.

    1. Speaking as someone who did actually buy it and actually uses it every day, I find 7″ to be the perfect size for portability. I can slip it in my front or back pants pocket or inside suit jacket pocket, undetected, whenever I’m running around and don’t want to bring a bag. It’s extremely comfortable to hold, and the Chrome browser in Jellybean makes web browsing excellent. And all of the apps that i use look great on its HD screen…especially games. As for the bezel, its perfect for resting your fingers when playing said games or watching videos.

      1. I love my n7.i actually never use my ipad2 that I won anymore. But I do wish there was an 8″ nexus. 7 feels a little small occasionally but the ipad2 felt too big. And I’m not splitting the difference with an ipad mini!

    2. You need some bezel on a 7 inch device. How else can you hold it one handed without generating a touch response?

  12. At least I can pretty much hold my Nexus 7 with one hand…7 inch tablets are fantastic products.

  13. What’s funny to me, is why Apple didn’t have the balls to compare to an Android-based tablet that was more in line…like the Kindle Fire HD.

    1. I hope, on Monday, Google compares the Samsung Nexus 10 to the ipad mini.

    2. I don’t get it, are you saying the Fire HD is better or worse than the Nexus 7?

    3. I don’t consider Kinde Fire HD an Android tablet. It is an Amazon tablet that is based off an earlier version of Android. Amazon is being proprietary for some reason and they don’t build apps for Android only their Kindle Fire. We should be comparing to Samsung’s tablet line.

  14. bullshit

  15. I’m looking forward to the day without bezels.

    1. Me too, man. Thata be awesome.

  16. Well it looks like Tim Cook really wants to make .9″ matter. :think

  17. except that they are only 22.6% bigger…

  18. stfu u steve jobs clone!!!!!!!

  19. Looks like a giant Samsung Note.

  20. I think someone has size envy! What an asshat!

  21. Please, give the man a Darwin Award! He has truly earned it with this comment!

    1. “You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means”
      Can’t be awarded with the Darwin award as long as he still is alive.

    2. http://www.darwinawards.com/
      Maybe you should actually look at what the Darwin awards are for…

  22. Apple says a lot of stupid things…

  23. Steve Ballmer doppleganger

  24. Wow.

  25. Technically it still is SEVEN WHOLE INCHES when you leave out the decimal :D

  26. 35% bigger?
    Yea, sure, it’s a complete waste of space.

    When reading web pages, I always double tap for lock to (I think that’s what they do), taking all the nav panels and adverts out of the way.
    Usually that leaves a long narrow page, where 16:9 is a pretty good ratio to use (I don’t like 16:9 for my desktop monitor for much the same reason).

    Looking at the ‘not 7″ iPad’, that lock to div will simply give HUGE text, where scolling down will be a frequent task.

    Just another reason I don’t like Apple, hate to admit when they were wrong about something. How very unscientific of them.

  27. He sounds like a politician running for president…

  28. It’s not 7 inches, it’s actually 35% bigger! Hmmm…I’ll have to remember that line.

    1. There’s a penis joke in there somewhere.

  29. coming from the same people who claim 4″ is revolutionary while 4.7″ is unnessisary. what was that whole thing about fitting in a hand?

  30. Tim Cook is indeed a Cock…

  31. what is he doing as Apple CEO anyway, he is just an operations guy, fit to be COO, they should have some product visionary at the top as CEO. Operations people have no idea about how to build great products. All they care is about supply chain optimization and other dull and dreary stuff

    1. They do. This has little to do with the CEO. Apple as a whole had no where to go. Their market design strategy has been flawed since day 1. Without the hipster dbag generation to lean on no Apple product would have ever gone above 5% market share. Now that they are being forced to stray from their original market strategy they are proving to be the complete failures most of us always knew they were.

  32. I’m just going to enjoy the opening bell on wall st tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing aapl back below 600. More than $100 down since iphone 5 release.

  33. He is a complete ass hole. Nothing this clown says or does surprises me. He shoves his foot in his mouth and then swallows it.

    1. So did Steve Jobs. He’s a perfect replacement for Apple.

  34. IPad Mini is 35% more difficult to hold.

  35. “To be fair, he did mention how that little .9-inches made all the difference”

    That’s what she said.

  36. Apple fans and Apple’s public faces deserve each other. His statement is no different than one Steve Jobs would make himself. What other company trashes what others are doing publically only to later copy them?

  37. A REAL man can admit when he is wrong.

    1. An Apple man admits when YOU’RE wrong. O.o

      1. ok, i seriously lol’d … thanks!

  38. This is wild lol.

  39. Finally he admits ipad mini minus .87 inches = crap
    For Nexus 7: if a guy makes a crappy product and calls your is not good product means you have a better product…

  40. He’s right. It IS in a whole different league. With it’s slower past generation down-clocked processor and inferior screen it’s in the minor leagues competing with those $70 Chinese tablets…

  41. Apple is so full of itself! Jeez I can’t believe Tim Cook had the nerve to say this. Confirms a lot of different suspicions I’ve always had about the way they think.

  42. Apple and Apple fans are the most hypocritical bunch ever. Just yesterday I had a dispute with my wife that I wouldn’t want my children be CEO’s in future. No matter how much money they make, they’re all deceiving bustards, who never cares for their clients and workers. In fact, the only clients of CEO’s are shareholders, so that’s the only thing they care about.
    What mesmerizes me is how stupid iSheeps like being f..ed on a daily basis, and always talk about how great Apple’s business model is. Well, surprise for you, Apple’s business model is ripping you off with record profit margin, and unless you’re an Apple shareholder, there’s nothing to be proud of.

  43. Wow nice to see Tim Cook picked up the Reality Distortion field from Steve Jobs.

  44. I like the tab 7.7 but hated the Vizio 8″ but I’ve had good 7″ tablets. We know this guy it taking a swing at the nexus 7 because he doesn’t want to hit the price point that Google achieved. Also this reeks of Jobs arrogance. Looks like this guys a huge turd too. Only thing is he isn’t an innovator like jobs was. But, then again after they made a few products that sold they stopped innovating all they do know is milk a product to death and make incremental changes. Apple is a scam.

  45. cough:::cough:::douche:::cough:::cough

  46. I think the Mini has the same resolution as my 2 year old OG Tab. Yet, my Tab fits in my pocket. I dont have to carry it around like the 4:3 aspect Mini.

    But hey, at least with the Mini, I wouldnt have those annoying black bars on the sides while watching classic movies. Huzzah!

  47. Putting a crappy screen on it seems a little “compromised” to me.

  48. Well at least Apple has just as big a douche bag in charge as they did when Steve Jobs was running the show. Seems that Tim may have gotten some of Steve’s DNA anally implanted to ensure that he would carry the torch properly.

  49. apple is full of the worse type of lies.

  50. He is 100% correct when he says “it is in a whole different league that the Nexus 7”, it costs WAY MORE $$$.

  51. Remember when Microsoft was pushing their “tablet” stuff ~2002, and Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were talking on some stage, and Jobs *insisted* the future of computing was in massive desktops, and accused Gates of being crazy for thinking anyone would ever want to carry their main rig with them in their pocket? Yeah.

  52. Well he’s right. This dual-core tablet with the lowest resolution of any tablet announced in the last 6 months is truly in a league of its own. It’s called the bottom of the barrel.

  53. Figures, but not a surprise given this is the same company that currently believes they invented the longer thumb and just figured out that ears aren’t all the same, let alone round.

    Apple didn’t invent bullshit, but they’ve certainly mastered it.

  54. its 35% more screen which is 100% black bars when you are watching video. Whooopeee!

  55. “The iPad mini is not a compromised product like the 7-inch tablets.”

    Then how come your mini’s resolution is lower than the Nexus 7, and your processor is weaker?

    I hate this idiot.

  56. 35% bigger with xx% less pixels. lol. Apple is a hardware manufacturer who does it right!

  57. Don’t be stupid! Apple said 7″ is complete sh¡t, but a 7.9″ tablet is THE SH¡T!!

  58. is he in a secret competition to out douche Steve Jobs?

  59. I’m a big Apple fan, I own two MacBook Pros (17″ & 13″), an iMac, and two iPhone 4s’s. I also own a Nexus 7(N7). From what I have seen, the N7 is far and away a better product than the iPad Mini. There are the hardware specifications (which are essentially meaningless when comparing two different OS platforms), but one of the key areas where Apple has always been near to top of the class is display quality, and even in this case (going strictly from what is known/reported), i”m pretty sure that the N7 has a better display than the iPad Mini. It isn’t just resolution, but even color quality. The N7 is very close to perfect in every imaginable way (aside from the missing uSD slot). The iPad mini, nowhere near that. I am hooping that the the next release of the N7 does have a narrower bezel, and the missing uSD slot, but that’s all that I could ask for. The iPad Mini needs a faster CPU, higher resolution/better quality display, lower price, and on and on. It is a $329 tablet that should be priced at $199.

    Kostas

  60. I like being able to put my tablet in my jacket pocket or back pocket in a pinch. Seems like the MiniPad would be just a little too wide.

  61. iDon’t get it? But it says “7” point nine, duh!
    Maybe it is a 6+1.9 tablet.

  62. Someone should make a new video mashup called “SH*% iPad mini creators say” and then just load it with utter garbage out of Tim Cook’s mouth like this.

  63. If the screens have the same proportions, the iPad Mini is only 27% bigger.

  64. But can you use it with your thumb? You said that was common sense????

  65. lets face it, Apple is run by a bunch of ignorant morons that are too full of themselves to admit that they have actual competition. Look at the smartphone sales charts, Samsung sells way more phones than Apple does, and Samsung’s devices are much better. I can’t wait to see the Nexus 10, though the Nexus 7 is a beast. It is in no way compromised. Many people already know that. I’ll take the Nexus 7 over the “7,9”inch piece of crap Apple is releasing.

  66. I think he had cancer in his brain guys.. no one would say things like this otherwise.

  67. Tim Cook = iMoron!!!

  68. What because you think you can make a 7″ tablet it’s a good product and you can hold it in your hand? such a dumb ass CEO. you can already hold KINDLE FIRE OR GALAXY TAB 7″ with your hand he really is such a dumb ass. just another dumb brainwashing for the sheeps

  69. 5 Things the iPad Mini can’t do
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSgUc9E6tp4

  70. iPad mini, you can hold it with one hand. sure you can, but you can’t hold it for one minute, else, you’ll suffer some cramps…

  71. I’m sure he tells his life that .9 inches is all that matters too. 7.9 doesn’t =8 so u still make a 7″ tablet

  72. Guess Cook doesn’t have Job’s good feel for what people want

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