iPad Mini Rumours: Why a 7.85in Screen Makes Sense?

There have been several reports of an iPad Mini being launched, despite the late Steve Jobs denying such rumours equally often. However, the possibility of a 7-inch display has been too interesting for most people to resist.

Jobs once said there were clear limits as to how close elements could be arranged on the screen before hampering the accuracy with which the display could be used. Jobs' statement comes in the wake of Apple design policy which maintains a minimum standard for display elements - 44 x 44 points of tappable user interface, which deems a 10-inch display the appropriate size.

However, the latest rumours are suggesting a 7.85-inch screen as a possible compromise. Reports from MacRumours suggest the US tech giant received samples of that size display (1024x768) for review. In addition, recent reports from a Samsung executive, with inside knowledge of Apple's affairs, have added fuel to the fire.

AppAdvice is equally happy with the 7.85-inch size, saying it translates to a pixel density of 163, which is the same as that on the original iPhone and iPod Touch (before Retina Display). Moreover, the proposed display supports a minimum recommended pixel density of 44 x 44 points.

However, although the recommended pixel density on Retina Display will be the same as listed above, each point is represented by two pixels. Therefore, the iPad apps borrowed from mobile versions will function the same way, except with better interface optimisation designed to run on bigger screens.

In other words, the existing iPhone apps should run just fine on the mini iPad, without any modifications. However, people with larger fingers and apps with smaller touch controls will be hurdles for the 7.85-inch screen to overcome.