Survey: Smaller iPad would be welcomed

SAN FRANCISCO, May 4 (UPI) -- Half of U.S. consumers in a survey said they'd consider buying a smaller version of Apple's iPad if one were to be offered this year.

Fifty-two percent of those polled by shopping site PriceGrabber asked if they'd consider purchasing a 7-inch iPad mini at a cost between $249 and $300 said yes, CNET.com reported Friday.

While only 22 percent of those surveyed said they currently own a tablet, of those, 68 percent have an iPad or iPad 2 while 10 percent own Amazon's Kindle Fire.

Asked what would attract them to a smaller iPad, 64 percent said a lower price compared with an iPad or iPad 2 would be a factor, while 54 percent said a smaller tablet would be more portable.

A quarter of potential buyers said they'd consider purchasing one as a gift, while some said they would buy it for work.

Despite a whirlwind of rumors, Apple has made no comment about the possibility of a smaller iPad.

The PriceGrabber survey was conducted with 2,603 online shoppers in the United States April 23-30. No margin of error was reported.