What an iPad Mini Says About Apple

Senior technology analyst Eric Bleeker analyzes what Apple's reported iPad Mini says about the company's tablet dominance. With Amazon.com succeeding in the 7-inch tablet market, and now Google attacking the same space, Apple seems to be responding to a competitive threat with a product, a smaller tablet, that Steve Jobs often derided as a poor form factor. Given the rollout of Siri in a beta stage uncommon for the company and its decision to boot Google's Maps application in favor of its own home-developed version, recent changes say a lot about Apple -- specifically, that the company is becoming more pragmatic about responding to competitive threats even if its products don't reach the level of perfection and user experience Jobs once strived for. Eric doesn't see this as a reason to run out and sell Apple, but he does think Apple investors should keep an eye on the situation to ensure Apple isn't betraying its core focus on providing the best user experience as it responds to challenges from its large tech competitors.

Apple is the most influential company in technology and has delivered market-smashing returns for those lucky enough to invest in the company. However, with the impending release of the iPhone 5 and Apple TV on the horizon, the stakes have never been higher for the company. If you're looking for a recommendation on how to play Apple along with continuing updates and guidance on the company whenever news breaks, we've created a brand new report that details when to buy and sell Apple. To get started, just click here now.

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Eric Bleeker has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Amazon.com, and Google. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Amazon.com, Apple, and Google. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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