Google Inc (GOOG) Sets Targets on Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPad mini: A Battle Brewing?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has almost always been known for its dominant positioning in the tablet market, with Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) taking second fiddle.

With Google dominating the tablet market in Q2 2013, we have to consider the fact that a power shift may be taking place. Does this mean Cupertino is going to lose all its ground in the months to come? Probably not. However, Google doesn’t appear to be shying away in the least bit.

Display Search (with information from Richard Shim) examined the recent release of the next generation Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Nexus 7 tablet PC (running on Android, overseen by Sundar Pichai). Now available, this device is a clear competitor to the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad mini.


Why should Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) be worried?

Competitors to the iPad have come and gone in the past, but this one seems to be the most legitimate of them all. There are a couple of reasons for this, starting with a low $229 starting price.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)

More so today than ever before, consumers are shopping based on price alone. If the Nexus 7 is able to match the mini in terms of features and functionality, we are going to have a real battle on our hands.

Moving on, users are going to fall in love with the 1920×1200 resolution display, complete with a pixel density of 323 ppi. Why is this such a big deal, you may ask? Well, it makes the Nexus 7 the tablet with the highest pixel density on the market.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) on deck

As interesting as it may be to look at this recent release from Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), we don’t want to overlook one very important fact: Tim Cook & Co. are currently working on the next generation iPad mini. In other words, Apple is on deck and the company will have its chance to fire back in the near future.

With this in mind, it is difficult to jump on the Nexus 7 bandwagon just yet. Before that happens, we will have to see what the next generation mini has to offer.

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and CEO Larry Page are not running away from the tablet market, but instead looking for new ways to gain additional market share.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is the company that has the most to lose. Will Cupertino be able to hold off advances from the search engine giant? Or will the iPad lineup finally begin to lose steam?

The iPad mini is not standing still, but right now everybody wants to know what the Apple team, including Cook and Jony Ive, will come up with next.

What about Google’s Moto X? Here’s why Guy Kawasaki thinks the upcoming smartphone can take a big chunk out of Apple iPhone sales, courtesy of CNBC.

What do you think Apple investor/quant finance guru Claes Fornell has to say about this whole thing? Let us know your thoughts below.

Disclosure: none