Competition between 7-inch tablets heating up

DigiTimes is reporting that people want the smaller 7 inch tablets and competition is expected to heat up with Microsoft getting ready to launch their 7 inch tablet. I own an iPad Mini myself because I prefer my laptop if I have to have a larger, heavier device but the iPad Mini and previously owned Asus Transformer are fun toys to have around.

They report that in the 7 inch market Apple is holding the lead.

Cumulative shipments of the first-generation Nexus 7 are estimated to have reached around 4-4.5 million units since its launch in the second half of 2012. Google and Asustek Computer are already set to release their second-generation Nexus 7, using a Qualcomm processor, in May and will start mass shipping in July.

Apple's total iPad shipments were 19.5 million units from January to March, of which iPad mini accounted for 12.5 million units, showing that the 7- to 8-inch segment has already become the mainstream of the market, said the sources, adding that the second-generation iPad mini could make an appearance as soon as August.