A Wall Street analyst told investors that suppliers are frustrated by Apple’s specifications for the 7.85-inch tablet. According to Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets, building the smaller iPad design to respond to rival 7-inch tablets powered by Google’s Android operating system is “no walk in the park for suppliers. However, the new iPad will “blow away what competitors are offering in this smaller form-factor tablet market,” he writes.

The supply problems not withstanding, White believes the iPad mini “is on track to reach acceptable volume levels for a launch over the next month.” Initial sales could be dampened “during the first month or so of the launch,” according to the analyst. The new iPad will be priced at $240-$300 and sell between 5 million and 7 million devices in the December three-month period.

Source [iDB]