If you’ve been reading the New York Times, you may have noticed that Apple is considering coming out with a smaller version of the iPad. This one would be 7.85 inches as opposed to the current ten. As the tablet market grows, Apple is seeing that there may be room for other options. The Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble’s Nook are both seven inches, and there are more about to join the market. Microsoft will be producing the Surface tablet and Google will soon begin shipping the Nexus 7.

Keep in mind though, that seven inches is only slightly larger than many smartphones. It sounds like Apple is trying to catch those customers who find the iPhone screen too small for comfort but may not want to carry around an iPad. Although Steve Jobs had publicly rejected the idea of a seven inch tablet, Apple has been known to try to corner device markets by offering numerous sizes. The best example was their line of MP3 players, which ranged from the large iPod Touch to the iPod shuffle that was too small to have even the most basic screen.

A 7 inch tablet is still too small for a pocket, but may fit comfortably in a handbag. It’s also about the same size as a paperback book and very comfortable for reading. The question is, would you buy this instead of or in addition to a tablet? When you buy a device like this, how much is size a factor? Personally, I consider operating system to be the primary issue. However, I am rarely on-the-go and can’t resist the temptation to carry a large backpack everywhere I go, so I might not be the best judge. But I’d love to hear from Consumer-Rankings.com readers. Is size a factor in choosing a different product over an Apple device?