Apple's iPad Mini A Threat To Movie Theaters?

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It looks like we will finally get our hands on Apple's much rumored iPad Mini in the coming weeks, but could the debut of another new tablet mark the beginning of the end for movie theaters?

Apple recently announced an event that will take place on Tuesday, October 23 that many believe will be their opportunity to reveal the smaller, less expensive new tablet. The iPad Mini is expected to have a 7 inch screen and be priced at less than $300 in order to compete with Amazon's Kindle Fire HD, Google's Nexus 7 and Barnes and Nobles' Nook. Apple's newest device is expected to hit store shelves by November 2nd, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

So what does a new tablet have to do with movie theaters? Former film financier and producer Angus Finney recently told a crowd at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival that he believes tablets and smartphones will take over as the dominant way people watch movies "within months, not years." Experts have been touting the increased importance of tablets and smartphones to the film industry for years, much to the dismay of theater owners, but will people really choose to watch The Hobbit on a seven inch screen over a three story Imax screen if given the opportunity? Probably not, but Finney does point out that studios will be forced to change the kind of content being made in order to accommodate the smaller screens.

Are you planning to get your hands on an iPad Mini when it comes out and do you think it will become your primary screen for watching movies or do you still love the ritual of going to see a film on the big screen with a crowd of fellow movie lovers? Give us your thoughts below and be sure to Like us on Facebook for exclusive you won't find anywhere else. Until next time, I'm Erin Darling, thanks for watching!