In a note to clients — as reported by “AppleInsider” (http://www.appleinsider.com) — Barclays Equity Research Research analyst Ben A. Reitzes thinks Apple is indeed planning to release an “iPad mini” and it will boost sales to schools and gamers.

“We do not feel that a smaller, lower priced tablet will dilute the quality of the iPad brand and iOS ecosystem either, despite prior comments by the company,” he wrote.

The analyst thinks that that a smaller and less expensive iPad would help Apple boost the tablet in education and e-book markets.. He also thinks it would increase sales among gamers. Reitzes thinks iPad sales could hit 350 million sales in 2015.