It is going to be tremendous, when the too heavy and thick iPad4 gets a lighter and thinner design and the underpowered and low resolution iPad mini gets a decent screen and a powerful chip. Which one you will get at that time?
I highly doubt Apple wants to be known for lower screen resolution on IPad mini vs the competition for longer than the first generation.I don't see the Mini getting a retina screen next year. I'm sure the processor will be bumped.
Here's what retina for the Mini involves: Much faster processor, bigger battery, more weight, thicker design, more expensive screen. It'd cost more to build this than the ipad 4.
Perhaps the tech will arrive that enables Apple to do this. But even if it does, would they? What differentiates a retina Mini from the bigger ipads then? Size? That's not enough. In fact, the Mini would have a better quality screen.
I think Apple is content on having the Mini be the "ipad Air" of the lineup. It's goal will be thin and light. Entry level pricing. And very much non-retina.
I highly doubt Apple wants to be known for lower screen resolution on IPad mini vs the competition for longer than the first generation.
Perhaps, but it's either that or overkill (2048-by-1536 resolution on a 7.85" screen or 326ppi). Your Nexus 7 or 7" Kindle doesn't exactly have anything near that. The bigger ipad isn't anywhere near that (263ppi).
Do you really see Apple charging 329 for one that would also require their most current processor to run it and be more expensive to build than their 499 ipad?
That's not the Apple we know.
The Apple we know also doesnt come late to the party by responding to competition and user demand. Yet here is the iPad Mini.Perhaps, but it's either that or overkill (2048-by-1536 resolution on a 7.85" screen or 326ppi). Your Nexus 7 or 7" Kindle doesn't exactly have anything near that. The bigger ipad isn't anywhere near that (263ppi).
Do you really see Apple charging 329 for one that would also require their most current processor to run it and be more expensive to build than their 499 ipad?
That's not the Apple we know.
The Apple we know also doesnt come late to the party by responding to competition and user demand. Yet here is the iPad Mini.
There's nothing overkill about putting a retina screen on a product that is meant to be read. And as for all this worrying about Apple's profit margins, manufacturing costs etc. These are all (unfounded) justifications for why an iPad Mini with Retina doesnt exist TODAY. But the topic subject is what people expect NEXT YEAR.
The technology for better screens is already here. The processors are already here. Apple has made heavy investments into Sharp. So this idea that Apple won't give a Retina NEXT YEAR just doesnt make sense because, more than ever, Apple needs to prove its still the best and using recycled parts in a fancy shell doesnt work two times in a row.
Anyway, my predictions:
$229 - iPad Mini (Current non-retina version)
$329 - iPad Mini (A6, Retina, NFC)
$399 - iPad4 (Current version)
$499 - iPad5 (New design, NFC)
I feel Apple is in a transition stage now but now that all the products are lined up then things will all sort out and feel normal again. They'll have the $200 cheapo model (that I'd buy my mother) and the high end model with a new redesign (to shift focus back on their flagship iPad).
Trends
Cost reduced manufacturing
Honor price points
Thinner
Lighter
Faster
Longer battery life
Smaller screen bezels
Minimum of HD resolution across all product moving toward 4k
Anyway, my predictions:
$229 - iPad Mini (Current non-retina version)
$329 - iPad Mini (A6, Retina, NFC)
$399 - iPad4 (Current version)
$499 - iPad5 (New design, NFC)
If apple ever shift the iPad to 16x9
Perhaps, but it's either that or overkill (2048-by-1536 resolution on a 7.85" screen or 326ppi). Your Nexus 7 or 7" Kindle doesn't exactly have anything near that. The bigger ipad isn't anywhere near that (263ppi).
Do you really see Apple charging 329 for one that would also require their most current processor to run it and be more expensive to build than their 499 ipad?
That's not the Apple we know.
That's cute and all but not next year cute.
I see them having a base mini and a Mini(r) at a premium price offering
The iPad mini is not priced high. It is priced just as all other Apple products are priced. There is no "spare" margin for higher-cost retina displays, and their initial margin is lower than the corporate average.iPad Mini was priced high out of the gate to prepare for the eventual addition of retina display. This means little or no additional cost for retina version.
So a retina mini may be dependent on building the SoC (A6rev 2?) on TSMC's 20nm process? Moving from the current 32nm to 20nm could reduce SoC power consumption to the point that the additional power required by the retina screen becomes a wash. I believe the latest rumor is that 20nm SoC's could be in production by late 2013.You really are flying blind if you make statements to the negative of Retina without knowing what hardware will be available.
Battery requirements are influenced by the sum consumption of parts and next year should see a further reduction in semiconductor geometries and more integration.
In many ways I think the $329 is being done to give Apple some pricing flexibility when the inevitable more expensive panels start being cut. If you've conditioned consumers to think that the mini is $330 then adding retina can be done at the same price or, if the economies of scale favor, a drop to sub $300.
So a retina mini may be dependent on building the SoC (A6rev 2?) on TSMC's 20nm process? Moving from the current 32nm to 20nm could reduce SoC power consumption to the point that the additional power required by the retina screen becomes a wash. I believe the latest rumor is that 20nm SoC's could be in production by late 2013.
Throw an IGZO display in there too and you'll really have some power savings, maybe making it even thinner and/or lighter.