iPad mini iPad mini - did Apple pull a brilliant "fast one?"

Does size always make it cost more .

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I would have paid MORE for the iPad Mini because it's what I've
been hoping for since day 1 of the iPad era. Even for this
with it's so called "inferior" display. Which is not BTW.

Am I the only one ??



" On the high end, this would push a retina iPad Mini up around $429...a totally nonsensical price where you might as well just buy an iPad 4. So my assumption was that the leading reason to use the older display was to push the price down into Kindle territory."



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doctorxring said:

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I would have paid MORE for the iPad Mini because it's what I've
been hoping for since day 1 of the iPad era. Even for this
with it's so called "inferior" display. Which is not BTW.

Am I the only one ??



" On the high end, this would push a retina iPad Mini up around $429...a totally nonsensical price where you might as well just buy an iPad 4. So my assumption was that the leading reason to use the older display was to push the price down into Kindle territory."



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From the number of sales, you are not the only one.

Extremely happy with the size, weight, and connectivity of the mini.
It will be going more places and getting more use than the iPad 3.

Again the portability is great! I barely use any other devices for surfing and reading. I loved the regular iPad but I noticed it wasnt getting any use since getting the mini despite its retina display.

I would totally buy the mini at $429 if it had the retina display. Price is definitely the one thing that I don't see talked about when people are considering the mini. The mini is awesome because of its form factor. If we were going by price, then you should get the iPad 4 even at $170 more because you are getting more than double the performance and double the resolution with the same battery life.

It's not only that the display is a year behind, it's that Apple itself has released retina models of the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Pro. I am spoiled by it. Your argument is sort of like saying, "Hey, how can you say that SDTV looks bad now that HDTVs are out? Just a year ago we were all talking about how that SDTV looked awesome". So try to tell me that a football game or any show in general doesn't look really bad in SD compared to HD broadcast. However, I will say that topic is subjective because many people can't tell a difference (usually parents), but if you have, then you know what I'm talking about. I wish I didn't notice because then I'd have a mini instead of my 4 right now. Either way, a year in technology (in every respect) is HUGE and should not be understated.

I think there's little question that the iPad Mini is one of the more controversial devices Apple has introduced.

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Uh... no. Sorry but I totally disagree with that. There's actually been less moaning about the mini than most Apple products and almost ALL of it has been focused around either the price or non-retina screen. This sort of thing happens at all recent Apple product launches (iPhone 5 - design, screen size, no NFC etc, iMac - no optical drive, price, not accessible, Mac Pro - old spec, retina MBP's - too expensive etc etc).

All you're seeing in the geekier parts of the internet is the usual nonsense that seemingly anything Apple-related seems to generate and it has no relation to the real world whatsoever. Apple has released a product that the market seems to be strongly supporting and the usual disconnect in what people here think are important points and what the majority of the public believe continues. The sad part is you can already see the same suspects getting ready to launch into an 'Apple screwed us over by not releasing retina a year ago' tirade whenever the iPad Mini does get an upgrade regardless of any and all technological advances that may have happened in that time period. Rational argument and / or analysis is long dead and it's almost pointless trying to gauge the success or failure of a product from the tech section of the Internet anymore.

richardmu said:

I've got an iPad 2 and a 4s both of which I am very happy with.

Unlikely to change the phone but the 2 will probably go next year when/if a new thinner lighter iPad is released. Couldn't care less about the retina screen as the 2 suits me fine.

Very undecided about the mini. Bought a Kindle Fire HD recently to check out the Android competition and think it's a great little tablet for the price.

May still get the mini eventually if they ever have them in stock in the local Apple stores! Being an impulse buyer does not sit well with ordering and then waiting!

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Yeah I agree. It's an impulse purchase for me too. Not if there are none!

Apple is late to the table with the Mini, perhaps that had to do with Steve's stubbornness and the executive team having to constantly remind him of the wide open net that is the 7" market. Wonder how much Steve was involved in the Mini's production.

The iPad 3 when I got it I did not have an ounce of thought whether it would be the one for me, size and weight wise. There was no doubt in my mind that it's a keeper.

The iPad mini, however, is a struggle for me. I've had the Playbook before and loved the form factor. The display on the Playbook, if I recall, wasn't an issue for me but that was before I got a hold of the iPad 3. The mini has slightly better resolution that the Playbook, yet I am somewhat bothered by it. I guess it's the retina effect. I love the form factor and weight on the mini, but need to spend more time with the screen to see where I am with it.

Compared the mini's screen with my 11" Air's screen and text wise it's not that much different. I realised from the get go the Air's screen was no retina either, but was OK with it. I should be OK with the mini's screen, but haven't quite adjusted to it yet. Not too sure if I will be keeping this iteration, might just wait for next generation mini. Since I have the iPad 3 I can afford to wait. At this time the mini in my home is more of a luxury than anything else.

The thing that's attractive about the mini is it's base price, even though it's higher than others on the market, it's still inexpensive compared to the base 9.7" iPad. By Apple's standard the mini is still affordable. I can see down the road Apple may still keep the mini when it comes with with mini 2 and raise the mini 2's price if it comes with retina and segment it into "pro" category.

For me the 9.7" iPad is a must, while the iPad mini is optional.

iPad Mini 2 - Won't be "Retina"

I just wanted to take another opportunity to say.

The Mini 2 WON'T get a resolution double - if that is what people mean by "Retina". And that is how Apple have used the term so far.

That would be a completely unnecessary resolution on an 8" screen, drain the battery and slow it down - for little benefit.

I'd go further;
Air and Mini = Non Retina
MacBook Pro and iPad = Retina (once the kill the fat MacBook Pro)

Maybe even further, a slim chance of;
iPhoneX 4.5" = Retina but iPad pixels wide
iPhone (Mini) 3.2" = Non Retina but iPad Mini pixels wide

MacRumorUser said:

So the reason they didn't use one was because one isn't available.

Click to expand...

Not exactly. They were talking with Sharp about their new display but it is actually better than the Retina display (in several ways) and Apple doesn't want to mini to be better than the full sized tablet so.... they'll most likely update the mini with the Retina (higher resolution version) and give the full sized tablet the new Retina 2 display. This way everybodies happy.

Mac... nificent said:

This way everybodies happy.

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Thanks for the laugh.

Mac... nificent said:

Not exactly. They were talking with Sharp about their new display but it is actually better than the Retina display (in several ways) and Apple doesn't want to mini to be better than the full sized tablet so.... they'll most likely update the mini with the Retina (higher resolution version) and give the full sized tablet the new Retina 2 display. This way everybodies happy.

Click to expand...

Retina 2 display? What is that supposed to be? 4K?

IGZO technology (I believe that's what you were referring to, when talking about Sharp's display technology) wasn't ready for mass production. It's only ready for production starting this quarter, and it will be ready for MASS production in Q1 2013.

Not using IGZO technology meant that Apple would have needed to compromise:

- Double the amount of LEDs
- Thicker device (more aluminium needed)
- Heavier device
- 45 nm A5X chip (this is an extremely energy-inefficient chip)
- Much thicker battery (adds weight, adds cost, adds longer charging times)

Next year all those compromises fall away (and that will save them a lot of costs) and they can even put in an A6X chip.

Most of my colleagues who don't frequent tech sites, love the mini. A lot more people more would love the mini if it wasn't for sites like this, bashing the screen. Even me myself got caught up in it. I bought the ipad 4 and after reading about the yellow tint, then all of a sudden I start to see it too. This was after I was praising it for a whole week that the screen was brilliant. Took it back to best buy to compare it with the display model and it was noticeably different. The tech also noticed it also and replace it. My argument is that people are influenced by what they read and form a conclusion about a product without giving it a chance. But do think apple showed some greed by making it 329 instead of 299.

ThatsMeRight said:

Retina 2 display? What is that supposed to be?

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It's fo lack of a better term Yes it will be IGZO but as I've read it won't be stock IGZO. Apple has been working with Sharp to have a different version of IGZO (think of it as IGZO Plus ). HTC is already using IGZO and it will be in 32" HDTV's soon too. At some point though I don't think the human eye can distinguish between one improvement vs. another and it becomes marketing points. Not there yet but soon.

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damie45 said:

My argument is that people are influenced by what they read and form a conclusion about a product without giving it a chance. But do think apple showed some greed by making it 329 instead of 299.

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Agree 100% about your first point but regarding your second I think that's factored into upcoming models. With this in mind why sell low out of the gate when reducing pricing (especially for Apple products) is a selling point in and of itself? I see them dropping the price but not soon.

Mac... nificent said:

Not exactly. They were talking with Sharp about their new display but it is actually better than the Retina display (in several ways) and Apple doesn't want to mini to be better than the full sized tablet so.... they'll most likely update the mini with the Retina (higher resolution version) and give the full sized tablet the new Retina 2 display. This way everybodies happy.

Click to expand...

Retina 2 lol

iPad mini won't compete with full iPad even with retina screen they are totally different animals and both will serve different needs regardless of the screen

people wonder why they didn't put a retina screen on the mini well because to run all those pixels the mini needs a new CPU-GPU and larger memory ram not cost effective for apple at this point maybe next year when they trow the A6 in there and the A7 will be the next king debuting on the iPad 5

I agree with Damie45 forums are bad influence for everybody but they also have the good side where you open your eyes and say : what the hell I just buy let me take this crap back to the store and get my money

I wish I had time in my life to research and then type something this long on Macrumors...