iPad mini to kill the iPhone/smartphone?

Poochi · Oct 26, 2012

gadget123 said:
What Ipad mini does it cater for a small market..might be quite popular in different fields but it will always be weaker to Ipad and Iphone. It's only on the market to combat sales of smaller TABLETS.

On contrary, I actually suspect the mini will become more of the mainstream over time.

Also another market it opens up is "kindergarten" population

Oh... and iPad mini is also taking the entertainment dollar from other segments like video gaming, console, etc etc. (nintendo, xbox, ps3 etc) I know they are different, but mostly they come out of the same bucket of the budget

gadget123 · Oct 26, 2012

Poochi said:
On contrary, I actually suspect the mini will become more of the mainstream over time.

Also another market it opens up is "kindergarten" population

Oh... and iPad mini is also taking the entertainment dollar from other segments like video gaming, console, etc etc. (nintendo, xbox, ps3 etc) I know they are different, but mostly they come out of the same bucket of the budget

No it won't.

Features are a country mile behind Ipad's main range and will probably stay that way.

It's small, cheap but 9" Ipad will get thinner, lighter and cheaper for the second hand market with new Ipad releases..Ipad 1 ect.. all will come down in price.

ZBoater · Oct 26, 2012

gadget123 said:
No.

For a start as has been said the features will be weaker than the current Iphone (like the way Ipod touch is).

...
I know it's perfect for some peoples needs but it's a small tablet, budget, minimal features to get people on the tablet market.

Weaker than the iPhone? Besides voice calls, what can the iPhone do that the Mini can't?

ritmomundo · Oct 26, 2012

aka777 said:
Most people I text are on viber, iMessage, facetime, or skype anyway.

Work phone is a whole other story and they pay for it.

You mean in order to get those messages, I'd have to carry around my iPad mini in my hand or a special bag because it would be to big to fit into my jeans pocket? SWEEEEEEEEEEET!

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ZBoater said:
Weaker than the iPhone? Besides voice calls, what can the iPhone do that the Mini can't?

Fit in my pocket.

617aircav · Oct 26, 2012

Poochi said:
Oh... and iPad mini is also taking the entertainment dollar from other segments like video gaming, console, etc etc. (nintendo, xbox, ps3 etc) I know they are different, but mostly they come out of the same bucket of the budget

Oh and you are out of your mind. No tablet can do what the ps3 or xbox can do. Touch screen controls are terrible at best for most games.

mcman77 · Oct 26, 2012

ZBoater said:
Yes, I know it's not a phone, but instead of carrying an iPhone or other smartphone, maybe a really slim dumb phone with a battery that lasts a week?

Then you can just talk on the phone, (remember the days?) and then email/browsing/etc can be done on the mini LTE... Just a thought...

Hopefully i'll be getting a mini soon and this is somewhat what i'll be doing but instead i'll have a budget smart phone (would love one with an excellent camera though). All I actually need is a smartphone good enough for the few hours i'll be away from the mini. Mainly nights out and weekends out. Otherwise, job hours, especially commuting to work (1 hour each way) will be hours spent much better on a bigger device.

Don't you think that a compromise all-in-one might be the ultimate? Why a mini at 7.9" and not a improved OS + apps to cater for a 5.9" phone with minimal bezel to reduce size and make it more portable?

aka777 said:
Because like Cook or Jobs said it best, you should not merge a fridge and a toaster.

A Smartphone for me is too narrow. It's also not that great for making actual calls.

That is a bad example....how about merging a stove and an oven though!

Or how about a computer (tower) with a screen ala iMac style?

A printer with a fax machine.

A music device (ipod) with a phone!!? (iphone anyone?)

There are loads of examples. Just cause some guy that runs a big company selling products said so, doesn't make it true. If someone knocked on your door doing door to door sales and told you the same thing would you believe him?

Poochi said:
Also another oberservation is that in Canada at least, I am paying $30/month for 6GB of data, on an iPhone.

That is cheap!!! You guys have it good over there.

tasset said:
So, I would like to think Apple will do the 4" form factor for probably another couple of years (change doesn't happen overnight), and we'll see a 5" or 6" in at that time that is the iPad's screen dimensions and runs iPad apps. Just as the iPad started at $499, now the mini at $329, maybe an iNano will start at $249. And all you have to buy is a data plan WITHOUT CONTRACT. The carriers will assume their roles as dumb pipes.

Interesting post. I feel a little dumb quoting this but basically you're saying that the galaxy note2 is what future iphones/ipad will be?

I guess samsung is right, the next big thing is already here!

Buckeyestar · Oct 26, 2012

aka777 said:
I meant to answer calls and hangup. Don't need to take my eyes off anything when using a flip phone.

Never been one (i.e. an irresponsible idiot) to text while driving.

I don't have to take my hands off the wheel or eyes off the road to make or receive a call. Bluetooth is a wonderful thing. If I have my phone in my shirt pocket, I've even "read" and responded to texts thanks to Siri working through my car speakers.

mcdj · Oct 26, 2012

I'm not carrying an ipad...

To a bar

To a baseball game

To the beach

To a dinner party

To a restaurant

To a concert

To a strange neighborhood in a foreign country

But I want connectivity in all those places and many more where an ipad of any size is not appropriate.

Smartphones are here to stay.

ritmomundo · Oct 27, 2012

mcdj said:
I'm not carrying an ipad...

To a bar

To a baseball game

To the beach

To a dinner party

To a restaurant

To a concert

To a strange neighborhood in a foreign country

But I want connectivity in all those places and many more where an ipad of any size is not appropriate.

Smartphones are here to stay.

I saw a woman taking pictures with her ipad at a six flags theme park a couple weeks ago. sometimes I seriously wonder if technology makes people dumber.

ZBoater · Oct 27, 2012

mcdj said:
I'm not carrying an ipad...

To a bar

To a baseball game

To the beach

To a dinner party

To a restaurant

To a concert

To a strange neighborhood in a foreign country

But I want connectivity in all those places and many more where an ipad of any size is not appropriate.

Smartphones are here to stay.

This is a good point. The Mini will go to more places, but never to as many places as the phone. Eventually you'll be in a spot with just a phone.

HobeSoundDarryl · Oct 27, 2012

ritmomundo said:
I saw a woman taking pictures with her ipad at a six flags theme park a couple weeks ago. sometimes I seriously wonder if technology makes people dumber.

She's dumb for taking a pictures with a mobile device she has with her that can take pictures? I've seen the same thing at lots of AAU (travel) sports games. I'm often there taking video & pictures with HD camcorders & cameras. Big difference: they have a big screen to better preview exactly what they are shooting while I'm dealing with a tiny screen built into dedicated gear trying to do the same.

Watch any professional shoot of a film or TV show and what do you see? Dedicated bigger (than iPad) screens being used to monitor the shot. In other words, the pros use big screens to preview exactly what they are shooting as they shoot it. Why? It helps them frame a better shot. Are they dumb? No they are getting paid to be "dumb" like that.

It doesn't make me want to give up my dedicated HD equipment, but I don't find fault with anyone shooting precious memories of their loved ones on the HD capture gear they have on hand- even if that is an iPad. I wouldn't consider that woman "dumb" for wanting to memorialize her family's trip to Six Flags forever.

You guys should think before you post. Just because it appears to make no sense to your own situation doesn't automatically make it "dumb." Just different.

Think different.

ritmomundo · Oct 27, 2012

HobeSoundDarryl said:
She's dumb for taking a pictures with a mobile device she has with her that can take pictures? I've seen the same thing at lots of AAU (travel) sports games. I'm often there taking video & pictures with HD camcorders & cameras. Big difference: they have a big screen to better preview exactly what they are shooting while I'm dealing with a tiny screen built into dedicated gear trying to do the same.

Watch any professional shoot of a film or TV show and what do you see? Dedicated bigger (than iPad) screens being used to monitor the shot. In other words, the pros use big screens to preview exactly what they are shooting as they shoot it. Why? It helps them frame a better shot. Are they dumb? No they are getting paid to be "dumb" like that.

It doesn't make me want to give up my dedicated HD equipment, but I don't find fault with anyone shooting precious memories of their loved ones on the HD capture gear they have on hand- even if that is an iPad. I wouldn't consider that woman "dumb" for wanting to memorialize her family's trip to Six Flags forever.

You guys should think before you post. Just because it appears to make no sense to your own situation doesn't automatically make it "dumb." Just different.

Think different.

Look, you might not understand this, but that's not being "different," it's a lack of common sense. This is a roller coaster theme park, and she was mid 20s with other mid 20s friends. She wasn't taking pics of her kids or making family memories, but she was a bit in front of us in line for a roller coaster snapping random pics. This had absolutely nothing to do with having a bigger screen to preview the shot with.

The fact of the matter is, people should use common sense. When you go to a theme park, leave your ipad at home. This wasnt the only time I've seen this, but just one example. What on the ipad is so important that you can't go one day without it? Its extremely unlikely that its your only camera because even the dumbest of dumbphones have cameras nowadays, and EVERYBODY has a phone (especially if you can afford an ipad), so there's no excuse.

So no, it's not "different," and you can try to rationalize it all you want, but in the end, it's just plain dumb.

Mak47 · Oct 27, 2012

Actually, I think you've got the right idea. People are making fewer and fewer phone calls. SMS, email and instant messaging are becoming the norm. With FaceTime and Skype available with cellular data, face to face conversations can be had. The current 18-40 demographic is embracing these technologies with the younger side doing so more rapidly.

I can see the day when an iPhone is just an earpiece, very small, totally voice controlled and synced with iCloud for contact info. All visual communications happen on a tablet. Many people would skip it altogether, while others would use it often.

This can almost be done now with just a Bluetooth earpiece, but the convenience and consistency of having an actual telephone number aren't there without a true phone. At least not yet.

Awakener · Oct 27, 2012

Following the Mini's release heard several people mention the possibility of switching to a dumb phone and using a Mini with data plan for everything else. Intriguing.

Harvey Specter · Oct 27, 2012

HowardSmith said:
I think Apple will do everything it can to discourage the mini from replacing the iPhone. It would be a HUGE compromise!

Yeah talk about conflict of interest

Awakener · Oct 27, 2012

mcdj said:
I'm not carrying an ipad...

To a bar

To a baseball game

To the beach

To a dinner party

To a restaurant

To a concert

To a strange neighborhood in a foreign country

But I want connectivity in all those places and many more where an ipad of any size is not appropriate.

Smartphones are here to stay.

All valid points. On the other hand, people used to just check answering machines once per day, and more fully experienced the people and places around them. Not suggesting we go backwards, but maybe many of us would actually benefit from carrying a simple phone (or none) to many of these places?

----------

HowardSmith said:
I think Apple will do everything it can to discourage the mini from replacing the iPhone.

Hmm. Like forgoing a retina display and using last year's technology?

MrXiro · Oct 28, 2012

Poochi said:
This is potentially a workable model:

- PAYG dumb phone for emergency calls or inbound calls (Nokia and LG might make a come back in the dumb phone space)
- iPad mini LTE for everything else.

Let's look at some facts using my situation as an example:
- during the day, I am at work, if people need to reach me, they can call my work, send me a text (iMessage, whatsapp, etc.), e-mail (work PC or iPad mini LTE), or call my dumb phone if really urgent (rarely happens)

- after work, I am at home, I got WIFI, computers, my dumb phone, and my iPad LTE. This is usually when I will be conducting personal calls. Which people can text me to call them, reach me on skype, line, google talk, and many other VoIP application on my computer or iPad

- when I am out, dumb phone will serve occasions where I need to get a hold of someone quickly, or I can use a bluetooth headset/or earbuds, and make VoIP calls from the iPad mini LTE using say, MagicJack, GoogleTalk or Skype. Or people can reach me on my dumb phone.

Cost analysis:
Option 1:- iPhone 5 on contract with data plan and voice plan etc: at least $60/month or $720 per year, plus paying $199 for the first year and stuck with contract (assume don't cancel). So that's about $820 per year for 2 years (US) or 3 years (Canada)

Options 2:
- iPad mini LTE up front cost : $459
- Monthly Data Plan fee : say $35/month or $420/year
- dumb phone on PAYG : let's be generous, say $100 for 1 year.

Summary:
- The price for the device is about the same.
- You save at least $200/year
- Chances are you will probably have an iPad or a iPad mini even if you have an iPhone (so if you can skip the iPhone, you are saving the $199 up front cost, save yourself from contracts, and save at least $200/year - more if you are on a more expensive plan).

- I guess it makes sense if you are on a budget, but the savings are probably not too significant for people with a decent job to want to go through the hassle of implementing it.

Option 3 iPad mini with LTE, $20 a month data 1gb plan(tax free), free google voice for text and calls.
No dumb phone, final cost $740 for the first year and $240 the years following.

F123D · Oct 28, 2012

I don't see how some people can say an iPad mini is an everyday portable device and at the same time say any phone over 4" is a brick and to big to carry around.

Nate. · Oct 28, 2012

SunnyStudioNeo said:
I don't think so. Mini is still in the category of tablet. But it definitely has more market share than the bigger iPad

Yeah this. It's a completely different category to a phone, but not to a tablet. It's the same as when Amazon had a big kindle and a small kindle. We had both, and they were in the same ecosystem.

No way in hell will a tablet replace the iPhone, if one did, it would most likely be a Galaxy Note type device, and I assure you it would be a bigger launch than the iPad Mini. However I doubt this would ever happen.

cdmoore74 · Oct 28, 2012

A iPod touch with 4G is more of a threat than a 8 inch tablet. The iPad mini is still too big to fit in pockets. Even a smaller Nexus 7 is pushing it.
Only the Samsung Note is a true threat to phones and tablets. Apple will not create a phablet; not unless phablets overtake phone sales. Samsung will not stop at giving people large hybrid devices. Samsung could be on their 5th generation Note before Apple takes action.

617aircav · Oct 28, 2012

The mini is too big to take absolutely everywhere all the time. As long as you have to carry another phone with you its like going backwards. People with jobs need a real phone number and not Google voice and voip. There is saving possible, but at the cost of convenience.

bniu · Oct 28, 2012

ZBoater said:
I'm saying have a phone to just talk.

You can still do this on a phone?

JodyK · Oct 28, 2012

No!

It def won't kill the iPhone BUT it would be interesting if Apple were to design an ultra small / thin / light phone only type device to market to someone who would want to couple that with an iPad mini!

dinosaur1 · Nov 21, 2012

Poochi said:
This is potentially a workable model:

- PAYG dumb phone for emergency calls or inbound calls (Nokia and LG might make a come back in the dumb phone space)
- iPad mini LTE for everything else.

Let's look at some facts using my situation as an example:
- during the day, I am at work, if people need to reach me, they can call my work, send me a text (iMessage, whatsapp, etc.), e-mail (work PC or iPad mini LTE), or call my dumb phone if really urgent (rarely happens)

- after work, I am at home, I got WIFI, computers, my dumb phone, and my iPad LTE. This is usually when I will be conducting personal calls. Which people can text me to call them, reach me on skype, line, google talk, and many other VoIP application on my computer or iPad

- when I am out, dumb phone will serve occasions where I need to get a hold of someone quickly, or I can use a bluetooth headset/or earbuds, and make VoIP calls from the iPad mini LTE using say, MagicJack, GoogleTalk or Skype. Or people can reach me on my dumb phone.

Cost analysis:
Option 1:- iPhone 5 on contract with data plan and voice plan etc: at least $60/month or $720 per year, plus paying $199 for the first year and stuck with contract (assume don't cancel). So that's about $820 per year for 2 years (US) or 3 years (Canada)

Options 2:
- iPad mini LTE up front cost : $459
- Monthly Data Plan fee : say $35/month or $420/year
- dumb phone on PAYG : let's be generous, say $100 for 1 year.

Summary:
- The price for the device is about the same.
- You save at least $200/year
- Chances are you will probably have an iPad or a iPad mini even if you have an iPhone (so if you can skip the iPhone, you are saving the $199 up front cost, save yourself from contracts, and save at least $200/year - more if you are on a more expensive plan).

- I guess it makes sense if you are on a budget, but the savings are probably not too significant for people with a decent job to want to go through the hassle of implementing it.

What's a good AT&T dumb phone to get?

iPad mini to kill the iPhone/smartphone?

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