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maxsix

Suspended
Jun 28, 2015
3,100
3,731
Western Hemisphere
Well, Tim Cook did call the iPad Pro the future of mobile computing.

You can't accuse Apple of not putting their money where their mouth is.
Apples Future may be iPads... _but not_ to be confused with the real world, outside of Apples Walled Garden.

Tims got to put his money where his mouth is, in order to drive sales in an effort to save face. Already flagging, iPads must be pushed along via Apples massive marketing muscle.
 

boston04and07

macrumors 68000
May 13, 2008
1,788
866
I can see the iPad taking lineup cues from the MacBook where more powerful Pencil enabled iPad Pros would be slated for work while lower powered iPads would be for general use. The Pro line would suit the larger and medium screen where the smaller screen of an iPad Mini does not at all seem suited to pro use.

I'd have the lineup look like this:

iPad Pro (A10x, True tone display, Pencil)
12.9" (128GB, 256GB)
9.7" (128GB, 256GB)

iPad (A10)
9.7" (64GB, 128GB)
7.9" (64GB, 128GB)

Have to disagree with you there...I've been a Mini owner for three years now and have been using my Mini 4 exclusively for a while now, including for work usage. While I'm not a designer, developer or anything like that, I've still found the Mini to be incredibly useful for work purposes, and there are many things I like about using it in this way. Its portability can't be beat, and for professionals like me who move around a lot, that is really the killer feature of this device and is something the larger iPads can't compete with by definition.

I also strongly believe the Mini would benefit greatly from Pencil support. It would be one awesome note taking device for meetings - about the size of the pads of paper I use now, small and unobtrusive. Also, there's no reason for the Mini to not get 256gb just due to its relatively small screen size when the iPhone already has that storage tier. I really don't see the logic behind that.

Anyway, maybe I just don't understand the reasoning behind your argument. I do agree it could make sense to have two classes of iPad, one Pro and one not, just like the MacBook line has always had. However, putting the Mini in solely in the "lower class" simply because its screen is smaller just doesn't make sense to me as a Mini user, and especially since that smaller screen is a huge draw to people who (like me) need an ultraportable but powerful device while on the go.
 

Donka

macrumors 68030
May 3, 2011
2,842
1,439
Scotland
This. I want the power in the smaller screen size. The only limits should be that screen size/resolution but otherwise it should still be as capable. Some tasks would be painful on the mini in comparison to the bigger iPads such as split screen multitasking but otherwise it should still be just as capable of marking up documents, editing photographs etc.
It is the same analogy as 'the best camera is the one you have with you'! I'm more likely to have my mini with me and it would be a shame if it was hamstrung purely by marketing direction.

The biggest issue with the Pro line is software. The Pro 12.9" is perfectly capable of editing multiple 4k video streams but we have the same version of iMovie that is given away free with all iOS devices. iMovie on iOS is powerful in its own limited way but while I wouldn't be expecting a full fat FCPX for iPad, something in between both apps would be very welcome.
 

eebrown

macrumors member
Oct 20, 2014
94
86
This
With a Mini Pro model Apple will get my money.
I was looking to buy a new iPad Mini but was waiting.
I have an original Mini that is now long in the tooth, but I want pen support.
They will definitely get my money for a Mini Pro if it supports the Pencil.

For me it's an iPad Mini Pro or nothing.
I don't like the larger iPads. I want something like a small notebook I can take to meetings.
This I agree with, I have the mini 2 and it fits my needs great not to big yet big enough. I was holding off upgrading to the mini 4 in case they announced a mini 5 this month. Glad I did.
 

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
10,528
14,866
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
I hope they continue making the Mini sized Ipad, I love mine it's the perfect size for that type of device imo. Any bigger and I'd rather use a laptop or Surface pro.

It makes a great light weight easily used consumptive device for me.
[doublepost=1475602409][/doublepost]
That kind of thinking is exactly what got them in trouble back when Scully took over and the line up became a confusing hodge-podge of machines. History repeats itself.

A change from an innovative to a revenue stream focused entity.
 
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sidewinder3000

macrumors 65816
Jan 29, 2010
1,182
1,283
Chicagoland
Nice to see an iPad 'mini pro' but I can't help but worry about apple's increasingly fragmented product line. Not that I want to be a proponent of the 'Jobs would be turning in his grave' attitude, but his vision of a more streamlined, simplified range of products is starting to become lost :(
How is it "fragmented"? They are offering iPads in 3 different sizes to suit peoples needs. That is not fragmentation.
 

imnotthewalrus

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2015
923
2,061
earth
I will never buy an iPad without a real operating system. iOS works great on my 6S Plus, which is essentially a small tablet. iOS just won't suffice for something as expensive as an iPad.

I'm not sure I understand... Last year, a 16GB iPhone 6s sold for $649 outright, while a 16GB iPad mini sold for $399 ($529 w/cellular). How do you see the iPad as "expensive" in comparison with iPhone?
 
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sidewinder3000

macrumors 65816
Jan 29, 2010
1,182
1,283
Chicagoland
Dear Editor of MacRumors:
Please stop repeating THIS paragraph every time you talk about upcoming iPads:

"It has been speculated the iPad mini could be nearing the end of its line due to Apple's focus on its larger tablet lineup, and the belief that recent 5.5-inch iPhone "Plus" models have helped lessen demand for Apple's smallest tablet."

This is absolute bunk, and repeating it doesn't make it true-er. There are millions of people who rely on iPad minis precisely because of their size, and it is a critical, strategic part of Apple's iPad line-up. Eliminate mating the mini would be a massive misstep that Apple won't be dumb enough to make.
 
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driceman

macrumors 6502
Mar 13, 2012
313
185
At that point just drop the silly numbers:

iPad mini
iPad Air
iPad Pro

These are being used and upgrade more similarly to computers/Macs. I think it's safe to treat them like makes and refer to the year/generation if needed. For ex (iPad Air, Early 2017).

Yeah, that's the most sensible approach (and therefore seems least likely to happen). Eventually you wind up with Tim and Phil pitching the iPad Pro Plus 47 on stage and it gets ridiculous.

In a world where I run Apple I'd name the product line as follows, and refer to the device by year (all Apple Watches made of aluminum, available in black/silver/gold/rose gold colors, keeping only the sport band and nylon band so there are only two price points dependent on the screen size you want):

Apple Watch (38 mm)
Apple Watch (42 mm)
iPhone Mini (4")
iPhone (4.7")
iPhone Plus (5.5")
iPad Mini (7.9")
iPad Air (9.7")
iPad Pro (12.9")
MacBook Mini (12")
MacBook Air (14")
MacBook Pro (16")
Mac Mini
Mac Air (iMac rebranded- makes no sense to have one Mac in the whole lineup have an "i")
Mac Pro

Also I'd get rid of about 75% of the Beats lineup, completely removing the options that are corded-only (the Bluetooth headphones come with a 3.5mm cable in the box) and removing the "Wireless" moniker since they'd ALL be wireless, leaving only:

BeatsX (4-5 colors)
PowerBeats3 (maybe 4-5 colors)
BeatsSolo3 (4-5 colors)
BeatsStudio(2?) (4-5 colors)

Premium headphones should equate to either a cordless connection or a choice between corded and cordless- not spending $200 and then wishing you hadn't when the 3.5mm cord breaks and ruins the headphones.

...But I don't run Apple. So I'd settle for my first post's suggestions. :p
 
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profets

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2009
5,111
6,138
Yeah, that's the most sensible approach (and therefore seems least likely to happen). Eventually you wind up with Tim and Phil pitching the iPad Pro Plus 47 on stage and it gets ridiculous.

Hahahahah. So true.

In a world where I run Apple I'd name the product line as follows, and refer to the device by year (all Apple Watches made of aluminum, available in black/silver/gold/rose gold colors, keeping only the sport band and nylon band so there are only two price points dependent on the screen size you want):

Apple Watch (38 mm)
Apple Watch (42 mm)
iPhone Mini (4")
iPhone (4.7")
iPhone Plus (5.5")
iPad Mini (7.9")
iPad Air (9.7")
iPad Pro (12.9")
MacBook Mini (12")
MacBook Air (14")
MacBook Pro (16")
Mac Mini
Mac Air (iMac rebranded- makes no sense to have one Mac in the whole lineup have an "i")
Mac Pro

Also I'd get rid of about 75% of the Beats lineup, completely removing the options that are corded-only (the Bluetooth headphones come with a 3.5mm cable in the box) and removing the "Wireless" moniker since they'd ALL be wireless, leaving only:

BeatsX (4-5 colors)
PowerBeats3 (maybe 4-5 colors)
BeatsSolo3 (4-5 colors)
BeatsStudio(2?) (4-5 colors)

Premium headphones should equate to either a cordless connection or a choice between corded and cordless- not spending $200 and then wishing you hadn't when the 3.5mm cord breaks and ruins the headphones.

...But I don't run Apple. So I'd settle for my first post's suggestions. :p

Agreed completely (minus the Watch not having a SS option, I love my SS watch lol). It's funny, when I've chatted with friends about cleaning the line up, exactly like you've mentioned, I thought Mac Air would fit the iMac perfectly. I think I'd name the 4.7" iPhone as iPhone Air. When there's multiple of a product I'd love to see each variation having a descriptor (mini, Air, Pro/Plus).
 

DoctaSfink

macrumors member
Sep 9, 2016
65
123
I'm not sure I understand... Last year, a 16GB iPhone 6s sold for $649 outright, while a 16GB iPad mini sold for $399 ($529 w/cellular). How do you see the iPad as "expensive" in comparison with iPhone?

I'm not sure I understand either.

I never said it was expensive in comparison with iPhone. I said it was expensive IN ADDITION to the iPhone, considering I already own an iPhone, which I stated in my post. That was the whole point of the post: I already own a mini tablet, which just so happens to be my phone, so why would I buy another tablet when the one I have fulfills my portable computing needs?

And again, I realize this is not everyone's scenario, which, again, I pointed out in my first post. All I said was that, considering my circumstances, an iPad will not appeal to me until it can run a full-fledged OS.
 

driceman

macrumors 6502
Mar 13, 2012
313
185
Hahahahah. So true.



Agreed completely (minus the Watch not having a SS option, I love my SS watch lol). It's funny, when I've chatted with friends about cleaning the line up, exactly like you've mentioned, I thought Mac Air would fit the iMac perfectly. I think I'd name the 4.7" iPhone as iPhone Air. When there's multiple of a product I'd love to see each variation having a descriptor (mini, Air, Pro/Plus).

Yeah, iPhone Air works too, as long as they quit with the S's.

A stainless steel watch would be fine too; I'd just like to see either aluminum OR steel, not 3 different materials, about 100 bands and about 1000 price points. Too complex.
 
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jamesrick80

macrumors 68030
Sep 12, 2014
2,659
2,216
Didn't see mention of pen compatibility, or does the "pro" moniker automatically means pen support for all 4 models? The mini might be a nice tablet to throw in a back pocket if it has pen support.
Sadly the apple pencil will have to be in your back pocket also and it's quite a big pencil in it's current state...these so-called iPad pro's need apple pencil slots built-in......this is the "professional" thing to do Apple
 

joeypore

macrumors newbie
Apr 20, 2015
9
48
10.1...? Lol why??

Seems very un-Apple... But Apple has been very un-Apple lately.

Don't see that one being true at all...
 

Dd5577

macrumors newbie
Feb 4, 2014
5
0
Colorado
No problems yet with my air 2 hard to believe its almost 2 years old, maybe ill wait til 2018 to update. Ill see what the next ones have however. Can we have matte black please? ;)
I'm in! I think the iPads need to have matte black. I would like the watch in matte black also.
 
Last edited:

MyopicPaideia

macrumors 68020
Mar 19, 2011
2,155
980
Sweden
This. I want the power in the smaller screen size. The only limits should be that screen size/resolution but otherwise it should still be as capable. Some tasks would be painful on the mini in comparison to the bigger iPads such as split screen multitasking but otherwise it should still be just as capable of marking up documents, editing photographs etc.
It is the same analogy as 'the best camera is the one you have with you'! I'm more likely to have my mini with me and it would be a shame if it was hamstrung purely by marketing direction.

The biggest issue with the Pro line is software. The Pro 12.9" is perfectly capable of editing multiple 4k video streams but we have the same version of iMovie that is given away free with all iOS devices. iMovie on iOS is powerful in its own limited way but while I wouldn't be expecting a full fat FCPX for iPad, something in between both apps would be very welcome.
How about giving iMovie for iOS complete parity with the macOS version??? Same goes for iWork. The machines are plenty capable of it at this point, and based on Apple's perceived strategy, there is absolutely no reason why they should not be doing this (i.e. Giving people a reason to buy a Mac as opposed to an iPad) Give the native apps complete parity and the 3rd party apps will follow suit, or those that want to remain competitive. Give us a reason to make a choice based on form factor rather than software capability. Very irritating that I cannot make the same movie on my iPad Pro as I can on my Mac mini, simply because not all the transitions, titles, backgrounds, etc. are not present. They days of "mobile" apps not having full feature sets should be a thing of the past at this point, at least in Apple's ecosystem. With performance outstripping Intel chips of only a couple of years ago, there is absolutely no technical reason for this anymore.

I too love the mini, and a pro variant would be welcome. Had the original, the 2, 3, and 4 before getting the 9.7" Pro - really like the smart keyboard and pencil capabilities and it is blisteringly fast. Split screen is great.
 
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Trius

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2008
843
105
The smaller 7.9-inch model, which will succeed the iPad mini 4, will likewise include a Smart Connector, True Tone display, four speakers, and a 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera with True Tone flash, as Apple works to standardize features across its tablet lineup, according to the report.
ShutUpAndTakeMyMoney.jpg
 

circatee

Contributor
Nov 30, 2014
4,427
3,000
...just last week I was thinking about upgraded from my iPad Air II (9.7) to an iPad Pro 9.7. I guess, I might as well wait till Spring 2017.

Hmm, a Matte Black iPad Pro, would be nice. Not sure why we need the size increased to 10.*.
 
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