This seems kind of a bad idea to me. When displays get larger they also need to get better quality. Little point in a 12.9” low refresh rate display. If I’m going to lug something that big around, when I whip it out it better be beautiful. (That’s what she said.)
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12.9-Inch iPad Air Display Shipments Reportedly Underway Ahead of March 2024 Launch
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Agreed - would have to be M2 (or A-series equivalent?) since the current iPad Air has the M1. I was thinking more with a (presumably) single camera it would look and feel a lot like the 2018 IPP. But yeah, as I’m looking at refurbed 12.9” M1’s I’m not sure whether to hold on for this… 🤔
That made sense when the iPad was a sub-1000 device. They are marketing iPads as production tools, but only give them a content consumption OS. This whole idea that iPadOS needs to be hamstrung to not compete with macs is just Apple shooting themselves in the leg. The iPad could be a great device but it’s just a great screen for Netflix and browsing and a passable, if often frustrating note taking or art device 🤷♂️
Well, it's more than fair to assume that iPad Pro 2023 will be M3 with better ray tracing and all that jazz.
But it could very well be that Apple pulls a MBA M2 15" on us with this 12.9" iPad Air and adds nothing more to it than a bigger display, bigger battery, and slightly better speakers (mostly due to the acoustics you get from the size increase, but still).
This would mean that it's getting the same specs, including M1, that the 2022 already has. And no new 10" iPad Air launches alongside it.
I hope not.
If it's not at least M2 with a mix of new spec bumps on top of being bigger then it'll certainly be a boring release.
Although I cannot predict the future, I think a refurb M1 is well worth it, if it fits your budget. Keep in mind that, in the case of the 12.9” model, the display is a mini-LED one. You probably won’t have such screen with the bigger Air.
If you want new, get a Vision Pro. What new do you want out of an iPad? To me, the most interesting stuff, with respect to iPad, is on the software side. The hardware is pretty solid. I'm more interested in what Apple does with iPadOS 18
Something that i don't have to wear on my face would be a good start 👍
No, but it will cure cancer and bring about world peace.
What you’re saying makes too much sense unfortunately. People buying the bigger iPad will be doing that for the size not the chip, so to keep cost down and not to jeopardize iPad Pro sales an M1 chip sounds about right. The M1 chip is no slouch and it will allow the new Oled ipad pros to come out with the M3 chip.
And more iPads to add to the mess. No wonder sales are down.
12.9” iPad Air is perfect for consumers who want to have 12.9” iPad but do not want to spend too much money for iPad Pro especially now, iPad Pro will be in OLED which will cost around or more base MacBook Air or perhaps certain MacBook Pro. Brilliant idea from Tim and his team! Every ipad consumer base is covered! They know what they are doing and for the best. Keep calm and be profitable and successful!
Yup. And if only they made binoculars that don't have to be held up to the eyes.
So potential buyers walk into the store, see more than two iPad models, and just leave?
As someone looking for a replacement for my daughter's 2017 MacBook, a 12.9" iPad Air fits exactly the bill. She needs an iPad that can handle MS Office, some games, browsing, Music and most importantly, that she can use in her artwork, i.e. drawing...
She does not need 1TB, an ultrawide camera, a superfast CPU, or Thunderbolt. She does not need four speakers and could not care less about Face ID.
She needs a decent CPU, 256GB (she uses iCloud for everything), an OK camera (she uses her iPhone 15 for photography), regular speakers (she uses her iPod Pros for sound), Apple Pencil 2nd Gen., and she needs 5G.
Of course, the bigger the screen, the better, but the iPad Pro 12.9" is much too expensive for what she needs, with too many upgrades she could not care less about.
12.9" iPad Air cannot come soon enough. I was hoping for XMas, but alas...
She does not need 1TB, an ultrawide camera, a superfast CPU, or Thunderbolt. She does not need four speakers and could not care less about Face ID.
She needs a decent CPU, 256GB (she uses iCloud for everything), an OK camera (she uses her iPhone 15 for photography), regular speakers (she uses her iPod Pros for sound), Apple Pencil 2nd Gen., and she needs 5G.
Of course, the bigger the screen, the better, but the iPad Pro 12.9" is much too expensive for what she needs, with too many upgrades she could not care less about.
12.9" iPad Air cannot come soon enough. I was hoping for XMas, but alas...
I don’t understand adding a new size option to the iPad Air before enhancing the display capabilities to be more in line with the current Pros (with a corresponding bump to the Pro capabilities). I don’t push my Pro all that hard, but I can’t go back from ProMotion - displays with lower refresh rates are jarring to me.
Except for those who want a device with a touch screen.
The user experience between an iPad and a MacBook is significant. That is the point.
I agree with you. Too many iPads and it gets confusing. Get rid of the Air line and keep the Pro line. Just makes no sense.
12.9 is perfect for sheet music. But the Pro is just too expensive and overkill for that.
There is room for a cheaper 12.9 Air and it will be very popular for exactly that purpose. (And surely others)
Also don't need Magic Keyboard for that.
This so need to go in the next mini... imagine the mini with a 12.9 inch screen!
Apple call it a computer... and they have essentially made it into a 'netbook' or Chromebook type device with the addition of the Magic Keyboard.
Next year I truly believe the iPads will break more price barriers. Addition of keyboard and pencil already make it more expensive than the MacBook Air. And in that case, unless you need to do tablet things, the Mabook is a way better buy as a general all purpose computer.
