12.9-Inch iPad Air No Longer Expected to Feature Mini-LED Display

[JippaLippa]

I’m going to get flak for this but: there are way too many iPads.

Yeah.
I'd love an iPad, iPad mini and iPad pro.
Simple, as Apple lineups used to be in the late 90s.

That said, I think the base ipad is prime for getting a laminated screen, and I'd upgrade the air/mini with a mini-led display and leave the high end oled to the pros.

The iPad air is not very competitive, as it's still expensive, but lacks a good screen for content consumption.
I'm not an android fan, but I think most tablets costing quite less than an Air have oled displays.

iPads used to be next level, if compared to any effort from the competition, but android tablets have evolved a lot, while I'm seeing the iPads stagnating...
And soon Samsungs will even get more AI features (I suppose).

I'm team apple, so the choice is made for me, but I'd urge Apple to make iPads more compelling for the high price they fetch.

 

[disciple2017]

 

[sublunar]

I kind of wonder if Apple will eventually move to a BTO option for iPads (and iPhones) for any tech outside the base model; like they do for Macs. They could have 1 iPad, and if the consumer wanted a better screen, that would cost them $200 extra or something. It would solve the lineup cannibalism.

But isn't iPad thickness affected by the presence of a mini LED screen? The M1 iPad Pros were a tad thicker than than the A12X/Z models (remember Magic Keyboards had to be updated for full compatibility) so realistically a mini LED 'BTO' option within the same product line won't be possible.

Apple could perhaps keep selling an M2 iPad Pro - but let's say only the 512Gb max 8Gb RAM variants as low end entry level Pro models with commensurate price cut. Not sure why they wouldn't just create that as a base model iPad Pro though, and it might even exist off books as something third party retailers could be allowed to sell.

Remember the Air models are offered in 64Gb and 256Gb model variants. If we have a 12.9" iPad Air which maxes out at 256 with M2 CPU then why not offer a 512Gb option which is basically the M2 Pro which has the Mini LED screen etc? The M2 Air 12.9" would essentially then be a de-featured M2 iPad Pro.

Third party retailers would then be allowed to sell off remaining capacity M2 Pros at whatever price but the 512Gb remains in production past a cut off point.

Or the original post hints at a potential 'other' use for a 12.9" screen that Apple already has lines for - so perhaps some sort of static device that looks like an old iMac G4 with articulating screen if I recall the Macrumors speculation articles.

But here's my idea - the 12.9" doesn't have to go into an iPad. It could easily go into a 'Macbook' with that different form factor and that alone would then justify break in production before a Q4 launch.

Imagine the 12.9" mini LED screen with permanent laptop configuration and MacOS - in effect a mini MacBook Pro with 3nm M4 CPU with nice low power consumption. Could Apple even make it a 2-in-1 configuration with a keyboard that folds all the way round? Or would that be trolling the people who want a touch screen Mac?

 

[Darth Tulhu]

I would like iPad product matrix to be modeled after MacBook lineup:

• iPad Air, available in 8.3" ($499), 10.9" ($599), and 12.9" ($699) screen sizes, all with M3, 128GB storage
• iPad Pro, available in 11" ($899) and 13" ($1099) screen sizes, all with M3 Pro, OLED, 256GB storage

I'd also get rid of the Air, mini, Ultra, Max, and Studio names.

Just have SE, iPad and iPad Pro.

I get why they kept the Air name around when they introduced the MBA, but the naming convention is obsolete in my opinion. This is how I would have done it (from my armchair):

iPhone SE, iPhone, iPhone Pro
iPad SE, iPad, iPad Pro
MacBook SE (M1 MBA), MacBook, MacBook Pro
Mac SE (mini), Mac (Studio), Mac Pro
iMac
Watch SE, Watch, Watch Pro (Ultra)
AirPods SE, AirPods (Pro), AirPods Pro (cans)

 

[svish]

Possible if Apple is keeping aside the panels from the existing 12.9 Pro for an entirely new device. The larger Air not having mini LED will lead to a lower price tag.

 

[uwdude]

I come from 2027… there are now 34 iPads in the lineup..

Consider yourself lucky 😂

Just like the MacBook lineup, why have a regular model, an Air model, and a pro model, when nowadays they are all fairly similar. It's not like it used to be when the air models were extremely thinner than everything else.

 

[uwdude]

I tend to disagree. It's just 6 models, and all of them generally make sense. It's just the naming that is really odd (which is something that is, unfortunately, true across the board for Apple these days).

I would argue that the whole i- nomenclature (iPhone, iPad, iMac, etc.) is now outdated. It originally stood for "internet" I think? I think they need an all new naming scheme for their products.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Just like the MacBook lineup, why have a regular model, an Air model, and a pro model, when nowadays they are all fairly similar. It's not like it used to be when the air models were extremely thinner than everything else.

The Air name doesnt really mean anything with regard to product dimensions anymore.

Its was nonsensical when the MacBook Retina in 2015 came out... it was thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air lol

 

[Darth Tulhu]

I would argue that the whole i- nomenclature (iPhone, iPad, iMac, etc.) is now outdated. It originally stood for "internet" I think? I think they need an all new naming scheme for their products.

I like to think that is why they went with Apple Watch and Apple Pencil instead of iWatch and iPencil.

That said, those are a MOUTHFUL to say and I like the two syllable convention. Plus, the iPhone name is too iconic now.

Apple Phone, Apple Pad, Apple Pencil, Apple Watch, Apple Pods... all sound like I'm chewing bubble-wrap. Too many Ps!😆

 

[Realityck]

The iPad air is not very competitive, as it's still expensive, but lacks a good screen for content consumption.
I'm not an android fan, but I think most tablets costing quite less than an Air have oled displays.

iPads used to be next level, if compared to any effort from the competition, but android tablets have evolved a lot, while I'm seeing the iPads stagnating...
And soon Samsungs will even get more AI features (I suppose).

If Apple is delaying hardware updates because of parts or manufacturing issues, they certainly can spend more time updating their software and operating systems. Both iPadOS and tvOS are poster boys of the spoiled rich kid known as iOS. While its lovely that Apple keeps wanting to add this and that to features its not servicing the main issues, updating their operating systems to all their hardware to run better.

Todays example from MacWorld

Apple needs to become a software company again

The AI features baked into iOS 18 and macOS 15 need to be compelling enough to convince people to upgrade.

www.macworld.com