Apple Debuts Second-Generation iPad Mini with Retina Display

[Train]

This is everything I wanted from the iPad Mini. I don't care if it's only 100$ price difference between iPad Air and iPad Mini because the iPad Mini IS an iPad Air, just with a smaller display.

I bought the Mini because of it's weight and for no other reason. It feels so incredibly light. And so I will be totally happy with the iPad Mini with retina display.

 

[Big Alsie]

Original mini should have dropped to $199. Retina mini should have been priced at $299. With as expensive at they priced it I would not be surprised to see many many more ipad airs sold vs mini retinas in the coming year.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Apple you're taking the piss with these worthless products keep up with technology!!!

 

[WLS]

Undecided now due to the much reduced in weight and size iPad Air. My interest in the mini was mainly because of these issues.

The mini is still lighter, lighter than the "AIR"

1 pound AIR versus .73 pound Mini retina and the latter is $100 cheaper.

I find it a confusing choice.

 

[maerz001]

They didn't mention that the new Mini increased depth from 7.2 to 7.5 mm and gained 10% in weight:

Depth:
0.29 inch (7.5 mm)
Weight (Wi‑Fi):
0.73 pound (331 g)
Weight (Wi‑Fi + Cellular):
0.75 pound (341 g)

http://store.apple.com/us/ipad/compare

 

[RoccoFan]

Apple made everything we wanted!

Except for Touch ID and the same camera as iPhone. Not a fail, but disappointing. That said can't wait to get one.

 

[KylePowers]

I think they should have gone retina at $329 and dropped the first gen Mini to $249.

I really, really, really wanted an iPad Mini with Retina, and fine, whatever, I'll pay the extra price... but having gotten used to Touch ID, not sure if I'll bite on this gen or next =\

Also, if iOS could be more specific to the iPad's screen real estate, that'd totally be appreciated.

EDIT: Also, looks like the retina Mini got a tad fatter and heavier. Probably insignificant to most people, but possibly worth considering.

 

[bryanescuela]

Re:

What makes this tablet $170 dollars more expensive than a 16gb Nexus 7?

Who cares! I want one!!!!!

 

[Exponent]

Value proposition vs. Android

As I just got a Nexus 7 for development work, and you can get 16GB WiFi for $230, it will be interesting to compare it to the new iPad mini


Nexus 7
-------------
- Resolution: 1,920 by 1,200
- Screen size: 7.02 inches
- Price for 16GB WIFI: $230

Ipad Mini
-------------
- Resolution: 2048x1536
- Screen size: 7.9 inches
- Price for 16GB WIFI: $399

Is IOS worth $170, if you do the same tasks? Read books, browse web, reply to e-mails, watch occasional movies, listen to music?

This isn't an anti-Apple rant: I can tell you that IOS is far better integrated with the computer than the Nexus, if you don't already use Google for everything. I was amazed how primitive "out of the box" the Nexus was regarding syncing.

 

[karlwig]

The Retina iPad mini retains the same form factor as the original iPad mini, measuring in at 7.2 millimeters and weighing 0.68 pounds.

According to Apples own tech specs, this is not correct. The Retina iPad mini is 7.5 millimeters thin and weights 0.73 pounds.

In other words, its both slightly thicker and slightly heavier than the current generation mini (but only by a hair).

This is also probably why Apple did not mention thickness nor weight for the mini during its presentation, while they did so for the new iPad Air.

 

[x-evil-x]

400 bucks for a 7 inch?
500 for a 9 inch?
And Apple still producing iPad 2 for 400 bucks?

Is Apple back in 2010?

did you not pass rounding in math growing up? more like 8" and 10". Who rounds down unless its under 5?

 

[TWSS37]

This logo




I understand why Apple products often carry a premium price over Nexus devices. or many competition device.

But $399 for essentially an 8" tablet is a tough pill to swallow, EVEN if it's a really damn nice looking tablet.

people were iffy at $329 for the mini. this is another $70. if you're not someone tied to iOS system and are looking with price as a major factor, the Nexus 7 (2013) just became that much more appealing.

I'd be willing to bet side by side, all things being equal, consumers would prefer the price and performance of a Nexus 7 over the mini 2. Problem is, not all things are equal. That logo as you mention, carries more $$$ than any product they can produce at this point in time.

 

[Icaras]

Except for Touch ID and the same camera as iPhone. Not a fail, but disappointing. That said can't wait to get one.

The iPad will never get the same quality camera of the iPhone and in fact, historically, it never has.

No Touch ID however, is indeed disappointing to me.

 

[dlondon]

Disappointed that there is no TouchID and the price jump. Makes me wonder if the iPads are subsidising the free iLife, iWork and Mavericks releases!

And why does it cost £100 more for cellular? Does it really cost that much to install?

 

[CWallace]

I was gonna move from the non-retina Mini to the retina Mini, but now I think I'll just go Air for 100 bucks more because that was a punk move, raising the price of the Mini. Sheeesh.

The retina panel and the A7 are more expensive and when you consider the iPad Mini at $329 was eroding margins, if they had kept the price the same, they'd be taking a major hit. And dropping the price of the non-retina iPad Mini to $299 probably hurts margins on the product even more, so the iPad Mini with Retina is likely at $399 instead of, say, $379 to help recover those margins.

I think they should have gone retina at $329 and dropped the first gen Mini to $249.

That would have seriously eroded margins on the line.

And given Wall Street one more reason to declare Apple "doomed' and knock another 15-20% off the stock price.

 

[GregD]

I wasn't expecting much from this keynote but wow no touch id or gold is just un fathomable given how popular those features have been on the 5s

Production issues?

 

[cosmic68]

Oh dear....not a disaster, but....

Height:
7.87 inches (200 mm)
Width:
5.3 inches (134.7 mm)
Depth:
0.29 inch (7.5 mm)
Weight:
0.73 pound (331 g)

http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/

EDIT: That compares to the old one:
Height:
7.87 inches (200 mm)
Width:
5.3 inches (134.7 mm)
Depth:
0.28 inch (7.2 mm)
Weight:
0.68 pound (308 g)

So a 23g (7.5%) weight gain and 4% thickness increase

 

[roland.g]

I understand the price increase and see it coming down eventually. That's a very high res display. But for the price increase I think Touch ID should have been added. Not sure I'll sell my LTE Mini I got in June.

 

[darcspyd3r]

Looks like Apple got tired of the iPad Mini eating into regular iPad sales. I was set to buy an iPad Mini with an A6X processor to replace my non-retina model, but with those reductions for the full size one? Sign me up for an iPad Air please.

 

[Dmunjal]

This logo




I understand why Apple products often carry a premium price over Nexus devices. or many competition device.

But $399 for essentially an 8" tablet is a tough pill to swallow, EVEN if it's a really damn nice looking tablet.

people were iffy at $329 for the mini. this is another $70. if you're not someone tied to iOS system and are looking with price as a major factor, the Nexus 7 (2013) just became that much more appealing.

It's really not that expensive compared to other similar tablets:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2055590/lg-drops-a-new-high-resolution-tablet-the-lg-g-pad-8-3.html

The Nexus 7 is cheaper but a lot smaller.

 

[mikeoui]

It's now only $100 difference between the 7.9" Retina iPad Mini and the 9.7" Retina iPad Air.

Will people pay a little more to get a larger screen?

I was planning on getting a Mini because of size. But now that the "big" iPad is smaller and lighter... I don't know.

They both have the same processors... the only difference is the screen size.

I'm facing this same dilemma now. I wanted the mini "hands down" but now that the price is so close I don't know.

 

[LordVic]

I'd be willing to bet side by side, all things being equal, consumers would prefer the price and performance of a Nexus 7 over the mini 2. Problem is, not all things are equal. That logo as you mention, carries more $$$ than any product they can produce at this point in time.

I'm not so sure to be honest. it's really based on experience.

Having used multiple of the paltforms, There's something to be said about the simplicity, ease of use, and how well iOS works.

As an OS, i prefer it over my google devices.

The problem is, Costs associated with ownership, and "other" choices involved in purchasing for me.

is iOS and it's ecosystem worth $399 for a "mini" tablet in the 7-8" marketplace? even with the Retina display and the A7 CPU. This to me is a hard sell.

Google has managed to put out a high PPI device in the Nexus 7, for $170 less. Yes, I would take a "hit" to the ecosystem and be using Google instead. but as long as the functionality i'm looking for are the same in both, Why would i spend that extra $170.

I think Apple is banking on reputation too much with this release. if they had the RMini (retina mini) at $329, while it's still more than the N7, it would have flown off the shelves. I'd be putting my Credit card in right now.

But to keep the old Mini, Which is using arguably 2+ year old tech (same basic components as the ipad 2, which surprisingly is still being sold at the same price as well), at the $329 price point, really is questionable. Then tacking on another $70 for retina is even more questionable, When arguably, Everyone else in the market is giving the high ppi displays at no additional costs.

What I find more pecular is that the ipad 4 is getting nixed. And the ipad Air takes it's pricepoint. in the full size market, we're getting a much faster, better, lighter, and I'd say Sexier device at the exact same price as before.

But the Mini isn't following that same market replacement.

just odd. And I don't think they went the right way with the Mini Price.

Now the Air... that looks sexy and well worth the price.

 

[MacLC]

What's the darn release date!!!!!

is November 1st that much longer to wait? We've been waiting for this since the first mini came out. The first mini was a good deal at $329 although I am a little miffed that they kept the hardware and only dropped the price 9%.

I wish the price point for the retina mini could have been closer to $329 but considering the hardware boost, $400 isn't bad. In fact, it's a better deal to me than the iPad Air. If they had handled the iPhoneC/S like this, the C would have been much more popular.

 

[Plutonius]

What makes this tablet $170 dollars more expensive than a 16gb Nexus 7?

The price tag. If you think the Nexus 7 is a better value, buy the Nexus 7.

 

[XboxMySocks]

The problem with the mini is that iOS is still just scaled down for the hardware, and not truly optimized for the smaller screen. This makes things easier for developers but suckier for all of the users who have to deal with smaller tap targets and cluttered interfaces.

Hahahaha... no.