Well, it depends. You cannot really use it like a phone, because it lacks the built-in circuitry of a phone offering this convenience in making calls. But you can use as a phone through software. And at much lower cost than a normal phone.
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Apple Rumored to Discontinue iPad Mini
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tech4all
macrumors 68040
Right, iPhone is basically a small iPad (nano). But it wouldn't work the other way around if you wanted a phone as well since an iPad can't make phone calls.
bobdobalina
macrumors 6502a
I call BS on dropping the 7.9" form factor. If the Mini gets the axe, it will be to make way for a similarly sized "pro" model.
JPack
macrumors P6
There are benefits, but they're not great enough. The declining iPad mini sales numbers support that.
No one is disputing the mini has a larger display. The problem is it's not big enough to justify buying as a second device.
It's undeniable how the introduction of phablets in 2014 corresponds with the decline of mini tablet sales. This is not just for Apple. It is for all Android tablet manufacturers as well.
Except in reality, a phablet is not a substitute for a 7.9" tablet. How do I know? I've tried reading ebooks and comics on my iPhone Plus. It doesn't work too well. On my iPad Mini? Perfect.
Thank you.
People always say "phones are getting so large now... why would I want a tablet?"
This is why:
Yes... it's another device that you would have to purchase and carry... but you can't deny how much better watching movies or browsing the web would be on a larger device.
It's like I always say, the difference between a big phone and a small tablet is still quite pronounced, especially with the difference is aspect ratio. .
You can make phone calls on some Samsung tablets. I would not call them phones.
Maybe one of their small smart cameras, I thought about getting one for everyday use.
tech4all
macrumors 68040
You can use a smartphone without any cell service and just use WiFi as you would a tablet. Hence no more cost to it. But spending so much on a smartphone, at least current ones to use as a small tablet is silly IMO. Unless you have older phone you can use as a small tablet.
If you want to do any long-form reading (i.e., books) on an Apple device, there is none better than the mini. I would expect Apple to make it easier to hold one-handed (which I already do, but this could be better) rather than to phase it out. What does Apple think we are going to use to read iBooks?
JPack
macrumors P6
In reality, mini 7-8" tablet sales have dropped significantly since the introduction of phablets. This applies to both Android and Apple tablets.
Whether or not you think it's a substitute isn't entirely relevant.
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You can also use a spoon to eat spaghetti.
Apple leaders are getting old who cannot read small text, but they need more health gadgets. Hence the current focus. Mini out, Watches with heart monitor in.
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This is an incredibly stupid and short-sighted decision on Apple's part.
The Mini form factor is extremely appealing to those who do not use regular sized iPads (or Pros) as workhorses... people who just read books, or just look at websites. Seniors, families... people who don't want to read books on their phones but don't want to carry the larger editions.
And people who don't upgrade all the time.
Why Apple chooses its form factors based upon what people replace every year is beyond me.
The Mini form factor is extremely appealing to those who do not use regular sized iPads (or Pros) as workhorses... people who just read books, or just look at websites. Seniors, families... people who don't want to read books on their phones but don't want to carry the larger editions.
And people who don't upgrade all the time.
Why Apple chooses its form factors based upon what people replace every year is beyond me.
This was your original quote. Back to my point and aside from your frivolous semantics, Apple wouldn't delete a 7 inch iPad and and then reincarnate a 7 inch iPad Pro. That makes zero sense. Not To mention, Apple has hardly put any emphasis into the 7 inch iPad at all, and his lead you to believe that they might make a 7 inch iPad Pro? That's asinine.
As stated previously, The 7.9 iPad mini is been basically consumed by the 5.5 inch iPhone Plus. Phones are getting larger and the demographic for for larger iPads has expanded because of what one can accomplish.
Look how Apple has expanded the iPad, they haven't gotten smaller, have they? Granted, you're entitled to speculation, but in theory, ask yourself why your post would make any sense at all if Apple were to retain a 7 inch form factor for an iPad Pro and discontinue the Mini. Not happening.
If you want to make a valid argument, then Why would Apple manufacture a 7 iPad Pro if they discontinue the iPad mini?
No. I need often to make calls that would be prohibitively expensive with a normal phone. All of those go through my iPad mini. Convenience in such cases is of zero value.
Mac 128
macrumors 603
I really hope they don't; or at least give us one last update, like the iPod family, which includes the "Pro" Pencil support. I too was just planning to pick up a mini when it presumably got Pencil support in the next update to use at work. That size would be perfect for taking to meetings and leave my phone in my office without sacrificing anything.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
OK, you offered reason #2 yourself: you can buy a tablet to use as a tablet for much less cost than buying a cell phone to use as a much smaller-screened tablet.
And really, people think 5.X" phone screen vs. 7.9" iPad Mini screen is very close but that is not true. See the post (#209) that puts them side-by-side. The screen real estate difference is huge... yet the mini form factor is still much more portable than the 9.7" (or bigger) iPads. The attraction to the mini might be summed up as the attraction to "medium" (size) in general: obviously bigger than a phablet and noticeably smaller than an iPad. For some, it's a "just right" size. Thus, you have this thread filling with people who obviously like this form factor.
routine_analyst
macrumors 65816
JPack
macrumors P6
Action speak louder than words.
Consumers have spoken. Apple now sells one-quarter volume of the iPad minis compared to the peak in 2013/2014.
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You're a corner case. How many other consumers do you think need to "make calls that would be prohibitively expensive with a normal phone"? And that the convenience factor is "zero"?
Chris Meyers
macrumors newbie
God some of these people here are obnoxious. Quoting sales etc when people are talking about the aspect ratio and benefits. Really annoying super Apple fanboys. If Apple discontinues it, it must be correct.
I'm old myself, but we old folks still read books. And if those books are in electronic form, we would read them on book-sized tablets. If the Mini disappears, that probably will mean the Amazon Kindle for many, which would be a blow to iBooks.