If this is true, it would be incredibly disappointing. This was the perfect form factor for me and the perfect "coffee table computer." I guess my iPad Mini 4 will have to last.
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Apple Rumored to Discontinue iPad Mini
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I don't think Apple removing the iPad mini has anything to do with usability or customer satisfaction levels. Apple replacing something with another product that is at least $100 more expensive seems to be a very Apple-like move.
If Apple is trying to blur their product lineup, this would do it. iPhones from 5.5-5.8" and iPads from 9.7-10.5". Yes there are two outliers (4.7" iPhone and 12.9" iPad), but there is too much bunching in the middle. Why not just offer different sizes with the (as much as possible) same feature set? I don't see much choice there.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Put on your (objective) product development hat and look for a significant gap to potentially fill in that lineup. See any?
Hint: remember "The 3 little bears" story: "this ______ is too large" and "this _______ is too small... but this _______ is just right"
True, but the Air right now isn't a current model. There is the mini, the iPad, and the iPad Pro. So it comes down to positioning. The iPad remains the entry level model. A 9" screen in a mini form factor is a middle model, then the 10.5" Pro and also maybe the 12.9" as a primarily niche graphic artist model.
Starting price points could remain similar to what they now are: $299, $429, $599, $799.
The mini customer was not the same as the Air customer. Mini and Air buyers alike bought because of the form factor, not the price tag. Neither were bargain priced and the price gap between each was not huge.
Not shocked at all. When you've got other tablets that'll do the about 80% of the things that the iPad Mini can do for 1/3 of the cost, your product isn't worth it.
I bought the Mini 4 last month as a hedge against a possible discontinuation. Being my third Mini since '12, I love the 7.9" size that much. The earlier two are still in the family.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
If this is the reason, it applies to ALL of the tablets Apple offers too. Why discontinue just this one (if this is the reason)?
And that's the end of the iPad for me, sucks because I really liked using them
I have a mini and I hardly use it because I have the big Samsung. I bought it just to have an iOS device when there was a great deal. It is cramped.
If I want to take something small on the road, my 7" HDX is better because it fits in cargo pants pockets.
I don't believe that at all. I think Apple will venture and retain the larger model iPads for productivity and ultimately to use as an in between for your PC. Tim Cook stated he views the iPad as a PC replacement. I don't see a 7 inch screen being the future of an iPad for a PC replacement. Especially with the smart connector and smart keyboard being for a the Pro model to act as a laptop.
It was by far the most portable and useful iOS device. Having owned and used everything from the 4" iPhone all the way to the 12.9" iPad Pro I can say, personally, that the best on-the-move combo I carried with me was the iPhone Plus and the iPad Mini 4.
The iPhone is far from being a tablet replacement and never will. Anyone who says so doesn't need a tablet. Even the accessories told the tale of the iPad Mini being ... a mini iPad. The iPhone plus is a BIG phone. They were never built to be interchangeable.
If it does happen, I won't shed too many tears. The market is INUNDATED with iPad Minis and I'll grab a Mini 4 on discount ... maybe a few of them for the kids.
p.s. I would love to see a 7" iPad Pro ... at least some support for the Apple Pencil across the spectrum of iOS devices.
The iPhone is far from being a tablet replacement and never will. Anyone who says so doesn't need a tablet. Even the accessories told the tale of the iPad Mini being ... a mini iPad. The iPhone plus is a BIG phone. They were never built to be interchangeable.
If it does happen, I won't shed too many tears. The market is INUNDATED with iPad Minis and I'll grab a Mini 4 on discount ... maybe a few of them for the kids.
p.s. I would love to see a 7" iPad Pro ... at least some support for the Apple Pencil across the spectrum of iOS devices.
I like my iPad mini 3 its the only reason why I don't buy plus size iPhone but its the year I have to upgrade every gadget I have so it really don't matter
When I bought my iPhone 6 plus at launch, I hoped it would replicate the functionality of my iPad mini. Unfortunately it didn't then, and even now with the 7 plus, Apple haven't taken advantage of the plus form factor and I still kept my mini.
Unfortunately not quite the same. The iPad Mini was a nod to those of us in need of a device for article and book-reading. To me, the iPad Mini was always the perfect device for what Jobs envisioned during his 2010 launch: a device big enough to use comfortably at home, but light and small enough to be carried around - be that on the commute or at work, cafés etc.
With my regular iPad, I feel clumsy when not at home. I feel that everyone is looking over my shoulder and observing my every touch. And when at home, I feel it is way to heavy and big to hold with just one hand.
If this holds true, I'll upgrading my iPad Retina to a 4 immediately, and won't be upgrading that anytime soon.
It's the perfect size for kids too. Weird if they stop selling them. Get'em young,.....
This fits well the scenario of a pro version of iPad mini. It will give Apple the means to justify a serious price increase while staying in the same physical dimensions, more or less.
Anyway, although I have already an iPad mini 4 (16 GB), I will still buy the current offer if this rumor is proved to be true because this will give me 8 times more storage for the same price than the original 16 GB back in 2015. For me at least, this is the perfect size for travel, loaded with maps, navigation tools, weather applications, cellular data and everything else you can so nicely run in the big iPads without the bulk of the size. It is just perfect.
NO surprise given the size of phones these days..the 9.7 is more than manageable for people considering the size of the 10.5 and 12.9 to come
Man, and it was my favorite form factor too
Yeah, same here. It's perfect for me and the kids to hold it and play with it. We've had the bigger ones, but put them away in favor of the Mini.
I bet Mini #3 and #4 sales were just bad because it didn't offer anything but TouchID in comparison to #2.
I was actually still waiting to buy the #5 the instant is appeared (and was surprised instead of a #5 there was a #4 with just an 'update in memory'...., as the mini #1 needs replacement now.
Talking about the strange #4 upgrade:
Please correct this: In Europe there was an additional 50 euro above the old price! It became a whole lot more expensive to buy a mini!
But hey: I'm still waiting for a MacBook (non pro) 15" too... probably making me a strange user (need for specific sizes, but not the hardcore performance).