Apple Rumored to Discontinue iPad Mini

[JPack]

Anyone with a semi-analytical mind could tell you the iPad mini is dead.

With phablets, mini tablets have lost much of their value. There's simply not enough advantage to buying a separate, slightly larger tablet that cannot be used as a phone.

Even more nuts are people suggesting a 7.9" iPad Pro. Do people not look at the usability aspect at all? Who the heck wants to create content or do business on a 7.9" device?

 

[StevieD100]

I would recommend a Galaxy Tab S2 8 inch while they are still available and cheap. Vastly superior AMOLED display, and the perfect size. I love mine. Apple really needs to step up with AMOLED and ditch the bulky inferior LCD screens with unneeded backlights. Maybe thats why they are talking discontinuing the Mini, because they will shrink the ipads size and weight

Why? It won't run IOS. And it is a Samsung and I'll never buy anything from them again.

 

[cube]

Even more nuts are people suggesting a 7.9" iPad Pro. Do people not look at the usability aspect at all? Who the heck wants to create content or do business on a 7.9" device?

Some people do business on mini.

 

[chelsel]

The iPad Mini is the perfect size for me. I can bring it to a restaurant, check my email, maybe read a book and I don't look like I'm using a laptop. It's a much more discrete device and can do everything I need when I'm traveling. The bigger form factors are heavier with very little additional benefit for me.

 

[AZ63]

What a shame. Our four years old original iPad mini is about to end its service... and now there wont be future for the form factor, so I don't know what to do. Android/google is not an option. I wont let them spy on me and sell my soul to advertisers... so we're quite out of options.

This doesn't seem to be a problem for years to come for you. You kept your first mini 4 years so you buy the current mini that was just refreshed and you are good for 4 more years.

 

[Chris Meyers]

Why? It won't run IOS. And it is a Samsung and I'll never buy anything from them again.

To each his own. I also happen to own an iPad Mini 2 and the S2s form factor is vastly superior. It has a larger 8" screen in a body thats actually slightly smaller and definitely less weight than the Mini. And its AMOLED and a really high resolution, which is just an inherently better display. You only like old bulky LCD tech because Apple hasnt yet shifted to oled. But they will and its taken too long

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Wouldn't an iPad nano just be an iPhone?

No, one of the best things about iPad vs. iPhone is that you pay for one and that's the end of the cost. The other has an ongoing outlay of money (to get full use of it). And no, not everyone buys iPhones.

 

[allanfries]

I love that form factor.
I won't be buying another iPad.
I'll pick up one of the last mini's and hang on to it.

iPad air is too big.

Same here!

 

[Michael Scrip]

5.5 inch iPhone is not a replacement for an iPad mini. It has a 16:9 display which is really hard to use in landscape orientation. Apps are generally not optimised for that aspect ratio. It doesn't have iPad specific features like Multitasking (Split-View, PiP, Gestures). And iPhone Plus is almost twice as expensive as the iPad mini.

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.

 

[L-Viz]

Thank you.


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.

That is why I want a top notch 4" Phone and a regular iPad.

 

[Zarniwoop]

This doesn't seem to be a problem for years to come for you. You kept your first mini 4 years so you buy the current mini that was just refreshed and you are good for 4 more years.

Yes, that seems to be the only way. :-/ I was hoping, that they'd have released something with current Axx chips, not with two years old A8... Apple is infamous of making their hardware obsolete with a simple software update. With A8 it will happen couple of years earlier...

 

[JPack]

I will literally never buy a damn iPad ever again if they discontinue the minis. The regular iPad is obnoxiously big. Especially for presidents that just so happen to have tiny hands.

In all seriousness though, it seems like Apple is doing EVERYTHING it can to lower iPad sales even further.

Sales of the iPad mini were on a clear downward trajectory. $399 for iPad mini 4 made no sense when consumers already own a phablet.

$329 for a 9.7" iPad? Way more more value and far more easy to sell.

 

[Zarniwoop]

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.

I second that. Reading books is not convenient from 5.5" screen, and 10" tablets are just too heavy. :-/

 

[Michael Scrip]

That is why I want a top notch 4" Phone and a regular iPad.

Yep!

And that's really my point.

No matter what size your phone is... it will never have the screen real-estate of a tablet.

 

[JPack]

Some people do business on mini.

But not enough people.

 

[Michael Scrip]

I second. Reading books is not convenient from 5.5" screen, and 10" tablets are just too heavy. :-/

No doubt the iPad Mini is lighter. And I see your point.

But the new 9.7" iPad is only around 1 pound.

How much does a hardcover book weight?

And are you talking about carrying weight in your bag? Or holding weight in your hands?

I'm not the biggest reader... but I always prop up my iPad on my legs or something. Or stand it up in its folding case for watching video.

 

[JPack]

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.

People don't want to purchase and carry another small tablet.

It's like saying an MP3 player and 12" netbook are better for listening to music and surfing the Internet. Guess what, many people are willing to sacrifice size for portability and just carry one iPhone.

 

[Loge]

Screen on the iPad mini is over twice the size of the screen on the iPhone Plus. That and the aspect ratio make it a totally different device.

 

[Zarniwoop]

No doubt the iPad Mini is lighter. And I see your point.

But the new 9.7" iPad is only around 1 pound.

How much does a hardcover book weight?

And are you talking about carrying weight in your bag? Or holding weight in your hands?

I'm not the biggest reader... but I always prop up my iPad on my legs or something. Or stand it up in its folding case for watching video.

Reading, while in a bed or lying down on a sofa... with bigger iPad it becomes tiring quite soon.

 

[unobtainium]

No more iPads for me, then.
The big ones are just way too clumsy for reading comics while lying in bed, which is what I use it for. And the Plus-sized phones are not big enough. Looks like I'll be keeping my Mini 4 forever.

 

[69650]

I use an iPad Mini for reading eBooks and playing games. Apple would be stupid to discontinue it.

 

[unobtainium]

No doubt the iPad Mini is lighter. And I see your point.

But the new 9.7" iPad is only around 1 pound.

How much does a hardcover book weight?

And are you talking about carrying weight in your bag? Or holding weight in your hands?

I'm not the biggest reader... but I always prop up my iPad on my legs or something. Or stand it up in its folding case for watching video.

You can hold the iPad Mini with one hand. A huge hardcover book is annoying, and so is the full-sized iPad. The Mini was an absolutely perfect balance of size and weight.

 

[Michael Scrip]

People don't want to purchase and carry another small tablet.

Sure! I totally understand that.

But there are clearly benefits using a larger-screened tablet versus a smaller-screened phone.

A bigger tablet gives a more enjoyable movie-watching experience, easier to read on, bigger apps, etc.

Those benefits are still there even if you don't want to purchase it.

 

[L-Viz]

Looks like I'll be keeping my Mini 4 forever.

Good luck with that. I used my iPad 1 till 2016. No more updates after iOS 5 and Safari kept constantly crashing. Apple will do anything to kill certain devices at some point in history. So sad! Losers!

 

[Chris Meyers]

I completely agree on the aspect ratio. The 4x3 aspect ratio changes the user experience in massive ways. There is no iphone of any size that will ever have such perfect readibility as an iPad. 4x3 used to be called the golden ratio for good reason.