Apple to Release Thinner Fifth-Generation iPad and Retina iPad Mini in Last Three Months of 2013

[PDFierro]

If the iPad mini gets updated this fall.

It will have the same resolution as the current gen.

That wouldn't be Retina.

 

[Mtmspa]

My guess... Sept. iPhone and iPod.
Oct. Macs
Apple TV/iWatch=March-June 2014

What about iPad?

 

[mcdspncr]

I've never owned an iPad but I can tell you after playing around with the mini, that is THE size for me. And with the retina on the way, I finally have a good reason to buy one.

I think you hit the nail on the head, for playing around the mini is great. If you intend to do any serious work with it, you really need the extra real estate. I'm hoping with the next gen iPad I will be able to pretty much retire my old MBP, and get a Mac Pro or high-end iMac for home.

 

[teknishn]

but doesnt it seem cramped? i use mine to read pdfs and websites. essentially, it has replaced even my laptop.
wouldnt everything feel too miniature?

I switched to a mini and while it's one of the most beautiful pieces of hardware I've ever owned, I'm going back to the regular ipad5 now that they are fixing what bothered me. Thicker heavier big bezels etc. I prefer the larger screen if I can have the minis design. My other gripes with the mini is horrible non-retina display, weak CPU, weak gpu, weak ram. Give me the powerful rig please. Not the budget one.

 

[mejsric]

I can see whats the new Nexus 10 / Galaxy Tab 10.1 looks like now.

 

[belltree]

LED flash and improved camera for the iPad mini and I will be pleased.

 

[If own iPhone]

Excellent. The super slim, lightweight iPad 5 is what I'm waiting for.

Unless the new 9.7 is as light as a current Mini; I'm not fussed, never bought an iPad until the Mini because the weight was all wrong, I work in construction and forestry, I'm not a lightweight myself, to me; just the weight of the big iPads has never jived with its physical design and description which always alluded to handheld and ultraportable, but never has been fully that, due to the weight. I know they've been super popular, and rightfully so for other good reasons, but I think all of the 9.7'" iPads, up until now, will be remembered for being laughably heavy for a tablet in a few years(But, I doubt this years version will be lightened much, battery/processor tech needs a few years)

 

[sixstrings03]

For those iPad Mini people... How about typing? I have a 4 right now and typing was a big enough adjustment with a full-ish size keyboard.

Is typing only doable with thumbs, or can you lay it flat and go to town (giggity)?

 

[steve119]

Fancy a new ipad, this ipad2 is starting to look old.......and slightly cracked on the bezel.

 

[jamesdvb]

If the mini goes retina, will it maintain the same ppi as the big ipad or will it have the same resolution?

Same ppi means a roughly 1536x1152 resolution
Same resolution as big ipad is obviously 2048x1536

To qualify as retina, 1536x1152 would suffice, but would cause further fragmentation with other ipads and the iphone. 2048x1536 would be nice but would be a super high ppi, much more than the current retina ppi. In some ways a mini with that kind of ppi would look better than the current ipad retina.

That would be great, but I wonder if that would cannabalize the big ipad more than Apple would want. Apple is good at differentiating their products, so if the new mini is going to go 2048x1536, maybe the full ipad 5 will get a spec bump, resolution bump, screen change, or other new feature that would clearly set it apart from the mini.

What do you think will happen, will the mini have the same ppi as the current retina ipad, or the same resolution?

When the iPad Mini gets a retina display, whether it's this year or next year, it will quadruple the resolution (double horizontally and double vertically, so 2048x1536), just like the iPhone did when it got a retina display, and just like the iPad did when it got a retina display.

Mathematically it just makes sense because any given interface element can be scaled to exactly twice the vertical resolution and twice the horizontal resolution. And no fragmentation.

The question is, can they put in a retina display this year, AND maintain battery life, AND not increase the thickness and weight (much)?

 

[Mattsasa]

That wouldn't be Retina.

Agreed. Would not be retina

 

[Daws001]

Do you own a Mini? I have the regular iPad and just want to know if it really makes a difference.

Yeah. I owned the iPads 1-3 and skipped the 4 because the mini's size and weight were really tempting. I thought the iPad 3 was too heavy for my liking (coming from the iPad 2). The mini not being retina could also be a factor in me wanting the bigger screen. Maybe a retina mini would make the difference.

I keep flip flopping. Have to wait for the reveals. No retina on the mini 2 is a deal breaker, though.

 

[jamesdvb]

Looking forward to the iPad 5. I'd be more excited about the mini if apple actually uses current hardware instead of older specs.

Smaller electronic components are more expensive to develop and manufacture than a larger version of the same thing... So an iPad Mini 2 with the same internal specs as an iPad 5 would cost MORE than an iPad 5.

That's why the iPad Mini 1 had the internals of an iPad 2, even though it came out at the same time as the iPad 4.

Expect the iPad Mini 2 to have specs comparable to the iPad 3, not the iPad 5.

 

[AppleHater]

I don't care, as long as the iPad Mini has Retina. IT'S ALL THAT MATTERS

I don't care, as long as the iPad Mini has 1GB memory. IT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

Seriously, 512MB memory will get in the way of long term usage of iPad come iOS 9, 10 and beyond. Pixelization isn't that bad in that size (I've seen it enough), and I'd rather take A6 over Retina if I have to choose.

 

[tbrand7]

Well, I know why I won't be able to fall asleep tonight.

Why is that?

 

[phoenixsan]

Thinner full-size iPad.....

I can see it. Retina iPad mini not so fast. No in 2013, tough.....But I will be happy if proved wrong....

 

[laflores]

The only downside is this new hardware will likely ship with the uglified iOS 7.

At least my current hardware is latest-gen, so I can stay on iOS 6 for quite some time before being tempted to upgrade.

Do you know that Apple is not forcing you to buy a new iPad?

 

[Yojimbo007]

Is this news?

 

[Plutonius]

Is this news?

Nope, just more rumors but this is MacRumors after all .

 

[satchmo]

If a Nexus 7 can have a quad-core, 323 ppi screen, 9 hour battery life, starting at $229, what does an Apple need to unveil, to be competitive.

I know Apple will never compete on price (heck the current non-retina) is already more at $329.

If the new retina iPad mini use a 2048x1536 display, it would beat the Nexus 7 at 324 ppi. The price will likely remain at $329 although I'd love to see it drop to $299. Yes still $70 more, but the 4x3 aspect ratio and larger screen is worth it. Give it more RAM, and 10 hour battery life.

The larger iPad will simply get the slimmer form factor with a faster processor and similar or better battery life. Would love to see a price cut to $449, but it probably won't happen.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

A retina Mini is exactly what I would like to get next ... That would make life easier on the way to and from company. That with enough RAM and storage (128GB) would be a dream companion.

 

[3282868]

Volume buttons, camera flashes and display parts, oh my!

Seriously with the front page news, an analysis of [rumored] plastic color volume buttons? How often do these rumors pan out?

I remember leaked photo's of a rumored "iHome" in 2005's WWDC (a lot of people were excited about an Apple Media Centre, sucks it was fake):

Gallery of Apple Mockups and Fake Products

 

[moxin]

i have got two words for you "retina' 'mini'

 

[0029937]

What about iPad?

Edited my original post. Whoops forgot kind of a big one... Duh: iPad.

My guess... Sept. iPhone and iPod.
Oct. Macs (edit: iPad also in Oct., give the iPhone announcement time for people to take in)
Apple TV/iWatch=March-June 2014

 

[Rogifan]

If a Nexus 7 can have a quad-core, 323 ppi screen, 9 hour battery life, starting at $229, what does an Apple need to unveil, to be competitive.

I know Apple will never compete on price (heck the current non-retina) is already more at $329.

If the new retina iPad mini use a 2048x1536 display, it would beat the Nexus 7 at 324 ppi. The price will likely remain at $329 although I'd love to see it drop to $299. Yes still $70 more, but the 4x3 aspect ratio and larger screen is worth it. Give it more RAM, and 10 hour battery life.

The larger iPad will simply get the slimmer form factor with a faster processor and similar or better battery life. Would love to see a price cut to $449, but it probably won't happen.

When the WSJ reviewed the nexus 7 they got 6hrs battery life.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323854904578637983964905800.html
Another drawback: In my test, the new Nexus 7's battery life was underwhelming. Compared with the same battery test of the iPad Mini and first Nexus 7, it fell short at just six hours; the others clocked in at 10 hours and 27 minutes and 10 hours and 44 minutes, respectively. Google claims the battery life can last over nine hours, but the company tests it in Airplane mode (Internet connection off), with screen brightness set to 44% while playing video. I keep Wi-Fi on in the background and screen brightness at 75% while playing video.