Apple Unveils New iPad Mini With A17 Pro Chip and Apple Intelligence

[dbc34]

The only way I’d buy a mini is if it had FaceID and tandem OLED so it could replace my kindle outside. Otherwise I don’t see enough. I’d also like Apple Books to be similar to Kindle Unlimited. They could put it on Premier Apple One and I’d even pay a couple bucks extra.

 

[klasma]

ebay? the jungle? swappa?

Where do you recommend?

It was from Plunc via Amazon Marketplace (Europe).

 

[danielristic]

They’re definitely not taking storage into account on trade value then, I’m getting the same for my 64GB Mini 6

Of course they don't care about storage, the only reason the trade in option exists at all is to prevent their old models to reach the second hand market. Once your old device reaches them they'll disassemble it and put it for recycling. It's always more interesting to sell it on eBay or elsewhere, at least someone else gets to use a perfectly good device and you get more money from it.

 

[Remy149]

Agreed, Apple releasing a new product in 2024 with a subpar screen tech when competition offers 120 Hz screens on phones starting from about 250$ is just plain cheap.

Then why not buy those devices since you feel they are offering a superior product?

 

[j26]

The thing that bums me out is that (AFAIK) nobody is building a premium mini tablet outside of Apple, so I can't even get pissed and buy a Samsung. 😂

I feel the same. I may have to start looking at foldables.

 

[danielristic]

The craziest spec change no one seems to have picked on is that it's no longer compatible with Pencil 2, only Pencil Pro.

 

[DaniTheFox]

Has the A17 Pro not ray tracing, but the M2 not.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

I suspect that it wouldn’t be compatible with the jelly scrolling.

can confirm no provision in jellyKIT for the promotion display, so with a heavy heart Apple will just take the extra profit on each unit

 

[abowlby]

Pilots rejoice!

 

[turbineseaplane]

Are the colors not the same as those of the Air?

I don't know - I'm not an Air shopper or customer

I just know it looks green, not blue, to me .. despite its name being blue

 

[bodonnell202]

Yeah. What surprises me the most though is that Apple is keeping the A17 around. I would have thought that they would migrate away from the more costly N3B node as soon as possible.

I would have lost a hefty bet that Apple would keep A17 around in this fashion.

Figured they would have left that node in the past with how quickly they moved to A18/M4

Yeah this one surprises me a lot too as I didn't think we'd see the A17 again. I see now that the iPad Mini is using a 5 core GPU version of the A17 Pro rather than the 6 core version that was in the iPhone 15 Pros. Makes me wonder if they hung onto a stockpile of A17 chips that they couldn't put into the 15 Pros that they are now using as binned chips in the new Mini.

 

[Remy149]

It really should have been more. I ordered one because I really miss having a mini but I'd expect it to have FaceID, 120hz refresh rate, and a brighter screen.

My thought is if they give a real update I can at least trade this one in for a credit.

Why would you expect it to have all those features currently only available on the iPad Pro? The mini has been closer to the iPad Air. I’d expect the iPad Air to get those features before the mini

 

[Remy149]

MacBooks don't have Face ID either.

I find it odd that Apple only halfheartedly moved from Touch ID to Face ID.

Adding Face ID to MacBooks would call for a much thicker lid

 

[jdclifford]

So this seems all about them making sure to get their Apple Intelligence in as many hands as possible. Apple knows a fair number of people are on old iPhones and won’t be able to exploit AI. This is just another way to try and get AI out to people who aren’t looking to upgrade iPhones.

I think you have it backwards. IMO Apple is pushing the AI to sell more AI compatible hardware (macs, iPhones and iPads). And in a few years AI will become a subscription service (at least there will be a subscription tier).

 

[turbineseaplane]

Makes me wonder if they hung onto a stockpile of A17 chips that they couldn't put into the 15 Pros that they are now using as binned chips in the new Mini.

"Cooking with Tim" on HGTV tonight at 8pm, 6pm central

 

[klasma]

I'm surprised they're keeping the Mini name around at all though. If it were me, I'd have made it a size option for the Air. iPad Air Small, Medium or Large

No Face ID, no smart connector/Magic Keyboard, different volume button positions, no M-series SoC, the mini is a bit it’s own thing.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

The craziest spec change no one seems to have picked on is that it's no longer compatible with Pencil 2, only Pencil Pro.

It should also support the Apple Pencil (USB‑C).

 

[Remy149]

Okay everyone… the existence of the A17 chip in the new Mini begs the question… what chip do you think will be in the new 11th-generation base iPad? The same A17? Let’s have some fun and guess. It won't be that long before we find out.

Most likely if they plan to give it Apple intelligence

 

[klasma]

Comparison page: https://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/?modelList=ipad-mini-a17pro,ipad-mini-6th-gen

It’s interesting they dropped the “nth generation” denomination.

 

[bodonnell202]

Am I the only one that caught the line in their release that basically says iOS 18.1 is only going to be available for iPads that run A17 Pro or M1+? If that's the case it seems they are cutting off quite a few iPad models with 18.1, previously it was just the Apple Intelligence features themselves which required M1 or later:

"The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in U.S. English this month through a free software update with iPadOS 18.1, and available for iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later."

Apple Intelligence features will only be coming to devices with at least 8 GB of RAM (which at this point means A17 or newer or M1 or newer) - that has been known for a while. It doesn't mean that older devices won't get iOS/iPadOS 18.1, it just means they will get it without the Apple Intelligence features.

 

[one more]

Then why not buy those devices since you feel they are offering a superior product?

Elementary, Watson, they do not run iOS/iPadOS. 😋 Besides, I was talking about a component, not a product, making a point it can be done and still remain profitable enough.

 

[Remy149]

Well, in fairness, some devs are defending it.

View attachment 2437706

So there ya have it
Apple can get away with doing "almost nothing" now, because that are always people who will defend it.

It's really a sad sad time in Apple land in my view

Yea how dare someone have a different opinion then yours.

 

[jdclifford]

What an absolute nothing burger of an update

3 years of waiting … to get that?

This company is just so dead to me

I agree completely. But I caved and ordered 1 anyway. If i have to wait another 3 yrs for the next upgrade might as well wait with a mini 7 and trade in my mini 6. Works out to about $90/yr net.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I agree completely. But I caved and ordered 1 anyway. If i have to wait another 3 yrs for the next upgrade might as well wait with a mini 7 and trade in my mini 6. Works out to about $90/yr net.

🫡
We all gotta' do what we gotta' do
I'll be soldiering on with my Mini 5 personally

 

[Remy149]

The only way I’d buy a mini is if it had FaceID and tandem OLED so it could replace my kindle outside. Otherwise I don’t see enough. I’d also like Apple Books to be similar to Kindle Unlimited. They could put it on Premier Apple One and I’d even pay a couple bucks extra.

Sounds like you want a mini pro something that they don’t plan to make. Those features aren’t even in the iPad air yet