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

[Realityck]

Interesting article

Why the new iPad mini is a problem for Apple's other products

Apple's long-awaited iPad mini update creates more questions than it answers.

www.macworld.com

But the first serious question raised by the 7th-gen iPad mini is particularly relevant to the latter target group. Where does this leave the standard iPad?

So what stopped Apple from launching the 11th-gen iPad this month, alongside the new iPad mini? Of course: it’s the Apple Intelligence issue.

The chip in the 10th-gen iPad was a generation older than the one in the contemporary iPad mini, even though the iPad itself was a year younger. That makes sense, given the price gap. But if Apple were to maintain that system, and launch an iPad 11 with a chip that’s a generation older than the A17 Pro in the new mini–presumably an A16–then where does that leave Apple Intelligence? It wouldn’t be supported. Apple Intelligence requires 8GB of RAM, which means it needs an A17 Pro or higher or an M-class chip.

That leaves Apple with only three options for the 11th-gen iPad, none of which are attractive. Install an A16 and manage without Apple Intelligence? Surely not—Apple wants training data for its new AI platform, and that means getting as many users as possible. Use the M1 instead? Could be confusing for customers, but feasible. Wait another year to launch the 11th-gen iPad? Perhaps this is the best option, because so many of the iPad’s target markets, in schools and the public sector, simply don’t need a new model every year.

Sounds like a marketing problem now for Apple.

 

[Pug72]

Sorry a lot of folk here are disappointed, I'm happy enough with it.
Decided a little while back I wanted a mini for reading ebooks and browsing in bed but been patiently waiting for the 7 as the 6 had been out a fair while. I don't need a power house but wanted it to be capable of iPadOS 18 AI when it finally arrives in full.

Looking forward to it arriving.

 

[Moukee]

Sorry a lot of folk here are disappointed, I'm happy enough with it.
Decided a little while back I wanted a mini for reading ebooks and browsing in bed but been patiently waiting for the 7 as the 6 had been out a fair while. I don't need a power house but wanted it to be capable of iPadOS 18 AI when it finally arrives in full.

Looking forward to it arriving.

I'm feeling similar to you. I've been wanting an iPad in this form factor for a couple of months now, and was just waiting because the new one was rumored to be "around the corner". I also didn't expect a big update as the mini is positioned below the iPad Air, which doesn't really leave room for display improvements. I would've bought the mini 6 if I had found a good deal here in Germany.

Sure, OLED or mini LED, 120 Hz, M4 and whatnot would've been nice, but even after having looked at plenty of OLED, mini LED and 120 Hz (and higher) panels and definitely being able to clearly tell the differences, I still think 60 Hz IPS panels can be solid displays, so I'm not that bothered.

 

[Realityck]

A very well presented iPad mini 7 buyers guide looking at it from different perspectives.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I still think 60 Hz IPS panels can be solid displays, so I'm not that bothered.

They can be but the ones on the iPad mini 6 are hot garbage

 

[sublunar]

They can be but the ones on the iPad mini 6 are hot garbage

Yes but are they as bad as the ones on the standard iPad?

I'm expecting at least a £100 price drop at third party retailers for the iPad Mini 6 as they clear existing stocks out. If the mini 6 is to continue at these third party retailers as a going model they probably need to retail it for £379 or less given that £499 is going to get you A17 Pro and 128Gb starting storage and you can bet that those models will get deals sooner or later too.

Remember the iPad Air A14? That lingered on a bit too long at retailers too at prices that were generally a bit high for what it was.

I see Costco in the UK are clearing out some nice 11" iPad Pro M2 Models with 256Gb and Cellular from £699. That's a value proposition if your budget can stretch that far.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Yes but are they as bad as the ones on the standard iPad?

In my opinion, after comparing at Best Buy and in the Apple Store many times, there is no new product Apple sells with a worse screen than the iPad Mini

 

[Realityck]

In my opinion, after comparing at Best Buy and in the Apple Store many times, there is no new product Apple sells with a worse screen than the iPad Mini

The 10th gen iPad. It's not Fully Laminated, Antireflective coating, or supports Wide color (P3) its only sRGB based.
Then you have the MBA's they are all 500 nit screens 60 hz displays. Now if you're specifically calling out the jelly motion issue, then this is a wait and see isn't it? (no hands on reviews yet)

 

[Abazigal]

What we expect may not be what we want. To sell devices Apple needs to provide what buyers want. Hence folks like me with an antiquated iPad Air, ready to buy a new iPad for many months, but not buying.

IMO quite a few buyers do want an iPad Mini with Pro features and are willing to pay for it. Size dramatically differentiates the iPad Mini from all other iPads. I see no reason not to have base and pro versions of the iPad Mini, but so far Apple market research apparently disagrees, causing missed sales to buyers like me.

A tablet is a non-essential device to many millions of users like me who primarily depend on an M-series Macbook Pro and an iPhone 16 Pro. So Apple either needs to step up and provide the iPads that buyers want or to continue bleeding sales they should be making to ready buyers like me.

My guess is that the target market for the iPad mini is actually pretty small, in part because it's being actively cannibalised by larger phones. As such, Apple may not think it's worth adding too many new features to.

I feel like the iPad mini is geared more towards businesses like airlines where they might favour the size, but not want to rely on smartphones to access manuals and stuff. Yet at the same time, they won't really need features like promotion or the latest processor. Cost is still the key deciding factor here, which is why the iPad mini is where it currently is.

I guess it's like the state of the iPhone mini.

 

[mlayer]

If you go to the Apple's Compare iPad page you get this:

When the mini and Air were released at the same time in 2013, it was expected they would be on the same dev path while allowing the Pro and the base model iPad to go on their own tracks. That derailed in two years as the mini was not the seller that the Air was. Other than the well-known niche cases like aviation, the mini has a hard time establishing itself as a compelling general purpose tablet. Last Christmas I was at my brother's with my mini 6. His mother-in-law preferred her slower, older base model iPad that had a bigger screen. Different strokes, right? The chart above very clearly delineates the three non-base iPad lines. Sure they could make a single iPad mini Pro SKU that had, say, an M4 and even the tandem OLED screen. Is it worth the retooling required to make a niche of a niche happy? I doubt it because it would instantly confuse the lineup. 799 sounds pretty nice for that, but what if it's 899? That's only 100 less than the 11" Pro. Other than the housing and screen size, the mini is now a parts bin iPad. I am absolutely not complaining because I don't want to pay more than 500 for it. If I'm going to pay more, I'll just get a 11" Pro or Air and call it a day.

 

[sublunar]

My guess is that the target market for the iPad mini is actually pretty small, in part because it's being actively cannibalised by larger phones. As such, Apple may not think it's worth adding too many new features to.

I feel like the iPad mini is geared more towards businesses like airlines where they might favour the size, but not want to rely on smartphones to access manuals and stuff. Yet at the same time, they won't really need features like promotion or the latest processor. Cost is still the key deciding factor here, which is why the iPad mini is where it currently is.

I guess it's like the state of the iPhone mini.

When the mini and Air were released at the same time in 2013, it was expected they would be on the same dev path while allowing the Pro and the base model iPad to go on their own tracks. That derailed in two years as the mini was not the seller that the Air was. Other than the well-known niche cases like aviation, the mini has a hard time establishing itself as a compelling general purpose tablet. Last Christmas I was at my brother's with my mini 6. His mother-in-law preferred her slower, older base model iPad that had a bigger screen. Different strokes, right? The chart above very clearly delineates the three non-base iPad lines. Sure they could make a single iPad mini Pro SKU that had, say, an M4 and even the tandem OLED screen. Is it worth the retooling required to make a niche of a niche happy? I doubt it because it would instantly confuse the lineup. 799 sounds pretty nice for that, but what if it's 899? That's only 100 less than the 11" Pro. Other than the housing and screen size, the mini is now a parts bin iPad. I am absolutely not complaining because I don't want to pay more than 500 for it. If I'm going to pay more, I'll just get a 11" Pro or Air and call it a day.

You've both hit the nail on the head there - Point of sale equipment like in shops, and maybe applications like pilots in planes where they replace written manuals and perhaps space and portability is at a premium.

So if we consider that the iPad mini is built down to a price for corporate use (clearly the specs lie somewhere inbetween base iPad and an old iPad Air) and private consumers can buy their own one if they want then that's probably where we are with it.

And I was going to say that introducing a 9" iPad Pro with the features that some on here would crave is too small a market for Apple to consider - @mlayer said that too. We just have to live with that unless Apple come up with a compelling reason to make that particular one unique.

As an ultraportable device with better camera the quite expensive Pro Max iPhones are getting even bigger next year apparently.

The strategy for people unhappy with the choice at the moment is to buy older capable iPad Pro models - all of the features for less expensive prices. The 11" is a very portable size. if not perhaps as portable as a mini but clearly you can't win them all.

Look at this temporary M2 Pro deal for example: 256Gb storage + Cellular + M2 but with FaceID and decent 11" screen for £699.

 

[aggiesrwe03]

No faceID is a sale killer, that was stupid Apple…

 

[Andy_2341]

Why should they? Apple is not eBay and will not be reselling the device; Apple probably recycles it.. Users who want eBay prices and an eBay experience can sell on eBay.

I figured they get the Apple Refurbished devices from trades. And they could afford to offer a little more at the current prices of their refurbs. They’re almost as much as new from a 3rd party seller sometimes.

 

[splifingate]

If Apple were to release a mini pro, it would about the same price or more than the current M4, in my opinion. At that price point, I question whether the same purchase enthusiasm would exist past a small segment of users.

Herein lies the basic reason that the iPhone Mini did not gain appreciable traction.

 

[TallManNY]

The 32" iMac is going to need a lot of air time.

They will probably do that one right after the 27" iMac. 🤣

 

[KPOM]

No faceID is a sale killer, that was stupid Apple…

It’s only ever been offered in the Pro. The Air doesn’t even have it, but apparently outsells the Pro. According to one of the other rumor sites the M4 Pro isn’t selling up to expectations.

 

[KPOM]

Herein lies the basic reason that the iPhone Mini did not gain appreciable traction.

Exactly. People who had them really liked them, but there weren’t enough.

 

[KPOM]

My guess is that the target market for the iPad mini is actually pretty small, in part because it's being actively cannibalised by larger phones. As such, Apple may not think it's worth adding too many new features to.

I feel like the iPad mini is geared more towards businesses like airlines where they might favour the size, but not want to rely on smartphones to access manuals and stuff. Yet at the same time, they won't really need features like promotion or the latest processor. Cost is still the key deciding factor here, which is why the iPad mini is where it currently is.

I guess it's like the state of the iPhone mini.

Yes. Both the base iPad and iPad mini have good enterprise use cases such as kiosks, point of sale, and digital manuals. The mini is also the closest side to a dedicated ebook reader. None of these require a super fancy display or the latest processor.

Interestingly, the A17 does improve the iPad mini’s gaming capabilities. But that is probably a niche market. The real reason was to add Apple Intelligence support.

 

[Abazigal]

Yes. Both the base iPad and iPad mini have good enterprise use cases such as kiosks, point of sale, and digital manuals. The mini is also the closest side to a dedicated ebook reader. None of these require a super fancy display or the latest processor.

Interestingly, the A17 does improve the iPad mini’s gaming capabilities. But that is probably a niche market. The real reason was to add Apple Intelligence support.

I guess that’s one silver lining behind Apple Intelligence. Even if you don’t care for it, it’s also the reason why all Apple devices will (likely) ship with 8gb of ram minimum.

 

[turbineseaplane]

They will probably do that one right after the 27" iMac. 🤣

PowerBook G5 is first

 

[deevey]

Are they "fine"?
Yes

But not what I want anymore-- at least not for new purchases in late 2024 going into 2025

My 120hz OLED usage has ruined 60hz for me
I have devices with 60hz still (of course) and I now I notice it all the time and don't love it.

Any drawbacks be darned, I just vastly prefer the smoothness and feeling of high refresh rates, even just for scrolling around browsing.

It's just so much better and more enjoyable (to me)

It's a luxury for sure, but one I really want in as many places as I can get it

I didn't expect any more than a speed bump, so no disappointment.

Q: Would you be willing to pay an extra few hundred for the luxury of pro-motion if they made it available?

Q: How many others would also be willing to pay for it in order to make it worth the R&D / Tooling / Marketing etc?

For Games (Racing/FPS shooters) I find 60hz perfectly adequate, for content consumption, meetings, email, browsing I find it fine. I do everything in landscape, so no Jelly scrolling for me anyhow.

Had I not bought a 5th Gen Air a few months back I'd have probably gone with the Mini, warts and all.

As a large number of mini's are used across various industries, some of which have specific cases, stands and stuff designed around the mini already (Retail POS, courier companies, schools, medical, airlines) not making any massive changes to the external hardware, aside from a speed bumps was probably a smart move IMHO.

 

[Realityck]

I guess that’s one silver lining behind Apple Intelligence. Even if you don’t care for it, it’s also the reason why all Apple devices will (likely) ship with 8gb of ram minimum.

The AS SoC needs to be able to support 8GB RAM that precludes anything before the A17 Pro. Obviously the M series are all supported. The question is at $349 prices point will Apple give it up on a successor to iPad 10th gen? The $499 iPad mini already has people paying more to get something smaller than the $599 Air.

 

[Abazigal]

The AS SoC needs to be able to support 8GB RAM that precludes anything before the A17 Pro. Obviously the M series are all supported. The question is at $349 prices point will Apple give it up on a successor to iPad 10th gen? The $499 iPad mini already has people paying more to get something smaller than the $599 Air.

Maybe that’s why Apple isn’t updating the iPad 10 yet. 8gb ram might risk eating into sales of the more powerful iPads, especially now that Apple can’t really use ram as a key differentiator.

 

[KPOM]

The AS SoC needs to be able to support 8GB RAM that precludes anything before the A17 Pro. Obviously the M series are all supported. The question is at $349 prices point will Apple give it up on a successor to iPad 10th gen? The $499 iPad mini already has people paying more to get something smaller than the $599 Air.

Apple is still selling 3 iPhones that don’t support Apple Intelligence. They can absolutely wait another year before updating the base iPad.

 

[3304614]

Last Christmas I was at my brother's with my mini 6. His mother-in-law preferred her slower, older base model iPad that had a bigger screen. Different strokes, right?

Did you ask her why she preferred the bigger screen? Maybe she was just REALLY hoping that someone would get her new prescription eyeglasses for Christmas. Sadly, no one picked-up on the obvious hint. Please keep that in mind for this upcoming holiday season.

Does LensCrafters have a Black Friday sale?