There does need to be more iPads, the thirteen in the current lineup just isn't enough
I think his point that the entire "Air" product name has deviated from its original intent - to imply the product is smaller, thinner, and lighter than other models (ie: the original MacBook Air line, the original iPad Air being smaller and thinner than the previous iPads). Really at this point Apple should just drop Air entirely. Call the 13" and 15" MBAs just plain old MacBooks, call the iPad Air line just plain old iPad and rebrand the base iPad as the iPad SE.How so, when we have 13" and 15" MacBooks Air?
This will be to catch the customers who can’t afford the OLED 12.9”.
With rumors that the next iPad Pro will be getting an advanced OLED display, I wouldn't be surprised if goes get a price hike. I can definitely see a $200 price hike for each size.
I think his point that the entire "Air" product name has deviated from its original intent - to imply the product is smaller, thinner, and lighter than other models (ie: the original MacBook Air line, the original iPad Air being smaller and thinner than the previous iPads). Really at this point Apple should just drop Air entirely. Call the 13" and 15" MBAs just plain old MacBooks, call the iPad Air line just plain old iPad and rebrand the base iPad as the iPad SE.
and for driving with maps and/or musicThe mini is perfect for content consumption (books, videos, etc.).
Or, you know, ones who don’t want to spring that sort of cash because they don’t need/want OLED or 120 Hz.This will be to catch the customers who can’t afford the OLED 12.9”.
Except the 15” MBA makes sense and has an obvious market. Another 13” iPad with just a few features different seems a stretch. Why Apple?So after 15" Mba, now the ipad air takes the same route
No it's not, it's all the other sizes that are absurdly tiny.13 inch is already absurdly huge for a tablet.
Agreed. Unless Apple is prepared to focus on the “air” part of the iPad Air, it should just stop using the name. iPad Airs weigh about the same as all the other iPads of the same size.I think his point that the entire "Air" product name has deviated from its original intent - to imply the product is smaller, thinner, and lighter than other models (ie: the original MacBook Air line, the original iPad Air being smaller and thinner than the previous iPads). Really at this point Apple should just drop Air entirely. Call the 13" and 15" MBAs just plain old MacBooks, call the iPad Air line just plain old iPad and rebrand the base iPad as the iPad SE.
I always wonder how people who say the iPad lineup is confusing function in life. Do they go to the car dealership and see that there is more than one option and go "It's too confusing!"So more options to buy from? Wouldn’t it get a little confusing? It’s either they drop the base iPad and make the iPad Air standard, or viceversa. Or, even better, only Air and Pro, which come in three sizes each, and an iPad SE with the rumoured plastic…
Previously Apple didn’t care about people interested in a 12.9” iPad but not in Pro features, but the pricing was still somewhat tolerable even if you didn’t care about Pro features. My point is that the OLED iPads will be so expensive that Apple now decided they have to care, in order not lose out on the part of that market who previously purchased the 12.9” regardless.Or, you know, ones who don’t want to spring that sort of cash because they don’t need/want OLED or 120 Hz.
Yeah, that makes sense.Previously Apple didn’t care about people interested in a 12.9” iPad but not in Pro features, but the pricing was still somewhat tolerable even if you didn’t care about Pro features. My point is that the OLED iPads will be so expensive that Apple now decided they have to care, in order not lose out on the part of that market who previously purchased the 12.9” regardless.
Previously Apple didn’t care about people interested in a 12.9” iPad but not in Pro features, but the pricing was still somewhat tolerable even if you didn’t care about Pro features. My point is that the OLED iPads will be so expensive that Apple now decided they have to care, in order not lose out on the part of that market who previously purchased the 12.9” regardless.
Why not have a big screened iPad mini? Or a large base iPad, or a mini iPad Air Pro?
See how ridiculous Apple is becoming in their product strategy?
I'm all for the good / better / best strategy:Totally agree. Their naming conventions across all of their product ranges are out of control and basically meaningless in any significant way.
I continue to think of the first move Steve Jobs made when he returned to Apple from NeXT: drastically simplify the product lines. The Jobs setup for the iMac was this: good/better/best. One iMac, three configurations. Done and done. Product line bloat and meaningless marketing based naming was just as out of control back then as it is now. Apple should simplify again and dump all this Pro Max + Ultra Edition Air Studio nonsense altogether.
With what they're trying to do with the iPad Pro I still believe that should be split off into it's own product - iBook, becoming more of a Surface style hybrid device, even let it run MacOS when docked. The remaining iPads then fall into a reasonably concise product line by default, sort of similar to how it was in late 2015 when the original Pro launched.
iPad - 10.9" - $399
iPad mini - 9" - $499
iPad Air - 11" - $599
iPad Pro - 12.9" - $799 (i.e. this "Air", with a few extra features like quad speakers to justify the +$200 over the 11" Air).
IIRC they hiked the price by about £150 with no spec change or anything. Took it from expensive but ok to WTF?How is the current Ipad Air over priced?