I find it completely perplexing why anyone cares what products a company offers other than the specific model(s) they intend on buying. Yet so many people here have a strong opinion about what models should and shouldn’t be offered in Apple’s lineup. Why? I can’t even imagine caring what others should/shouldn’t have.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Working on Larger iPad Air With 12.9-Inch Display
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The lineup is so confusing. Just have the following:
- iPad Mini
- Standard current-gen iPad + maybe an older gen one that's cheaper
- iPad Air
- Smaller Pro
- Larger Pro
Yep, this line-up is quite obvious IMO. At this point it would surprise me if iPad Air didn't get a larger model, as it is currently the only device in the iPhone - iPad - Mac triangle that should but doesn't have a plus size option and seems out of sync with Apple's current strategy.
I don't care what others have either (I assume no one does), but I can see why people debate this. A confusing line-up can confuse you as well, even if you're into Apple. I for one don't know which iPad to replace my 10.5 IPP with next year.
I don't want us to have only one model of something, it's good to have options but it's not good to overdo it. Apple is overdoing the iPad line-up, it looks ridiculous right now. You consider the differences in storage, charging, price, pencil and it looks bad IMO.
A clean and logical line-up, aside from being a fun mental exercise for Apple aficionados, is also a matter of interest and debate because it reassures users, as it is a signal the company knows where they're going with this and what they want to achieve down the road. It also inspires confidence in the longevity and support for the product if you know that it makes sense and you know why it's there.
The difference here is that $200 separates the iPad models whereas a 15” MBA is substantially more affordable than a 16” MBP. I’m just not sure why we need iPad and iPad Air.
Couldn’t Apple accomplish exactly what you mentioned but with added clarity by having no suffix iPad in two sizes, and iPad Pro in two sizes? That way there is actually a clear differentiation between the products in both features and price?
The Air just seems like it adds confusion to the product line.
I wish this comes, my mom is a 99% iPad user, and she's been using a 2017 iPad Pro 12.9" I got for her, and its still going strong but I really don't want to pay the extra money for the newer generations iPad Pro's because she does not use any of their special features, she just likes the larger screen.
ooo. Grabbing people with poor eyesight or poorer eyesight through out the years. Older folks will love this without the need for high-end specs of the iPad Pro and high price.
I see that demographic and the beginner/amateur digital artists of all ages loving the 12.9" iPad Air size.
Drawing on a 11" versus a 12.9 is a huge difference let alone taking notes and content consumption.
Like the MBA 15". Bigger screen, less unnecessary high-end specs.
They are seeing a gap in the market and filling it in.
I see that demographic and the beginner/amateur digital artists of all ages loving the 12.9" iPad Air size.
Drawing on a 11" versus a 12.9 is a huge difference let alone taking notes and content consumption.
Like the MBA 15". Bigger screen, less unnecessary high-end specs.
They are seeing a gap in the market and filling it in.
Or just want the larger screen for content consumption and couldn't care less about using the iPad for any productivity software.
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
As I said in another thread, the only mess in Apple's product lineup is their (in my opinion) somewhat OBSOLETE and inconsistent naming conventions. The issue is marketing, NOT product lineup.
Apple could clear all of it up by having an SE, Base (i.e. iPhone, Mac, MacBook, iPad, Pencil, Watch), and Pro designations for the THREE product categories that they have been putting products out for years now.
So:
iPad Pro 11 & 12.9
iPad 8.3, 10.9, & 12.9
iPad SE 10.9 & 10.2
MacBook Pro 16 & 14
Macbook 15 & 13
MacBook SE 13 (old Air)
Pencil Pro (the Pencil 2)
Pencil (the new USB-C one)
Pencil SE (the original)
Mac Pro
Mac (Mac Studio)
Mac SE 24" & Mac SE (Mini)
Watch Pro (the ultra-WHY when Pro was right there?)
Watch
Watch SE
AirPods Pro
AirPods (the 3rd gen)
AirPods SE (the 2nd Gen)
AirPods Max (or Ultra--WHY NOT when you're using it for the Watch?)
iPhone 15 Pro 6.1 & 6.7 (I'm OK with Max here)
iPhone 15 6.1 & 6.7 (Why not Max instead of Plus??)
iPhone SE
Apple could clear all of it up by having an SE, Base (i.e. iPhone, Mac, MacBook, iPad, Pencil, Watch), and Pro designations for the THREE product categories that they have been putting products out for years now.
So:
iPad Pro 11 & 12.9
iPad 8.3, 10.9, & 12.9
iPad SE 10.9 & 10.2
MacBook Pro 16 & 14
Macbook 15 & 13
MacBook SE 13 (old Air)
Pencil Pro (the Pencil 2)
Pencil (the new USB-C one)
Pencil SE (the original)
Mac Pro
Mac (Mac Studio)
Mac SE 24" & Mac SE (Mini)
Watch Pro (the ultra-WHY when Pro was right there?)
Watch
Watch SE
AirPods Pro
AirPods (the 3rd gen)
AirPods SE (the 2nd Gen)
AirPods Max (or Ultra--WHY NOT when you're using it for the Watch?)
iPhone 15 Pro 6.1 & 6.7 (I'm OK with Max here)
iPhone 15 6.1 & 6.7 (Why not Max instead of Plus??)
iPhone SE
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
It's funny because their size almost puts them in a different category of device.
I find myself grabbing my wife's 11 Pro when on the couch or consuming while hand-held and love the size for that. I think that is the iPad sweet spot, really.
But my 12.9 is almost a laptop replacement, and a better laptop companion, second-screen, drawing and light-editing canvas, casual gaming, wanna-travel-lighter-than-my-MBA-kind-of-device than the 11 is. I don't want to give it up.
I like that Apple offers all three size choices, but the user really has to use that two-week return period to evaluate ALL THREE and see which is the best fit (or no fit at all) for them.
Digitimes primarily covers the far eastern supply chain, with the far eastern supply chain (Taiwanese) as target audience. They are not consumer oriented. Original stories get translated to English, and sometimes gets picked up by consumer oriented tech sites in the west who like to put their own twist on things and a click-baity headline.
You shouldn’t judge Digitimes by the reliability of the third hand reports of their articles.
That said, their sources and audience IS on the manufacturing side, and that can and will mean that reporting will be off in certain details. For instance, there is NO WAY that they can know that the murmurs about a cheaper 12.9” screen being tested is meant for a product called ”iPad Air” by Apple. Nor can they know if Apple getting in touch with a screen manufacturer and starting discussions and tests will even result in a finished product, or for that matter, when it would be introduced on the market. The rumor is pretty useless to consumers and was never intended for them. It was intended for people with an interest in the companies that can compete for the manufacturing of such screens.
That won’t stop Macrumors readers from claiming that Digitimes made a rumor up if a 12.9” iPad Air doesn’t materialise within half a year.
Hot take… I think a 12.9” iPad Air makes so much sense! Many people would appreciate the cost savings. Look at the existing lineup; iPhone 14/15 Plus and the 15” MacBook Air. These are good alternatives.
I see workplaces and people are buying the 12.9” iPad Pro just to run some basic apps because they want the large screen. The Air is more than capable with M1 and eventually M2.
I believe the gaps between the Air and Pro will be bigger next year with the new Pro design and probably a small price increase (I hope not tho).
The only confusing product is the base iPad 9. However, the iPad 10 should replace the iPad 9 next year the latest when the iPad 11 releases. But I suspect they like the $329 starting price and I can’t see them selling the new iPad 10/11 at $329. Maybe $399?
I see workplaces and people are buying the 12.9” iPad Pro just to run some basic apps because they want the large screen. The Air is more than capable with M1 and eventually M2.
I believe the gaps between the Air and Pro will be bigger next year with the new Pro design and probably a small price increase (I hope not tho).
The only confusing product is the base iPad 9. However, the iPad 10 should replace the iPad 9 next year the latest when the iPad 11 releases. But I suspect they like the $329 starting price and I can’t see them selling the new iPad 10/11 at $329. Maybe $399?
Once there was this guy, I think he was called Steve Employment or something, and he came back to Apple and axed some 40+ products. Guess it's time to bring him back to actually make iPads useful.
And yes, one of his last models, the 1st generation iPad mini running on iOS 7, still works for me, albeit the Safari experience is very limited nowadays.
And yes, one of his last models, the 1st generation iPad mini running on iOS 7, still works for me, albeit the Safari experience is very limited nowadays.
What a hot mess.
There needs to be only three iPads, ipad, iPad mini and iPad Pro. Only the Pro should be available at the larger screen size and only in the larger screen size. There’s also good argument for the Mini not existing too.
There needs to be only three iPads, ipad, iPad mini and iPad Pro. Only the Pro should be available at the larger screen size and only in the larger screen size. There’s also good argument for the Mini not existing too.
I agree, it does make sense. It would need to start at 128GB storage though (same for the future normal Air)
my predictions:
- I think the iPad 9 will be discontinued next year (lightning port not allowed anymore) - along with Apple pencil one
- regular iPad might get small price drop + spec bump on the chip - match with Apple Pencil USB-C
- iPad Air update to M2 with 128 GB at same price + larger one at 749 usd (150 USD more)
- iPad Pro‘s become OLED with 100 usd price bump to the smaller one/ 200 usd if they bump to 256GB storage minimum in which case the large one also gets a bump of 100 USD
We might see a bigger price increase for the OLED screens though at which point the Air makes even more sense for the more productive user that doesn’t care about quad audio and OLED picture quality
