All iPads Apple's expensive iPad Mini mistake

[convergent]

I don't want to buy competitors products... I am getting to the stage where apple have pushed me away with expensive underspecced gear.

How long have you been an Apple customer, a week? Apple is not a "spec" chasing company, and they certainly aren't the cheapest in any category. They never have been. On rare occasion, by pure coincidence, their products may happen to be the best spec'd, but you can be sure that if they are then they will be much more expensive than alternative products (i.e., the Retina Macbook Pro). They build complete products that work to provide the intended functions. Other companies cobble together a bunch of hardware and software that other people made and sell it. So they rarely control the whole product, and it shows.

People buy Apple products because they are high quality, stylish, well supported, and they work. If they have a problem they can walk into an Apple store in nearly every major city on the planet and a knowledgable real person will help them (good luck with that on your Nexus or Kindle Fire). They want quality apps available, and they don't want to be worrying about the latest malware or security risk. I would argue that the vast majority of consumers fit this profile, and its only a minority of geeky folks that worry more about specs than function. I am a bit of a geek, but finally realized that I didn't want to spend half my life dealing with things that work halfway. Buying Apple I pay a little more, but I have a much more productive and simple life.

If you worry about having the best specs, then you need to find another company to buy stuff from, because Apple has NEVER been about chasing the latest specs, but rather making great products.

 

[aristobrat]

Ditto... which is exactly why I'm disappointed. I wanted a small iPad that fitted in with that ecosystem but with cutting-edge technology at a decent price.

That's my point. The mini isn't good enough.

So what are your thoughts on the new Nexus 7 that Google launched today. No LTE?

 

[Andrew K.]

Just because Google and Amazon decided to sell their devices at cost and at a loss doesn't mean Apple should. Google and Amazon are in the business of services when it comes to these devices. Apple is in the business of pushing out the highest quality (build) of products as well as the ecosystem. Why shouldn't apple make a profit on each mini they sell?

It sounds very self-righteous to get mad at a company for not selling their products for no profit.

 

[blergh!]

Just because Google and Amazon decided to sell their devices at cost and at a loss doesn't mean Apple should. Google and Amazon are in the business of services when it comes to these devices. Apple is in the business of pushing out the highest quality (build) of products as well as the ecosystem. Why shouldn't apple make a profit on each mini they sell?

It sounds very self-righteous to get mad at a company for not selling their products for no profit.

I never said they should be cut-price. I said they should release a decent specced Ipad mini for the price they are charging.

 

[QCassidy352]

Apple has never raced to the top with specs or raced to the bottom with pricing. They sell design, integration, iOS, ease of use, and their brand name. Not the highest possible spec at the lowest price. Never have, never will. If that's what you thought was coming, you REALLY haven't been paying attention.

Part of the reason they do not race to the bottom is that they want to be a premium brand. The other part is that they make money on hardware, which Google and Amazon do not.

I really don't care whether you like the mini or not, or buy one or not (I'm not, but not because of price or specs). But I'm sick of these posts about how you're shocked - shocked! - to find that apple is not trying to release the highest possible spec to dollar ratio, as if that were something you had come to expect from them.

 

[Andrew K.]

I never said they should be cut-price. I said they should release a decent specced Ipad mini for the price they are charging.

Simple.

I see your point there. I think they priced themselves into $329 because of the iPod Touch and their other products in the iPad line. Next year I think the price will be just if they add a retina display and A6 Chip.

 

[DJinTX]

No one here is arguing that the new iPad Mini is the best spec'd gadget. We are freely stating that there are plenty of tablets out there that have better specs than the Mini in one way or another, but FOR US, it isn't all about specs. There is more to the world than specs alone.

If you think the Mini is a failed product before it even ships, then that's fine. But what is your point of trying to argue this here at MR? You aren't going to change anyone's mind, especially not with your doomsday predictions that the Mini's price point will cause Apple to go out of business.

 

[QCassidy352]

No one here is arguing that the new iPad Mini is the best spec'd gadget. We are freely stating that there are plenty of tablets out there that have better specs than the Mini in one way or another, but FOR US, it isn't all about specs. There is more to the world than specs alone.

Not only is it not ALL about specs, it's hardly about specs at all. Specs mean nothing by themselves. They are a means to an end, and that end is a good user experience. Since I have an ipad 2, I know that the mini will deliver not just a good but an EXCELLENT user experience running iOS 6. And it will do it with better cameras (front and back), faster wifi and cellular, Siri, and half the weight.

Why would I care what number the processor has if the performance is great (which it will be)?

 

[stridemat]

MOD NOTE

Going forward, please keep the thread on topic with less of the bickering and arguing. The rules for appropriate debate are there for a reason.

 

[BaldiMac]

I never said they should be cut-price. I said they should release a decent specced Ipad mini for the price they are charging.

Think about what you are really asking for here based on Apple's practical considerations. You want the same processor as the full iPad. And a higher quality display. At half the price. Not going to happen.

And what's all that going to do to battery life with the much smaller battery in the iPad mini?

 

[pooleman]

There are rumors that Apple is going to discontinue the iPod Touch and introduce a $299/$289 iPad Mini 8GB model.

I bet I'll get replies arguing with me over this when I never stated if I believed them. I'm just saying they exist.

Somebody wants attention.....

 

[WilliamLondon]

What would it have taken to launch a 32gb ipad mini with gps and cellular for under $300??

Idiocy at the top, change in their brand values, completely and utterly ignoring business models, brand strategy, pricing strategy, perceived value, and of course *huge* profit margins.

 

[DoctorYuyi]

Somebody wants attention.....

Why? I posted a relevant rumor into a thread on MacRumors.

 

[pooleman]

"I bet I'll get replies arguing with me over this when I never stated if I believed them. I'm just saying they exist."

You posted this baiting others to respond to you. Let your comments stand on their own without baiting us.

 

[pruhawk]

Is the price higher than Google or Amazon - yes, significantly.

Is it a better device? Size - probably yes; Specs - probably no

Memory - lacking, this is a MEDIA device. 32 gb of memory is the minimum needed for this device for most folks.

The cost to Apple for 16 GB of memory is $6.40; to you $100. The fact that Apple is price gouging is NOT news, back in the day it was the "Apple Tax".

Will you pay it - probably, just for the Apps, they will all work seamlessly on the mini.

Will I buy this generation? - no but as I have iphones, imacs, ieverything, I will probably get sucked back in at some point.

 

[MisterDisney]

Still insane to complain about hardware specs without relevant benchmarks.

 

[MrXiro]

So...

I'm so disappointed but I can see a mass exodus from the apple ecosystem coming up.

The pricing of the mini was a major mistake for apple.

32gb with 3g for $299 (£239)?!! Did they not see Google's trump card coming?

Greed is still not good.

I think Apple knows their business... There is room to be the low spec'd but premium product out there. As well as the high spec'd but mid-range model.

Just because you can't/don't want to/don't like Apple's pricing scheme doesn't mean they are doing things wrong. The pricing for their core products are apt... their accessories on the other hand...

 

[Ubele]

One more thing: my wife has had her iPad 1 since it's been released and absolutely loves it. Has never even expressed interest in a newer one because it does everything she needs. Which is why she loves it - because it's exactly as easy to use as her iPhone so she doesn't have to re-learn a single thing.

My wife and I still love our iPad 1's, as well, except that they crash more and more frequently, and in multiple apps. That's why we plan to upgrade to either the iPad Mini or the iPad 4, depending on which one we like better in person. Does your wife's iPad 1 not crash very often?

 

[nuckinfutz]

So...

I'm so disappointed but I can see a mass exodus from the apple ecosystem coming up.

The pricing of the mini was a major mistake for apple.

32gb with 3g for $299 (£239)?!! Did they not see Google's trump card coming?

Greed is still not good.

Idiocy is not good either but you seem to have no problem engaging in it. No one here cares about your disappointment and you are not Nostradamus so I wouldn't give a rat's a** about what you "see"

All I know is that the initial pre-orders of the mini sold out and that carries a LOT more weight than some newb venting on a board.

 

[lilo777]

Just because Google and Amazon decided to sell their devices at cost and at a loss doesn't mean Apple should. Google and Amazon are in the business of services when it comes to these devices. Apple is in the business of pushing out the highest quality (build) of products as well as the ecosystem. Why shouldn't apple make a profit on each mini they sell?

It sounds very self-righteous to get mad at a company for not selling their products for no profit.

You are right. It does mean however that customers "should" buy Android tablets because they are simply better (not just a better value - but technically better).

 

[faroZ06]

What would it have taken to launch a 32gb ipad mini with gps and cellular for under $300??

I'm telling you, the minis might be flying off the shelves right now but watch the long-term effect of their pricing.

That's the price of a 32GB iPod touch...
I can't believe you're surprised about an Apple product costing extra. It's always been that way, and I think it's worth it in this case.

----------

You are right. It does man however that customers "should" buy Android tablets because they are simply better (not just a better value - but technically better).

I can contest that. I don't care at all what the specs of my tablet are, which is why I'd buy an iPad 2 if anything. No need to pay extra for the newest iPad just for specs...

 

[eggersj]

Still insane to complain about hardware specs without relevant benchmarks.

100% correct... this is all speculation. Get some hands on, and then complain if not up to snuff.

 

[ixodes]

So...

I'm so disappointed but I can see a mass exodus from the apple ecosystem coming up.

The pricing of the mini was a major mistake for apple.

32gb with 3g for $299 (£239)?!! Did they not see Google's trump card coming?

Greed is still not good.

I understand why you may feel this way, but there's nothing new happening.

Apple has routinely charged high prices, some of which are simply more obvious than others.

Apple is extremely powerful, clever, and worshipped by millions. As a result, the only impact these prices will have is to stir up some complaints.

Sales will remain record setting since Apples got the public convinced their products are vastly superior. Don't get me wrong, Apple does build excellent products, but worth some of the obscenely high prices? That's up to the buyer.

 

[nerdybooboo]

Ipad mini pricing is a good marketing tool

...for Kindle fire HD LOL

 

[lilo777]

$329 for iPad Mini

or $399 for Nexus 10 monster which seem to be much superior tablet even to iPad 4? Choices, choices...