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Deals: Amazon Takes Up to $170 Off iPad Mini 6, Starting at $399.99
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Weird how many completely missed your fun remark, simply commenting on the mini’s size is likely where a foldable would land when unfolded.
As a mini 6 owner, I too feel it’s the perfect size for an unfolded handheld. It’s been my most-used iPad dating back to the OG launch-day iPad (and several
iPads between).
While I’m still not convinced Apple’s foldable will actually fold (thinking more scroll than fold as Apple places screen quality pretty high - aka: I can’t imagine any sort of seam or wrinkle in any Apple screen), a pocketable device that makes calls and can offers a larger screen, as needed, would likely be popular. And pricey (~$2k?).
I didn't miss it at all. But thanks for subtexting (or whatever it is called on a forum) me I guess.
I think it’s cool that you can make that work for you. I don’t think I could but it’s awesome that some folks can.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
If Samsung has established a folding smart phone at about $1800, I have to imagine an Apple variation at at least $1999 if not more. And such a thing from Apple seems inevitable in spite of popular opinion... which I expect to dramatically 'flip' shortly before an Apple Fold/Roll is launched (and then heavily flip once it is launched).
Once "we" collectively believe it is actually coming... FROM APPLE... our passionate opinions seem remarkably fluid in flip-flopping. See how we collectively felt about phablet-sized phones while Apple clung to 3.5" and then 4" as "perfect" vs. how quickly we seemed to forget all that as soon as Apple offered phablet sizes. Now many of the same people ridicule small screen phones in threads where people wish for them.
Suddenly fold/roll "use cases" that can't be imagined now will be plentiful once Apple brands one and insane pricing will become "shut up and take my money" too.
In all these years, the bigger- but not too big- iPad Mini has simply seemed ideal as a hybrid phone/tablet to me.: small enough to still be quite portable but larger than phone screens to make all apps better. I fully recognize it is not for everyone... but I suspect MANY people use the non-phone functionality of their iPhones most of the time, and- if so- iPad Mini could be a good alternative for at least some of them. The difference in total cost is substantial... as in buy a new Mac with the relative savings over even a couple of years.
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Super easy to try for anyone interested: just download any good VOIP app from the store to ANY iPad (even wifi only iPads). Most of the VOIP apps will give you a free number. Then use it to text your phone and reply from your phone. Then call yourself or a friend and vice versa too. This simple test will give anyone an easy, free way to SEE first hand if it can work for them or not. Some people may be quite surprised.
It works well, just sucks that some sites such as X don't allow VOIP numbers.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
No loss on Twitter/X for me. But yes, some sites don't like VOIP numbers. A workaround is to use Mac instead or verify by another means. In my experience, very few (that I use) can only verify by phone number.
There are select compromises to iPad-as-phone. For example:
There are select compromises to iPad-as-phone. For example:
- while CarPlay is apparently built into iPadOS, iPad can't be used as a CarPlay "brain" like iPhone. My own car has a pretty good, CarPlay-like system and iPad links to it via Bluetooth for a good variety of additional functionality including speakerphone calls using steering wheel control buttons.
- 911 service is E911 on iPad.
- No satt emergency service.
- No pay-with-phone tap (though some parts of Applepay are built into it).
- I don't know if Watch can be set up with anything other than an iPhone (I don't care about Watch myself).
- The calibrate TV functionality for AppleTV is iPhone only.
- Again, pocket-ability.
- And there's probably some others.
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Not calling anyone out. Comments like (paraphrasing) it's not possible to put an iPad mini in your pocket and similar sentiment seem to support OP's point being missed. Anyway, nothing personal. Just observation. Moving on...
Yes, we're a funny group. I've been cherishing this diverse and evolving community since my art school days in the late '80s/early '90s. It's been a wild ride... Moving from the butt of the tech world jokes, to an underdog company that catered almost exclusively to creative pros, to being the big, bad, bloated monster it has become. Again, wild ride.
Anyway, a 13" MBA + iPad mini 6 comes in "around" the same price pint as an iPhone Max (obviously, not exactly the same price point - for those that are more exacting). As you say, for some, that could be a legit alternative to just an iPhone.
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I was doing the Google Voice thing for a while recently, ported my number there and it worked pretty well. Jumping devices seamlessly was fantastic. Ultimately I did get annoyed with the compromises, particularly with my wife/kids/friends all on iPhones, and a couple of services I use refusing to play with VoIP numbers.
It's neither a feature nor a flaw. It's simply inherent in this kind of screen technology. Some hate the jelly scroll, others aren't bothered by it. But it is what it is.
I found the biggest problem with this is 2 factor verification. I never could get the texts. Have you found a solution to this?
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I don't seem to have meaningful problems with 2-factor... but perhaps that's a site-by-site thing and I just don't interact with problematic ones. Both VOIP app (of which there are many) and Apple's Messages work for texts. When texting with Apple people, I use the latter... with non-Apple people, the VOIP app manages the texting. 2 factor texts seem to come through just fine on the VOIP apps for sites and services I use: banking, credit cards, Ebay, xfinity, etc.
There are definitely select issues though. For example, Ticketmaster has decided to verify ONLY with phone numbers and will not accept my main VOIP number or a backup VOIP number for verification... even though this is the SAME number I've been using for 20 years and they used it for text updates and/or phone calls on (my) record over that same 20 years.
They want a paid cell service number or no using Ticketmaster. So I opt to no longer use Ticketmaster.
Such sites could easily verify by other means- at least offer an alternate to something that does not necessarily work for all valid customers- but some choose to make the assumption that EVERYONE is paying cell service plans vs.- for example- paying for cell service data plans only (as I'm doing). I've actually chatted with Ticketmaster insiders about this but they just don't seem to care. So I've gone from regularly booking multiple events on Ticketmaster EVERY YEAR to NOT. Their loss.
Since I've been a customer of theirs for 20+ years, there is plenty of exclusive information about me that could be used to verify that it's me, including the SAME phone number I've had all that time vs.- say- some scalper using brand new VOIP numbers to try to beat the system and get blocks of tickets to scalp. But they choose to focus on a single form of verification that doesn't cover all customers- even multi-decades ones like me- and thus turn off my ability to give them new revenue for new events. Hopefully, at some point, they will opt to evolve their system to make more money again instead of turning it away.
There are definitely select issues though. For example, Ticketmaster has decided to verify ONLY with phone numbers and will not accept my main VOIP number or a backup VOIP number for verification... even though this is the SAME number I've been using for 20 years and they used it for text updates and/or phone calls on (my) record over that same 20 years.
They want a paid cell service number or no using Ticketmaster. So I opt to no longer use Ticketmaster.
Such sites could easily verify by other means- at least offer an alternate to something that does not necessarily work for all valid customers- but some choose to make the assumption that EVERYONE is paying cell service plans vs.- for example- paying for cell service data plans only (as I'm doing). I've actually chatted with Ticketmaster insiders about this but they just don't seem to care. So I've gone from regularly booking multiple events on Ticketmaster EVERY YEAR to NOT. Their loss.
Since I've been a customer of theirs for 20+ years, there is plenty of exclusive information about me that could be used to verify that it's me, including the SAME phone number I've had all that time vs.- say- some scalper using brand new VOIP numbers to try to beat the system and get blocks of tickets to scalp. But they choose to focus on a single form of verification that doesn't cover all customers- even multi-decades ones like me- and thus turn off my ability to give them new revenue for new events. Hopefully, at some point, they will opt to evolve their system to make more money again instead of turning it away.
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iPad deals continue this week with fresh discounts on the iPad mini 6 at Amazon, starting at $399.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $499.00. Amazon provides an estimated delivery window between August 10 and August 14 for most United States residences.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.![ipad-mini-purple.jpg]()
This $99 discount is available in all four colors of the iPad mini 6: Pink, Purple, Space Gray, and Starlight. Overall, this is a solid second-best price on the tablet and just about $20 higher than the record low price we saw during Prime Day.
Besides this model, there is only one other notable discount on the iPad mini 6 on Amazon right now. You can get the 256GB cellular tablet for $629.00, down from $799.00. At $170 off this is an all-time low price, and it's only available in Pink.
In addition to these iPad mini 6 deals, so far this week we've tracked discounts on the previous generation M1 iPad Pro at Woot and on the iPad Air at Amazon. All of these sales are still live and provide as much as 52 percent off select tablets.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
Article Link: Deals: Amazon Takes Up to $170 Off iPad Mini 6, Starting at $399.99
Still$100 too much.
I had the original cellular iPad back in 2010 that came with an UNLIMITED data plan thru AT&T for $25 a month. They discontinued that plan 6 months later for all new iPads, but if you kept the original plan you were grandfathered in & had unlimited data for life as long as you never missed a monthly payment. I never did and just transferred it to every new iPad I bought ever since. I switched over to the iPad mini when they came out in 2012 and it became my ipad/iphone for years. Worked great. Unfortunately one monthly payment didn’t go thru recently and At&t cancelled my plan!!! Bummer. I had over a 10 year run which was great. Now i have an iPhone with a Mint mobile plan for $25 a month and a wifi iPad mini that I use with the iphone hotspot. Not the same cause data is not unlimited.
I don't get around it.
But considering our family of 4 costs $40 per month in Data fees total, I suck it up!
It's worth the savings.