Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

dk808

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 13, 2015
616
364
I currently have the first iPad Air but I'm thinking about getting a mini. I mainly use this iPad when laying in my bed or couch but it doesn't ever feel fully comfortable. After a while it starts to feel heavy and it's hard to hold with one hand. Is the iPad Air 2 a lot lighter?
 
I currently have the first iPad Air but I'm thinking about getting a mini. I mainly use this iPad when laying in my bed or couch but it doesn't ever feel fully comfortable. After a while it starts to feel heavy and it's hard to hold with one hand. Is the iPad Air 2 a lot lighter?

The Air 2 is only 4% lighter, so no, not much difference in weight at all. If I was in your situation I'd get the Mini 4. Light, portable, and brings pretty much all of the advantages of the Air 2.
 
The Air 2 is only 4% lighter, so no, not much difference in weight at all. If I was in your situation I'd get the Mini 4. Light, portable, and brings pretty much all of the advantages of the Air 2.
Yea I'm definitely leaning towards the mini. Is there any chance of a Mini 5 coming in 2016? I don't really need to buy a mini right now and can wait
 
Yea I'm definitely leaning towards the mini. Is there any chance of a Mini 5 coming in 2016? I don't really need to buy a mini right now and can wait

Chances are pretty good that one will be released this fall, most likely in September like usual. I am waiting to upgrade myself but waiting to see what they came out with on the Air 3. Then will decide if I am going to stick with Apple or go with an Android or Surface Pro. I can wait as well to get what I want. I am going to upgrade my phone as well but want to see if they came out with the rumoured 4". If they don't then not sure what way I will go.
 
Chances are pretty good that one will be released this fall, most likely in September like usual. I am waiting to upgrade myself but waiting to see what they came out with on the Air 3. Then will decide if I am going to stick with Apple or go with an Android or Surface Pro. I can wait as well to get what I want. I am going to upgrade my phone as well but want to see if they came out with the rumoured 4". If they don't then not sure what way I will go.

A mini5 in 2016? Zero chance of that happening.
 
Zero chance of a mini5 in 2016, Really? Not sure where you have been for the last 5 years bufffilm but if I was a betting man I would bet there is a iPad Mini released in 2016 considering they have released a new mini every year for the past 5 years.

1st generation:
November 2, 2012
2:
November 12, 2013
3:
October 22, 2014

4:
September 9, 2015

So from past years it would be safe to say the iPad mini 5 will be released between Sept-Nov 2016.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Billy95Tech
Zero chance of a mini5 in 2016, Really? Not sure where you have been for the last 5 years bufffilm but if I was a betting man I would bet there is a iPad Mini released in 2016 considering they have released a new mini every year for the past 5 years.

1st generation:
November 2, 2012
2:
November 12, 2013
3:
October 22, 2014

4:
September 9, 2015

So from past years it would be safe to say the iPad mini 5 will be released between Sept-Nov 2016.

There was also a new 9.7" iPad every year until 2015, but now that Apple has three iPad lines to juggle it seems likely that there will be staggered releases. Also, while the Mini 3 was technically a new model I don't know that I would count it as an upgrade given that it was just a Mini 2 with TouchID added. Heck, Apple discontinued it less than a year after release and now just sells the 2 and 4. So, in effect, Apple has already skipped a year for the Mini. I would be surprised if there's a real update to the Mini in 2016. If there is a Mini 5 this fall, it'll probably just be the 4 with a Rose Gold option and faster TouchID. Maybe 3D Touch depending on how successful there are at applying it to different display sizes.
 
A mini5 in 2016? Zero chance of that happening.

No there isn't. The current Mini is currently a year behind on the current technologies. Later this year it'll be 2 years behind, and if they don't update it until 2017, it'll be 3 years behind. Do you really think that Apple would let that happen?
 
A mini5 in 2016? Zero chance of that happening.

A mini 5 might happen but maybe a cosmetic upgrade similar to the mini 3 depending on what they add in the Air 3? If they add the pencil support in the Air 3 I could see them re releasing the Mini 4 specs with support for the pencil.
 
No there isn't. The current Mini is currently a year behind on the current technologies. Later this year it'll be 2 years behind, and if they don't update it until 2017, it'll be 3 years behind. Do you really think that Apple would let that happen?

Yep...I don't see Apple updating the mini yet again in 2016. They've updated the display (color) and made it 2gb RAM...no reason to add to that. Sorry.
 
No there isn't. The current Mini is currently a year behind on the current technologies. Later this year it'll be 2 years behind, and if they don't update it until 2017, it'll be 3 years behind. Do you really think that Apple would let that happen?

What are you talking about? It's been "apple updated". This last update was a big one (they finally fixed the display....), the processor is still decent, ram is good. Nothing else to update now. The next would be a minor spec bump, but I, like the rest, believe they're going to wait until next year to update.

Just an FYI, x or y year's behind in tech is not a standard apple goes by, at all.
 
No there isn't. The current Mini is currently a year behind on the current technologies. Later this year it'll be 2 years behind, and if they don't update it until 2017, it'll be 3 years behind. Do you really think that Apple would let that happen?

I don't think that most consumers look at it that way. It's not like it lags behind other 8" tablets, or it doesn't support the latest OS or apps. How many years it is "behind" current tech is a psychological hang up that some techies have, but is pretty irrelevant from a practical standpoint, and most people aren't aware and/or don't care. Even when the first iPad mini launched it came out with a processor that was 2 generations behind the then current full sized iPad. People aren't as worried about having this year's chip as you might think.

Besides, as Apple's product lines expand they don't always update everything every year. The Air 2 didn't get an update. The iPod touch went years without one before this year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billy95Tech
There was also a new 9.7" iPad every year until 2015, but now that Apple has three iPad lines to juggle it seems likely that there will be staggered releases. Also, while the Mini 3 was technically a new model I don't know that I would count it as an upgrade given that it was just a Mini 2 with TouchID added. Heck, Apple discontinued it less than a year after release and now just sells the 2 and 4. So, in effect, Apple has already skipped a year for the Mini. I would be surprised if there's a real update to the Mini in 2016. If there is a Mini 5 this fall, it'll probably just be the 4 with a Rose Gold option and faster TouchID. Maybe 3D Touch depending on how successful there are at applying it to different display sizes.

You can't say it doesn't count because it only had this or that. They did release a new mini that year, so it counts. They have released a new mini every year for the last 5 years according to wiki. I think a new mini will be released in 2016 as well.
 
Last edited:
I don't think that most consumers look at it that way. It's not like it lags behind other 8" tablets, or it doesn't support the latest OS or apps. How many years it is "behind" current tech is a psychological hang up that some techies have, but is pretty irrelevant from a practical standpoint, and most people aren't aware and/or don't care. Even when the first iPad mini launched it came out with a processor that was 2 generations behind the then current full sized iPad. People aren't as worried about having this year's chip as you might think.

Besides, as Apple's product lines expand they don't always update everything every year. The Air 2 didn't get an update. The iPod touch went years without one before this year.

Exactly...the mini4 may not have the latest and greatest, but it is still the best tablet for that size class.

Apple doesn't need to make any additional improvements so they'll sit on those for later.
 
You can't say it doesn't count because it only had this or that. They did release a new mini that year, so it counts. They have released a new mini every year for the last 5 years according to wiki. I think a new mini will be released in 2016 as well.

There can't have been a new mini every year for the past 5 years, because there are only 4 minis. The first was in 2012. Even so, that only addresses one of my points. There had been a new 9.7" iPad every year since 2010 until there wasn't one in 2015. As I explained, with three lines of iPads, it's quite likely that Apple will not update all three every year. The mini got an update in 2015, it's likely that the Air will be updated in 2016 and the Mini will get only a superficial update or none at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billy95Tech
There can't have been a new mini every year for the past 5 years, because there are only 4 minis. The first was in 2012. Even so, that only addresses one of my points. There had been a new 9.7" iPad every year since 2010 until there wasn't one in 2015. As I explained, with three lines of iPads, it's quite likely that Apple will not update all three every year. The mini got an update in 2015, it's likely that the Air will be updated in 2016 and the Mini will get only a superficial update or none at all.

Sorry I meant 4 year, like in my post above. That was a typo. The iPad mini came out in 2012, mini 2 in 2013, mini 3 in 2014 and mini 4 in 2015 like and was taken from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_Mini I still think a mini 5 will be released in 2016. The only reason the Air 3 wasn't released is because the Pro was just released and they didn't want the Air to kill its sales. We will see in September.
 
The laminated screen on the iPad Air 2 makes it a much better device than the first gen.

I'm not sure why, but the laminated screen and cutting the thickness down to 6.1mm makes the iPad Air 2 feel like such a superior devices physically compared to the iPad Air. I don't know exactly what it is, maybe its tapping the laminated screen giving a very solid feel, but it feels incredible to use (I've had an iPad Air for 2+ years).
 
I'm not sure why, but the laminated screen and cutting the thickness down to 6.1mm makes the iPad Air 2 feel like such a superior devices physically compared to the iPad Air. I don't know exactly what it is, maybe its tapping the laminated screen giving a very solid feel, but it feels incredible to use (I've had an iPad Air for 2+ years).

I can't wait to see what they come out with on the iPad Air 3. If it is an updated version of the Air 2 it should be one awesome device.
 
I can't wait to see what they come out with on the iPad Air 3. If it is an updated version of the Air 2 it should be one awesome device.

Tbh I have no idea what else they'll be doing with it. The Air 2 got seriously slim, the laminated screen is great; also solid feel. 3D touch and Pencil I don't care for. The camera I could care even less about. I'm sure others will appreciate 3D touch and the pencil, but at this point it is looking pretty maxed out for me. Apple's gonna have to do something else to get me buzzing. Moar innovation apple, moar!
 
  • Like
Reactions: elpibe10
Tbh I have no idea what else they'll be doing with it. The Air 2 got seriously slim, the laminated screen is great; also solid feel. 3D touch and Pencil I don't care for. The camera I could care even less about. I'm sure others will appreciate 3D touch and the pencil, but at this point it is looking pretty maxed out for me. Apple's gonna have to do something else to get me buzzing. Moar innovation apple, moar!

I have seen some posts were people were complaining about the vibration on the speakers when turned up loud. Hopefully they will fix that. Other than that I heard it is a rock solid device. Not sure what else they could do but I can't wait to see what they do for the Air 3.
 
I can't wait to see what they come out with on the iPad Air 3. If it is an updated version of the Air 2 it should be one awesome device.

Tbh I have no idea what else they'll be doing with it. The Air 2 got seriously slim, the laminated screen is great; also solid feel. 3D touch and Pencil I don't care for. The camera I could care even less about. I'm sure others will appreciate 3D touch and the pencil, but at this point it is looking pretty maxed out for me. Apple's gonna have to do something else to get me buzzing. Moar innovation apple, moar!

I was thinking about this too recently. It amazes me how they went without an annual update for the iPad Air line, and yet it still feels like an incredible top notch product. Weight, size, screen just seem like such a perfect balance too.

This design with the chamfered edges is over 3 years old now too. I wonder if iPads will adopt something new this year. I'd love to see an iPad Air 3 with rounded edges similar to the iPhone 6. They feel so comfortable to hold compared to the chamfered edges on the iPads.
 
I dont think there is much difference between the iPad Air and iPad Air 2, I know its faster but only by about 1 second and I know it has touch id but touch id is unnecessary as you will still need a passcode to use it, so I think iPad Air is near enough the same.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.