All iPads iPad 4/Mini design

[Southernboyj]

I keep seeing everybody complain that the 4th gen iPad doesn't have the same design as the Mini/iPhone 5. Am I the only one that is indifferent on this?

I mean sure the Mini looks nice, but I find the anodized aluminum to be a drawback as my iPhone 5 has it and it's scary to take it out of the case due to fear of scratching.

I also can't help but wonder, if Apple plans to change the full size iPad to the Black/Slate & White/Silver coloring, why not do it with the 4th gen?

 

[jsw]

I also can't help but wonder, if Apple plans to change the full size iPad to the Black/Slate & White/Silver coloring, why not do it with the 4th gen?

They need to leave something so people will have a reason to buy the iPad 5.

 

[Southernboyj]

They need to leave something so people will have a reason to buy the iPad 5.

I suppose that could be a possibility. I just didn't look at the Black/Slate back as a feature.

 

[jclardy]

For me it is more the feel of the device. The Mini just feels better in your hands because of the faster edge taper into the back.

But it is hard to tell how much of the feel is due to the huge size/weight difference in the first place over the different shaping/build.

 

[Spoony]

Answer = Cost.

You'd need to retool all the machinery to create a new casing to do that chamfered edge or whatever they call it and i'm sure retool a bunch of other stuff. Basically you'd need to start over from scratch.

Better use of the machinery they already purchased is to use it for a full year.

That's all a sunk cost that is being amortized into earnings every single month which is why they always say that the gross margins are lower during a new product launch. All those big expensive upfront manufacturing costs are being amortized into the cost.

You'd have a big writeoff off all that machinery and equipment that was used to make the iphone 3/4 if you decided to junk it and use all new equipment to create a whole new body/casing.