iPad mini iPad Mini 4 LTE

[Channan]

The same rumors that predicted that there would be no iPad Air refresh in 2015 also predicted that the mini 4 would be the last update for the line. This is consistent with the diminishing amount of attention Apple gives the device when talking about it in keynotes (hell, the mini 3 got more screen time than the mini 4 when the latter had so much more of an update). Given the sad state of the 7.0" to 8.4" tablet market, and the rise of phablets, I don't see much of a future for the iPad mini beyond a long run for the iPad mini 4.

What does that even mean? The same rumors that predicted? Rumors are predicted. They don't predict. ō_ô

The mini 4 was kind of skipped over because it was a catch-up update and Apple had a lot of other things to talk about. The event was mainly for the iPad Pro, so Apple spent the most time on that.

But Apple still sells a ton of iPad minis, so it would be pretty dumb of them to not continue that line. There are still plenty of people who want minis and Apple would miss out on a lot of money by not continuing it.

 

[joeblow7777]

You should read the article that they reference. It basically shows that more people bought the iPad Air 2 than any single model and that the only models that sold with traction were the ones priced lowest. That doesn't suggest that people are buying iPad minis for anything other than low cost. Apple can put a 9.7" tablet at that price point and still get the same customers.

What's your point? Sales is sales. One of the things that make the Mini iPads appealing is the lower price point. The thing is, Apple doesn't price 9.7" iPads as low as the Mini unless they are the previous generation. The fact that the Mini 2 nearly matched the Air 2's sales last December and combined with the Mini 4 they outdid the Air (which is priced the same as a Mini 4) and Air 2 combined suggests that the Mini line has a market segment that is not insignificant. The Mini line may not be Apple's main priority going forward, but it seems too successful to abandon for the time being.

It shows right in the article, Minis accounted for 47% of iPad sales last December. Why would Apple abondon nearly half of their tablet market?

 

[Yebubbleman]

The mini 4 was kind of skipped over because it was a catch-up update and Apple had a lot of other things to talk about. The event was mainly for the iPad Pro, so Apple spent the most time on that.

First off, you are failing to address that the iPad mini 3 had more time to be mentioned when it had much less going for it. Apple is all about marketing and their keynotes (especially at parts where Apple's own head of marketing is speaking) are a huge part of it. So, when you factor in that the mini 4 barely had time to even be mentioned when it is the most substantial upgrade since it first came out, that doesn't sound like a product that Apple cares that much about marketing. Let's not forget that the iPod touch got the upgrade to the A8 processor before the iPad mini did. Yup, we're talking the same iPod touch that very few thought would even be updated in the era of Apple Music, Spotify, and other Internet-dependent music services that antiquate the practice of locally stored music that the iPod championed. The iPad mini pretty much became the runt of the iOS litter in terms of how much of a crap Apple gives about it.

Also, no event that includes the launch of an iPhone model is mainly for any iPad, I'm sorry. Apple's income is at least 64% iPhone. So, to say that the main importance of that event was the iPad Pro is just ignorant, I'm sorry.

But Apple still sells a ton of iPad minis, so it would be pretty dumb of them to not continue that line. There are still plenty of people who want minis and Apple would miss out on a lot of money by not continuing it.

First off, you don't have any facts with which to back up anything that you are saying whatsoever. "Plenty of people who want minis" is about as loaded of a statement as you can make. Plenty of people wanted iPod classics. Plenty of people wanted Power Mac G4 Cubes. If "plenty of people" is less than Apple is satisfied with, Apple will kill that product despite what those "plenty of people" want.

Secondly, let's actually look at the facts. The iPad Air 2 was the single best selling model in 2015. The iPad mini was the best selling category of iPads last year (with sales of the iPad mini 1 being strongest while it was sold, followed by the iPad mini 2 after that; models of the iPad mini 3 didn't sell well and it was too early to pull any data on the iPad mini 4 as it had come out right at the end of the calendar year). What does that tell you? It should tell you that the iPad mini is primarily sold to people who just want the cheapest iPad and not to people who simply prefer the smaller size. Apple can very easily sell cheaper 9.7" iPads to people. They proved that people would buy the iPad 2 for several years after its release and while it was sold alongside an iPad three generations newer than it. The 9.7" iPad sells better PER MODEL than the 7.9" iPad. It's a fact.

Also, here's an article outlining a trend seen across the phone/tablet industry at large: http://gizmodo.com/big-phones-are-killing-small-tablets-and-thats-just-fi-1647242920

What's your point? Sales is sales. One of the things that make the Mini iPads appealing is the lower price point. The thing is, Apple doesn't price 9.7" iPads as low as the Mini unless they are the previous generation. The fact that the Mini 2 nearly matched the Air 2's sales last December and combined with the Mini 4 they outdid the Air (which is priced the same as a Mini 4) and Air 2 combined suggests that the Mini line has a market segment that is not insignificant. The Mini line may not be Apple's main priority going forward, but it seems too successful to abandon for the time being.

It shows right in the article, Minis accounted for 47% of iPad sales last December. Why would Apple abondon nearly half of their tablet market?

You didn't read the article that your article was referencing at all. I can tell because you keep arguing the same point without demonstrating that you understand the rest of it.

I'll outline it for you:
- The iPad Air 2 was the single most successful model.
- The iPad mini line as a whole was the most successful of their lines.
- The data indicated by the article that your article cites suggests that the iPad mini 1 was the best seller of the bunch until it was discontinued at which point the iPad mini 2 became the best seller of that line (none of them were as successful as the iPad Air 2).

We can then conclude that you had people who were, largely, either buying the cheapest iPad or the newest flagship iPad. The economy being what it is, there were more people buying the former than the latter.

We can also conclude, based on Apple's history in selling older 9.7" tablets for an inordinately long amount of time (see iPad 2) that Apple can, at any point they desire, simply populate the $250-400 price range with 9.7" tablets and still appease most of the customers who bought a mini (as it is more likely that the price point was the key factor rather than the size of the device itself).

Apple is in the middle of an identity crisis with the iPad line as a whole. The mini was an attempt to compete with Amazon, Samsung, and Google on the low-end size and when Phablets became popular, most of that fight fizzled out as did the demand for that size category of tablet in any respect other than price. The iPad Pro signaled Apple's desire to make iOS on the iPad all about productivity. The 9.7" iPad can and likely will be fit for Apple's vision of productivity for "iPad" (namely the use of that keyboard and the Apple Pencil). The 7.9" iPad (mini) likely won't given how much less suited it is to productivity than the 9.7" iPad is and how not ergonomic using it with those accessories would be on something that small. I understand that many consumers don't care about this (I certainly don't as an iPad mini 4 user), but Apple will see it as something that doesn't fit with the direction of the lineup and they will get rid of it. That's how they roll, historically.

 

[joeblow7777]

You didn't read the article that your article was referencing at all. I can tell because you keep arguing the same point without demonstrating that you understand the rest of it.

I'll outline it for you:
- The iPad Air 2 was the single most successful model.
- The iPad mini line as a whole was the most successful of their lines.
- The data indicated by the article that your article cites suggests that the iPad mini 1 was the best seller of the bunch until it was discontinued at which point the iPad mini 2 became the best seller of that line (none of them were as successful as the iPad Air 2).

We can then conclude that you had people who were, largely, either buying the cheapest iPad or the newest flagship iPad. The economy being what it is, there were more people buying the former than the latter.

We can also conclude, based on Apple's history in selling older 9.7" tablets for an inordinately long amount of time (see iPad 2) that Apple can, at any point they desire, simply populate the $250-400 price range with 9.7" tablets and still appease most of the customers who bought a mini (as it is more likely that the price point was the key factor rather than the size of the device itself).

Apple is in the middle of an identity crisis with the iPad line as a whole. The mini was an attempt to compete with Amazon, Samsung, and Google on the low-end size and when Phablets became popular, most of that fight fizzled out as did the demand for that size category of tablet in any respect other than price. The iPad Pro signaled Apple's desire to make iOS on the iPad all about productivity. The 9.7" iPad can and likely will be fit for Apple's vision of productivity for "iPad" (namely the use of that keyboard and the Apple Pencil). The 7.9" iPad (mini) likely won't given how much less suited it is to productivity than the 9.7" iPad is and how not ergonomic using it with those accessories would be on something that small. I understand that many consumers don't care about this (I certainly don't as an iPad mini 4 user), but Apple will see it as something that doesn't fit with the direction of the lineup and they will get rid of it. That's how they roll, historically.

I understand all of the points that you've outlined, but you're making a lot of inferences and speculations. You have no way of knowing how many people buy the Mini because of the price and how many buy for the form factor. You're also making assumptions about Apple's "vision of productivity". I'm just looking at the raw numbers and noting that the Mini line is seeing an increase in sales as iPad sales as a whole go down. As I said, the Mini may not be Apple's main priority but it certainly seems to be worth keeping in their lineup for the foreseeable future.

 

[Channan]

First off, you are failing to address that the iPad mini 3 had more time to be mentioned when it had much less going for it. Apple is all about marketing and their keynotes (especially at parts where Apple's own head of marketing is speaking) are a huge part of it. So, when you factor in that the mini 4 barely had time to even be mentioned when it is the most substantial upgrade since it first came out, that doesn't sound like a product that Apple cares that much about marketing.

Because Apple didn't announce a new product line when the mini 3 was announced. The Air got refreshed and so did the mini. When the mini 4 was announced, Apple had a brand new product - the iPad Pro - which was their main focus for the event. The iPad Air line didn't get an update at all last year, yet you're worried about the mini line dying because less time was spent discussing the mini 4 during the keynote than the mini 3.

Let's not forget that the iPod touch got the upgrade to the A8 processor before the iPad mini did. Yup, we're talking the same iPod touch that very few thought would even be updated in the era of Apple Music, Spotify, and other Internet-dependent music services that antiquate the practice of locally stored music that the iPod championed. The iPad mini pretty much became the runt of the iOS litter in terms of how much of a crap Apple gives about it.

The iPod touch got the A8 first, but clocked slower than the iPad mini's A7, so in some tests the A8 beats the A7 and sometimes it's the other way around. That didn't last long, though, and now the iPad mini 4 crushes the iPod touch 6th gen in performance.

Also, no event that includes the launch of an iPhone model is mainly for any iPad, I'm sorry. Apple's income is at least 64% iPhone. So, to say that the main importance of that event was the iPad Pro is just ignorant, I'm sorry.

Sorry, I meant the iPad portion of the event. But that only further strengthens my point. There was simply no time for an iterative iPad mini update.

First off, you don't have any facts with which to back up anything that you are saying whatsoever. "Plenty of people who want minis" is about as loaded of a statement as you can make. Plenty of people wanted iPod classics. Plenty of people wanted Power Mac G4 Cubes. If "plenty of people" is less than Apple is satisfied with, Apple will kill that product despite what those "plenty of people" want.

Calm down. Lmao You're getting way too emotion about this. So you're saying I have no facts to back up anything I'm saying, then post below how the iPad mini was the best selling category of iPads last year. Thanks for backing me up so I didn't have to go find a chart for you.

Secondly, let's actually look at the facts. The iPad Air 2 was the single best selling model in 2015. The iPad mini was the best selling category of iPads last year (with sales of the iPad mini 1 being strongest while it was sold, followed by the iPad mini 2 after that; models of the iPad mini 3 didn't sell well and it was too early to pull any data on the iPad mini 4 as it had come out right at the end of the calendar year). What does that tell you?

It tells me that the iPad mini 3 wasn't really an upgrade over the iPad mini 2, and people knew that, so they saved $100 and went with the iPad mini 3 without a fingerprint scanner (AKA iPad mini 2).

It should tell you that the iPad mini is primarily sold to people who just want the cheapest iPad and not to people who simply prefer the smaller size.

So what? As long as Apple is making money off of them and keeping people in their ecosystem, who cares if it's mainly people wanting the cheapest iPad?

Apple can very easily sell cheaper 9.7" iPads to people.

Which would still be more expensive than the iPad mini if Apple wants to make the same amount of profit, which would cause some to look at the competition. See comment directly below.

They proved that people would buy the iPad 2 for several years after its release and while it was sold alongside an iPad three generations newer than it.

The iPad 2 was still at least $100 more expensive than the cheapest iPad mini. See comment directly above.

The 9.7" iPad sells better PER MODEL than the 7.9" iPad. It's a fact.

You're right. The iPad Air 2 sells better than any other individual model iPad, so all the other iPads are doomed. Goodbye mini. Goodbye Pro. You aren't selling as much as or more than the iPad Air 2, so your product line is clearly getting axed.

I'd bookmark this topic and come back when Apple announces the iPad mini 5, but I don't care enough to do that, and I'm sure someone in the future will come across this topic and say something.

I understand all of the points that you've outlined, but you're making a lot of inferences and speculations. You have no way of knowing how many people buy the Mini because of the price and how many buy for the form factor. You're also making assumptions about Apple's "vision of productivity". I'm just looking at the raw numbers and noting that the Mini line is seeing an increase in sales as iPad sales as a whole go down. As I said, the Mini may not be Apple's main priority but it certainly seems to be worth keeping in their lineup for the foreseeable future.

Gets on me for not backing my comments with facts, then backs them up for me, then pretends to know why the majority are buying their iPads.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I understand all of the points that you've outlined, but you're making a lot of inferences and speculations. You have no way of knowing how many people buy the Mini because of the price and how many buy for the form factor.

You're also making assumptions about Apple's "vision of productivity". I'm just looking at the raw numbers and noting that the Mini line is seeing an increase in sales as iPad sales as a whole go down. As I said, the Mini may not be Apple's main priority but it certainly seems to be worth keeping in their lineup for the foreseeable future.

The 9to5 mac article cited another article that broke the sales figures down. The numbers detailed that when iPad mini 1, 2, and 3 were all sold at the same time, iPad mini 1 had the highest of all three. When iPad mini 1 was discontinued, iPad mini 2 became the highest selling iPad mini. At the time that you had iPad mini 2 and 3 sold together, the capacities were 16GB for 2 and 3, 32GB for 2, and 64GB and 128GB being exclusive to 3. This very strongly suggests that people buying iPad minis didn't care about specs as much as they did about price. Why else would anyone buy an A5-powered iPad mini 1 in late 2014/early 2015? It's a terrible buy unless you're solely buying it to save money.

Also, not sure where an "increase" was noted in that article. The entire iPad line as a whole is declining, however, in terms of the best seller by individual model, the iPad Air 2 sold more than any one individual mini. Looking at ALL of the data in summation, it would appear as though people buying iPads are predominantly in one of two camps, either buying the cheapest mini or buying the current Air. At least that's what those numbers suggest.

Because Apple didn't announce a new product line when the mini 3 was announced. The Air got refreshed and so did the mini. When the mini 4 was announced, Apple had a brand new product - the iPad Pro - which was their main focus for the event. The iPad Air line didn't get an update at all last year, yet you're worried about the mini line dying because less time was spent discussing the mini 4 during the keynote than the mini 3.

You don't read what gets posted on this site much, do you?

There was a rumor that accurately predicted that there would be no Air 3 launch last year. That same rumor predicted that the mini 4 would be the last generation of the device. Considering that Google stopped making the iPad mini's chief competitor last year when it was more or less agreed by everyone and their mother that the mini tablet trend had more or less died in favor of phablets and considering that the only thriving mini tablets on the market are extremely cheap pieces of crap (and that Apple prides itself on not making cheap pieces of crap), this wasn't far fetched at all.

So, no, the lack of iPad Air 3 mention at that keynote didn't worry me in the slightest (BECAUSE I FOLLOW THE RUMORS). Apple very obviously hasn't given up on the 9.7" iPads, especially not with the rumors that one will be announced a week from now.

The iPod touch got the A8 first, but clocked slower than the iPad mini's A7, so in some tests the A8 beats the A7 and sometimes it's the other way around. That didn't last long, though, and now the iPad mini 4 crushes the iPod touch 6th gen in performance.

Cool story, bro. Not exactly relevant to my point.

Sorry, I meant the iPad portion of the event. But that only further strengthens my point. There was simply no time for an iterative iPad mini update.

If you're Apple and you're banking on the iPad mini to save your failing product line, you will sure as hell give it as much press as you can to get people excited about it, even if it means an additional 30 seconds to talk about it. Apple very clearly ISN'T banking on the iPad mini to do anything other than convince budget-minded customers that they should buy an iPad and that's why it didn't get either a silent launch or a full mention (both of which are historically better signs of enthusiasm from Apple than a lackluster mention).

Calm down. Lmao You're getting way too emotion about this. So you're saying I have no facts to back up anything I'm saying, then post below how the iPad mini was the best selling category of iPads last year. Thanks for backing me up so I didn't have to go find a chart for you.

Way to only read half of the story.

It tells me that the iPad mini 3 wasn't really an upgrade over the iPad mini 2, and people knew that, so they saved $100 and went with the iPad mini 3 without a fingerprint scanner (AKA iPad mini 2).

No, they all bought first generation iPad minis. You'd know this if you actually read the article in question and actually knew what you were talking about.

So what? As long as Apple is making money off of them and keeping people in their ecosystem, who cares if it's mainly people wanting the cheapest iPad?

Apple cares. You'd know this if you knew anything about Apple. They're not out to play the numbers game. They don't go out an make cheap products for the masses. That's not Apple's MO. It never has been.

Which would still be more expensive than the iPad mini if Apple wants to make the same amount of profit, which would cause some to look at the competition. See comment directly below.

You make my brain hurt and not in the good kind of way. I can only assume that you were comparing two iPads (mini and Air) with the exact same specs, and even if you were, I'm not sure why you'd be trying to make that point as it is irrelevant.

The original iPad Air at 16GB sells for the same cost as the iPad mini 4 at 16GB. Some see the size to speed trade-off as making the two equivalent options, hence their equivalent pricing. Now imagine a world where there isn't an iPad mini. Apple could still sell the original iPad Air alongside the Air 2 and whatever they're going to announce a week from now and all of the pricepoints will have been met.

The iPad 2 was still at least $100 more expensive than the cheapest iPad mini. See comment directly above.

They could've charged as much or as little as they wanted for the iPad 2. It didn't change the cost of producing them, which, at that point, was pretty much nil relative to the newer models.

You're right. The iPad Air 2 sells better than any other individual model iPad, so all the other iPads are doomed. Goodbye mini. Goodbye Pro. You aren't selling as much as or more than the iPad Air 2, so your product line is clearly getting axed.

Right. Because that's the point I was trying to make. Seriously, are you for real?

I'd bookmark this topic and come back when Apple announces the iPad mini 5, but I don't care enough to do that, and I'm sure someone in the future will come across this topic and say something.

I'd love to be wrong. Sadly, you don't have anything other than a one-dimensional interpretation of an article you clearly don't know much about to prove me wrong.

Gets on me for not backing my comments with facts, then backs them up for me, then pretends to know why the majority are buying their iPads.

Really, at this point, I'm getting on you for trolling.

 

[joeblow7777]

The "increase" is iPad minis going from representing 32% of iPad sales at the end of 2014 to 47% a year later.

 

[Channan]

You don't read what gets posted on this site much, do you?

There was a rumor that accurately predicted that there would be no Air 3 launch last year. That same rumor predicted that the mini 4 would be the last generation of the device.

Do you know what a rumor is? There's no point in arguing this any further until you look up the definition.

Considering that Google stopped making the iPad mini's chief competitor last year when it was more or less agreed by everyone and their mother that the mini tablet trend had more or less died in favor of phablets and considering that the only thriving mini tablets on the market are extremely cheap pieces of crap (and that Apple prides itself on not making cheap pieces of crap), this wasn't far fetched at all.

First of all, Google is one company, and they push devices that they think needs being worked on. The Nexus 7 was created so Google had a reference design for tablets, and sold it cheap to get them in as many hands as possible for developers to start making tablet apps. Years later, there were plenty of Android tablets out, but nothing really premium. So Google stopped making smaller, cheap tablets and had a bigger, more premium tablet made to try and fill that segment of the market.

BECAUSE I FOLLOW THE RUMORS

I'm cracking up.

Cool story, bro. Not exactly relevant to my point.

And your point about the iPod touch getting the lower-powered A8 before the iPad mini was relevant to the original conversation, how exactly?

If you're Apple and you're banking on the iPad mini to save your failing product line, you will sure as hell give it as much press as you can to get people excited about it, even if it means an additional 30 seconds to talk about it.

Who said anything about Apple banking on the mini to save the iPad line? You're just making sh*t up now to fluff up your argument. Also, what's another 30 seconds going to do? You'd still be b*tching about how Apple didn't spend enough time talking about the mini 4.

Apple very clearly ISN'T banking on the iPad mini to do anything other than convince budget-minded customers that they should buy an iPad and that's why it didn't get either a silent launch or a full mention (both of which are historically better signs of enthusiasm from Apple than a lackluster mention).

Way to only read half of the story.

Way to only write half the story.

No, they all bought first generation iPad minis. You'd know this if you actually read the article in question and actually knew what you were talking about.

Really? They ALL bought first gen iPad minis? That's sad that Apple couldn't sell a single iPad mini 2 or 3. You want to talk about facts, then completely and utterly exaggerate all the "facts" you provide.

Apple cares. You'd know this if you knew anything about Apple. They're not out to play the numbers game. They don't go out an make cheap products for the masses. That's not Apple's MO. It never has been.

And yet, that's apparently what Apple is doing, because they're still selling the mini line, and according to you people are only buying the cheapest one.

You make my brain hurt and not in the good kind of way. I can only assume that you were comparing two iPads (mini and Air) with the exact same specs, and even if you were, I'm not sure why you'd be trying to make that point as it is irrelevant.

The original iPad Air at 16GB sells for the same cost as the iPad mini 4 at 16GB. Some see the size to speed trade-off as making the two equivalent options, hence their equivalent pricing. Now imagine a world where there isn't an iPad mini. Apple could still sell the original iPad Air alongside the Air 2 and whatever they're going to announce a week from now and all of the pricepoints will have been met.

How does your brain hurt when you don't seem to have one? The cheapest 9.7" iPad is always $100 more expensive than the cheapest iPad mini. Wait, I already said that. Now look at who's only reading half the story. I don't even...How are all price points met with a last gen iPad Air selling for the same amount as the current gen mini, when there's still an old mini being sold for $100 less than both? What full-size iPad do you expect Apple to sell for $300, which is what the mini 2 is currently being sold at?

They could've charged as much or as little as they wanted for the iPad 2.

Did you figure that out all on your own? Of course they can charge as much as they want. They could charge $1 if they wanted to. But a 9.7" iPad sold at the same price point as a mini will make Apple less...you know, I don't even know why we're arguing this. It has absolutely nothing to do with the original topic. You keep branching off to other topics, trying to distract from the original argument.

Right. Because that's the point I was trying to make. Seriously, are you for real?

Are you? What's your point about the iPad Air 2 outselling any individual iPad mini model then? Your strategy is to just throw out as many facts as possible to look smart, regardless of how relevant they are to the topic.

I'd love to be wrong. Sadly, you don't have anything other than a one-dimensional interpretation of an article you clearly don't know much about to prove me wrong.

You will be.

Really, at this point, I'm getting on you for trolling.

You're catching feelings. Your entire argument is based off of a RUMOR, with absolutely NO evidence that Apple is discontinuing the iPad mini. Yeah, it would be really smart for Apple to discontinue the line of iPads that sell the most overall, So Apple's solution to declining iPad sales is to cut them in half in a single year. Why are you not the CEO of some company by now with your genius ideas?

At this point, I'd just keep repeating the same things that you can't accept because you heard a rumor. LMAO I'm done.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Do you know what a rumor is? There's no point in arguing this any further until you look up the definition.


First of all, Google is one company, and they push devices that they think needs being worked on. The Nexus 7 was created so Google had a reference design for tablets, and sold it cheap to get them in as many hands as possible for developers to start making tablet apps. Years later, there were plenty of Android tablets out, but nothing really premium. So Google stopped making smaller, cheap tablets and had a bigger, more premium tablet made to try and fill that segment of the market.


I'm cracking up.


And your point about the iPod touch getting the lower-powered A8 before the iPad mini was relevant to the original conversation, how exactly?


Who said anything about Apple banking on the mini to save the iPad line? You're just making sh*t up now to fluff up your argument. Also, what's another 30 seconds going to do? You'd still be b*tching about how Apple didn't spend enough time talking about the mini 4.

Apple very clearly ISN'T banking on the iPad mini to do anything other than convince budget-minded customers that they should buy an iPad and that's why it didn't get either a silent launch or a full mention (both of which are historically better signs of enthusiasm from Apple than a lackluster mention).


Way to only write half the story.


Really? They ALL bought first gen iPad minis? That's sad that Apple couldn't sell a single iPad mini 2 or 3. You want to talk about facts, then completely and utterly exaggerate all the "facts" you provide.


And yet, that's apparently what Apple is doing, because they're still selling the mini line, and according to you people are only buying the cheapest one.


How does your brain hurt when you don't seem to have one? The cheapest 9.7" iPad is always $100 more expensive than the cheapest iPad mini. Wait, I already said that. Now look at who's only reading half the story. I don't even...How are all price points met with a last gen iPad Air selling for the same amount as the current gen mini, when there's still an old mini being sold for $100 less than both? What full-size iPad do you expect Apple to sell for $300, which is what the mini 2 is currently being sold at?



Did you figure that out all on your own? Of course they can charge as much as they want. They could charge $1 if they wanted to. But a 9.7" iPad sold at the same price point as a mini will make Apple less...you know, I don't even know why we're arguing this. It has absolutely nothing to do with the original topic. You keep branching off to other topics, trying to distract from the original argument.


Are you? What's your point about the iPad Air 2 outselling any individual iPad mini model then? Your strategy is to just throw out as many facts as possible to look smart, regardless of how relevant they are to the topic.


You will be.


You're catching feelings. Your entire argument is based off of a RUMOR, with absolutely NO evidence that Apple is discontinuing the iPad mini. Yeah, it would be really smart for Apple to discontinue the line of iPads that sell the most overall, So Apple's solution to declining iPad sales is to cut them in half in a single year. Why are you not the CEO of some company by now with your genius ideas?

At this point, I'd just keep repeating the same things that you can't accept because you heard a rumor. LMAO I'm done.

Phil Schiller was quoted on Monday as publicly saying that the 9.7" iPad is their most popular form factor. Whether that is true or not, that is clear that Apple believes it to be true and thusly, it is the one with more attention from Apple.

As for your retorts, a third of it is you agreeing with my points, another third is anecdotal crap that isn't even relevant, and the last third is trolling. Not sure how else to continue a debate with someone who (a) doesn't appear to be knowledgeable in the topic and (b) who is otherwise flat-out trolling. Take care.

 

[Channan]

Phil Schiller was quoted on Monday as publicly saying that the 9.7" iPad is their most popular form factor. Whether that is true or not, that is clear that Apple believes it to be true and thusly, it is the one with more attention from Apple.

As for your retorts, a third of it is you agreeing with my points, another third is anecdotal crap that isn't even relevant, and the last third is trolling. Not sure how else to continue a debate with someone who (a) doesn't appear to be knowledgeable in the topic and (b) who is otherwise flat-out trolling. Take care.

Again, the 7.9" iPad and 12.9" iPad don't sell as well as the 9.7" iPad, so those product lines are doomed. I love your twisted logic.

But now that Apple has released a 9.7" Pro, I should clarify that I don't mean the mini brand will live on after this, but the 7.9" form factor will. I can just see you coming back when Apple announces the 7.9" Pro and get me out of a technicality, saying the "mini" got discontinued.

 

[joeblow7777]

No one ever said that 9.7" isn't the most popular form factor. That has nothing to do with the future of the smaller or larger models.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Again, the 7.9" iPad and 12.9" iPad don't sell as well as the 9.7" iPad, so those product lines are doomed. I love your twisted logic.

But now that Apple has released a 9.7" Pro, I should clarify that I don't mean the mini brand will live on after this, but the 7.9" form factor will. I can just see you coming back when Apple announces the 7.9" Pro and get me out of a technicality, saying the "mini" got discontinued.

First off, I never said the 12.9" form factor was doomed. Way to put words into my mouth.

Secondly, way to backpedal on your argument. I thought you were done arguing?

Also a 7.9" iPad Pro? Apple Pencil use, I can picture...barely, but they will not be able to make a smart keyboard that isn't thought of as cramped by a majority of users.

No one ever said that 9.7" isn't the most popular form factor. That has nothing to do with the future of the smaller or larger models.

I'm pretty sure that you both were just trying to make that argument.

Incidentally, Phil Schiller speaking highly of the popularity of the 9.7" iPad doesn't have much to do with most of the other reasons as to why the 7.9" iPad form factor is doomed. I was just citing that because you both were making the claim that it is the most popular form factor (citing that article that I already responded to).

Also, I spoke nothing of the larger form factor. It's way too new and there's simply not enough data to suggest either way how well it will do over the long haul (though Apple seems to be putting its energy into it, much unlike the mini) The future of the smaller form factor is doomed for a variety of reasons and only a handful of them have anything to do with the 9.7" iPad line-up.

 

[Channan]

First off, I never said the 12.9" form factor was doomed. Way to put words into my mouth.

Secondly, way to backpedal on your argument. I thought you were done arguing?

Also a 7.9" iPad Pro? Apple Pencil use, I can picture...barely, but they will not be able to make a smart keyboard that isn't thought of as cramped by a majority of users.

I didn't put words in your mouth. I used your own logic against you. One reason you gave for the 7.9" line being discontinued was that it doesn't sell as well as the 9.7" iPad, yet the 12.9" iPad doesn't sell as well as either of the smaller sizes. So by your logic, if the iPad mini is doomed because of sales, the biggest iPad definitely is.

I didn't backpedal. I was clarifying what I previously said so you don't try to get me out of a stupid technicality.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I didn't put words in your mouth. I used your own logic against you. One reason you gave for the 7.9" line being discontinued was that it doesn't sell as well as the 9.7" iPad, yet the 12.9" iPad doesn't sell as well as either of the smaller sizes. So by your logic, if the iPad mini is doomed because of sales, the biggest iPad definitely is.

Data on sales and Apple's own marketing and engineering emphasis as well as the overall market for the 12.9" iPad: 4 months, 1 generation

Data on sales and Apple's own marketing and engineering emphasis as well as the overall market for the 7.9" iPad: 4 years, 4 generations

I think you insult both of our intelligence by implying that I don't understand this concept while simultaneously proving that you actually don't understand it yourself.

I didn't backpedal. I was clarifying what I previously said so you don't try to get me out of a stupid technicality.

Because I care that much to hunt you down next September/October or even the one after that to show you that I was right? Get real man, I do have a life off of this site.

 

[joeblow7777]

First off, I never said the 12.9" form factor was doomed. Way to put words into my mouth.

Secondly, way to backpedal on your argument. I thought you were done arguing?

Also a 7.9" iPad Pro? Apple Pencil use, I can picture...barely, but they will not be able to make a smart keyboard that isn't thought of as cramped by a majority of users.



I'm pretty sure that you both were just trying to make that argument.

Incidentally, Phil Schiller speaking highly of the popularity of the 9.7" iPad doesn't have much to do with most of the other reasons as to why the 7.9" iPad form factor is doomed. I was just citing that because you both were making the claim that it is the most popular form factor (citing that article that I already responded to).

Also, I spoke nothing of the larger form factor. It's way too new and there's simply not enough data to suggest either way how well it will do over the long haul (though Apple seems to be putting its energy into it, much unlike the mini) The future of the smaller form factor is doomed for a variety of reasons and only a handful of them have anything to do with the 9.7" iPad line-up.

You may want to re-read my comments. I pointed out (based on data) that the Mini tablets have seen the most growth in recent months and that combined they accounted for something like half of the total iPad sales during that time, thus more than justifying the line's continued support and release of future models. I never said that the 9.7" models aren't the most popular overall.

PCs are also much more popular than Macs. That doesn't mean that Macs are not profitable and will soon be discontinued.

 

[Channan]

Data on sales and Apple's own marketing and engineering emphasis as well as the overall market for the 12.9" iPad: 4 months, 1 generation

Data on sales and Apple's own marketing and engineering emphasis as well as the overall market for the 7.9" iPad: 4 years, 4 generations

I think you insult both of our intelligence by implying that I don't understand this concept while simultaneously proving that you actually don't understand it yourself.



Because I care that much to hunt you down next September/October or even the one after that to show you that I was right? Get real man, I do have a life off of this site.

Oh, so you actually think the 12.9" iPad is selling more than the 9.7" iPad. Lol gotcha

You insult your own intelligence plenty enough.