Hi folks
I am tempted to buy Mini 4 but i am a bit disappointed that iPad Mini is most likely discontinued, no more update or new version
I like form factor and this is the perfect size to me
I am afraid iOS 11 will slow down iPad Mini 4
Would it be better to buy iPad Pro 10.5?
For basic usage such as streaming video, youtube, reading comic, manga and web browsing...
Thanks
I have an iPad mini 4 that I have purposely kept on iOS 9.3.5 because I was not a fan of iOS 10 (having used it extensively on my First Generation 12.9" iPad Pro) and between gauging iOS 11 performance on the iPad mini 2 and 3 (and adding a year as the mini 4 will surely run similarly to how the mini 2 and 3 ran iOS 10 and then run iOS 12 as horribly as the iPad mini 2 and 3 run 11 now) as well as peeking into my local Apple Store and playing with the display iPad mini 4 units running iOS 11, I have determined that, if I care about sticking with the iPad (sub)platform (of the iOS platform), which I do, then I need to find a successor. Long winded way of saying that I'm, more or less in the same boat.
The 10.5" iPad Pro appeals greatly to me, but I'm not getting it because it bears a new screen resolution and I'd rather forego a year of processor improvements to at least so that my older apps work fine on the iOS screen resolution that's been out for five years as opposed to the one that's barely been out four months. Also, the really big improvements to iOS device processor architecture came during the bump from the A8 processor family and the A9 processor family. So, I'm likely getting a "Fifth Generation" 9.7" iPad to supplant my iPad mini 4. That said, if you have the additional money to spend and aren't nitpicky about native resolution support on apps like I am, the 10.5" iPad Pro IS the better iPad of the two to get; no question.
There's an identical thread running here now.
It's not likely discontinued, and that's your real problem. You have no idea whether to buy a frankly dated piece of tech or to wait for the next gen, because none of us have any clue when Apple will update the Mini - but like the iPod Touch, I'm sure it will happen.
You have zero facts that you can point to, and no statistics to even suggest that your prediction is even likely. Trust me; more than anything, I hope you're right. But all logical signs point to the opposite. And the fact that you're giving advice that are neither based on facts nor statistics is sort of wrong.
It’s pretty irrelevant if the Mini gets discontinued (unless you’re waiting for a new model). The Mini 4 will continue to function and be supported for years to come. It’s not like Apple will stop providing OS updates or repair services.
Let’s say Tomorrow Apple announces there’s no more iPad Mini. First we have to ask ourselves why they are making the announcement on a Saturday, but that’s not the point.
What happens to the iPad Mini?
Apple will sell (most) of the remaining stock. Likely they will keep some around as replacement units. Buying today, with Apple Care, means you have repair support for at least two years. Apple will continue to provide iOS updates until something on the device makes an OS upgrade not possible. At which time the Mini will continue to function. At some point you will look for an updated device (maybe next year, maybe 4 years from now).
Long story short - the ONLY thing you need to worry about is a new Mini possibly coming out.
Consider trends and technology. For example, here's a trend to consider: iOS, with few exceptions (iOS 9, perhaps), requires more processing power than each previous release, causing older devices to run it slower than the previous version. It has been this way since iPhone OS 2.0.
Now, let's look at technology, the lowest CPU capable of running iOS 11 is the Apple A7 processor. The Apple A8 processor wasn't that substantial of a jump. The iPad mini 4 got an extra GB of RAM more than its iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and sixth generation iPod touch counterparts did, sure. But as far as the processing power, it wasn't as big of a jump as the jump from the A8 to the A9 where we got a massive upgrade to storage data throughput.
So, it would stand to reason that iOS 11 is probably the A7's last hurrah and iOS 12 is likely the A8's last hurrah, barring any kind of iOS 9-esque release where the minimum requirements do not change version to version. iOS 9 mostly sorted through the bugs and glitches of iOS 8, and iOS 11 is pretty buggy and glitch-tastic, so we'll see. But if the trend continues as it otherwise has, then the iPad mini 2, at best, has until two years from now before it no longer receives iOS updates. Two years. Not many years and not "years to come" (unless "two years to come"). Two years.
Also, he comment about Android updates making it better for older devices is so very laughable. Android wishes it had half as good of resource management than iOS has.
I think you read the wrong meaning from the comment. iOS devices get regular system updates, the annual major bumps of which make devices run slower on average. Android devices, on average, only get one or two of said updates and these days, performance seldom takes a hit, which means that devices running Android 7 that are only getting the Android Security patches don't run any slower because they're not getting the massive bumps that make them run slower like iOS devices get. So, yeah, it's fragmented as all hell, but device performance doesn't take a hit anywhere near as rapidly.
The displays on the
iPad mini 3 and the
iPad mini 4 have the same specs, according to Apple:
- 7.9-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display
- 2048-by-1536 resolution at 326 pixels per inch (ppi)
- Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
The 4 also has:
- Fully laminated display
- Antireflective coating
But those are coatings on the display, not a change to the display itself. I've held the mini 3 in one hand and the mini 4 in the other to compare, and I don't see any display difference to justify the upgrade. I'm satisfied with the display. I would like significantly better performance, especially now with iOS 11, and perhaps better battery life, and the compatibility with things like ARkit. The mini 4 delivers none of that.
The mini 3 (and 2, for that matter since it's the same freakin' display) are a night and day difference between that of the mini 4. If all you are looking at is Apple's marketing pages, then you are really not getting the full picture. The mini 4 has a SUBSTANTIALLY better color gamut.
The iPad mini’s refresh cycle is reminding me of the Mac mini’s
Incidentally, neither one seems to have a long future at Apple. Real shame; Apple could totally make a Mac mini akin to Gigabyte's Brix line of PCs and it would be a very welcome change. Given Apple's desire to move away from replacable RAM and SSDs in favor of soldered-on equivalents, they could make them even smaller than the Brix systems (though it really wouldn't be necessary to do that and certainly not worth the cause).
You may be right for the broad market, but I tried a 6S+ for a few weeks on the theory that maybe I could ditch my iPhone 6 and Mini. It didn't work at all for me. It was too big to carry easily as a phone in a work environment, and it didn't provide either the functionality or the screen size of the iPad. I assume I'm a minority and that Apple's lack of interest in the Mini at this point is driven more by market demand than Steve Jobs' doctrinal views, but I really find the Mini a perfect iPad.
Someone else pointed out that there are quite a few Apple products in the "about to be extincted" category, if you look at product refresh cycles: the iPod Touch, the Mac Mini and the iPad Mini are all in some sort of slo-mo product cycle. But they're not dead till Tim says so.
The "Mo" in "Slo-Mo" implies that there's still motion. Two of those product lines haven't been touched since 2015, except to have models culled through 2017. The other one simply hasn't been touched since 2014. Period.
Also, when it comes to technologies in this day and age, products are only as viable as their continued development. While an iPad mini 4 is still functional in today's day and age, as is a sixth generation iPod touch or a Late 2014 Mac mini, buying something that is so out of date with no sign of being updated on any kind of regular basis (let alone, at all) isn't very forward thinking.
Only if the sole purpose of the mini was to offer a cheaper iPad, which many here will argue it wasn’t.
The opinions of the many here are irrelevant.
I think the size is perfect for home entertainment use. The bigger iPads are better for productivity but more of a chore to hold.
I won't disagree with your second sentence here. Your first one is totally subjective though. Incidentally, if I'm sitting on my couch and I want to watch a movie or a TV show, am I going to watch it on an iPad or am I going to watch it on my Apple TV? Probably the Apple TV.
But much better to carry around compared to bigger iPads. Mainly because they’re the biggest a screen can be while still being able to fit in a coat pocket.
There is a very wide range of preferences and uses. We can’t really make definitive statements about the demands of the masses based on the little data we have. There are too many factors to take into account, some unknown. Until someone does a very thorough mass survey that asks something like “If all specs and prices were equal, what size iPad would you prefer? And how would you use it? And what other devices do you have?”—until then it’s ultimately conjecture.
The demands of the masses are irrelevant when Apple's marketing is already telling of their plans. Clearly, the mini 4, based both on Apple's marketing trends, pricing, and emphasis (and lack thereof) is going to be phased out, whether people want it to be or not. Tablet sales trends, sales figures, all of that is pretty much irrelevant, likely with one exception: The mini tablet market came and went. Phablets are cannibalizing the mini tablets especially for those who are not likely to afford a mini tablet after buying such a big phone (which usually costs a premium).
Apple's actions suggest they've done the survey. And the results are in.
Apple has stopped selling the 32GB iPad mini. They haven't refreshed the mini line and instead introduced bigger and heavier 9.7" iPad.
The research data referenced in this
Adweek article suggests tablets are used outside of the home less than 15% of the time. Given the "stay at home" role, the portability aspect of an iPad mini has little value. A few posters have emphasized the "pocketability" benefits of iPad mini, but in reality few people do that.
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I agree it's a niche use and that's the main problem. Perhaps if current fashion weren't skewed towards skinny or muscular clothing, the mini would have a better market. For the average consumer, carrying two devices when one phablet can do the job (until they get home or to the office) makes more sense.
To be fair, I have often pocketed my iPad mini 4, but, like you said, it's a niche use and all of the things that make the mini form factor preferable to me over the 9.7" and 10.5" form factors are niche uses. The 9.7" 2017 "Fifth Generation" iPad is no worse for reading books, watching video, playing games, reading and composing e-mail than the iPad mini 4. I'm just less inclined to put it in my pocket and go places with it, or mount it in my car. Two cases that are obviously niche as all hell.
That is true for some people, but not others. There are many who prefer a more portable iPad, which is certainly not the same as a phablet.
It's true for Apple, and that's really all that matters.
