iPad mini Ipad mini retina already in March?

[kristoffer4]

What are the odds of Apple releasing a retina mini in March together with a redesigned regular ipad?
Or will we have to wait for fall? The lack of Retina is the only thing stopping me from buying a mini.

 

[pommie82]

Well i don't think that we will see a mini so soon i should of thought that we would see one in about the third week in october when the release ibooks4 update just after the iPhone 5s been released

I have the mini at the moment and i'am really enjoying using it
Well that my prediction but we all don't know what going to happen at all

 

[kristoffer4]

I think I will wait to the end of March and see what happens.. 😉

 

[tmarks11]

Two scenarios:

1. Apple is shifting the ipad event permanently to October, to coincide with the Christmas shopping season. That way buyers are not comparing a 9 month old iPad against the gleaming new android tablet of the moment. The iPad will only be a couple months old and be an attractive purchase.

2. Apple is shifting to a two-a-year update rate for iPads, to the chagrin of Apple owners everywhere, who seem to think it is their god-given right to have the newest ipad for 12 months at a time, and "how dare Apple sell a newer product" only 6 months after I bought mine." 😀

Anecdotal evidence seems to support #2, with Tim Cook's statement "we are not taking our foot off the gas". Updates of one per year were acceptable when there was no real competition, and Apple easily dominated the marketplace.

With now two OS competing against them, Apple needs to keep their stranglehold on the market by out-innovating their competitors. They are doing this quite well in the hardware field, not so well in the OS side of things. Which is why the recent management shake-up, hopefully we will see some marked improvements when iOS6 rolls around.

 

[GreatDrok]

Doubt it will be so soon. Here's why - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1513636/

 

[zbarvian]

Definitely not. I got a Mini for Christmas today and I really don't think the screen is a dealbreaker, but Retina would surely be nice.

 

[irDigital0l]

Going to go with yes.

March is always the iPad's release, the only reason why Apple launched the iPad 4 in Oct was because it would have been dumb for the iPad Mini to have better specs than the iPad 3. Apple also needed to get the iPad Mini into the holiday season.

Come March, it will be the actual iPad event. The iPad 5 will be announced with iPhone 5 and iPad Mini like design, thinner and lighter, etc.

The iPad Mini with a retina display will also be announced and will take the place of the outdated iPad 2. Base model of 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2 was $399 so the iPad Mini will be priced starting with that.

This would also be great for Apple to offer new updates to compete with Microsoft's Surface with Windows 8 Pro (going to be released in Jan) as well as an updated Nexus 7 (rumored for Q1).

iPad 3 owners that didn't upgrade will also be happy.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

Going to go with yes.

March is always the iPad's release, the only reason why Apple launched the iPad 4 in Oct was because it would have been dumb for the iPad Mini to have better specs than the iPad 3. Apple also needed to get the iPad Mini into the holiday season.

Come March, it will be the actual iPad event. The iPad 5 will be announced with iPhone 5 and iPad Mini like design, thinner and lighter, etc.

The iPad Mini with a retina display will also be announced and will take the place of the outdated iPad 2. Base model of 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2 was $399 so the iPad Mini will be priced starting with that.

This would also be great for Apple to offer new updates to compete with Microsoft's Surface with Windows 8 Pro (going to be released in Jan) as well as an updated Nexus 7 (rumored for Q1).

iPad 3 owners that didn't upgrade will also be happy.

omg, you are so right! /sarcasm, i wouldn't hold my breath for disappointment

 

[Che Castro]

Retina mini at $399 , replacing ipad 2

That's a good idea , they can then lower this years ipad mini to $299 or lower

I don't think apple will continue to sell the ipad 2 as new for long



So now the ipad 4 will be $400 , you will have a choice between thin light ipad mini retina for $400 or fat big ipad 4 for that price


And the ipad 5 will be thin & lighter like the current ipad mini

 

[irDigital0l]

Retina mini at $399 , replacing ipad 2

That's a good idea , they can then lower this years ipad mini to $299 or lower

I don't think apple will continue to sell the ipad 2 as new for long



So now the ipad 4 will be $400 , you will have a choice between thin light ipad mini retina for $400 or fat big ipad 4 for that price


And the ipad 5 will be thin & lighter like the current ipad mini

I can't see Apple keeping both the iPad 4 and iPad 5. Maybe as refurbished but not as new.

Would it be the iPad with Retina display and the The new iPad with Retina display?

lol

 

[yinz]

With the rumors being so prominent, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the iPad does launch in march...

 

[AppleWarMachine]

It wouldn't surprise me if they announced one at the end of March for delivery in early April, actually counting on it. 😎

 

[AppleRobert]

My sister told me yesterday she even heard a rumor about another ipad coming soon, not anything specific though. And believe me she doesn't go out of her way with any new tech related news stuff. Guess this confirms it at least some kind of ipad is close to being released. 🙂

 

[Batavian]

2. Apple is shifting to a two-a-year update rate for iPads, to the chagrin of Apple owners everywhere, who seem to think it is their god-given right to have the newest ipad for 12 months at a time, and "how dare Apple sell a newer product" only 6 months after I bought mine." 😀

Anecdotal evidence seems to support #2, with Tim Cook's statement "we are not taking our foot off the gas".

Good analysis. I particularly like the quote from Tim Cook.

 

[mantan]

The question still comes down to profit. You know it irks Apple that the Mini has a lower profit margin than other hardware.

So the timing of the Retina Mini display becomes key. Sales of the Mini are very strong, by some reports outstripping the iPad 4 by 2 to 1. That would only get worse if a Retina Mini was released.

It seems like a more strategic move would be to updated the iPad 4 to a lighter/thinner version in April to try to breathe some life/interest back in to their most profitable product. They could give the Mini a minor spec bump refresh in March, then introduce Retina Mini for the 2013 holiday season.

Of course the Apple apologists will come on giving you all sorts of reasons a lighter/thinner device isn't physically possible....then call it magic when it arrives next year.

 

[Onimusha370]

If I had to guess what they'll do, I'd say they'll scrap the iPad 2, and add a retina mini to the works. That'll make the lineup something like this:

(Starting prices, wifi models)

iPad mini (16gb) $299
iPad mini with retina display (32gb) $399
iPad with retina display (32gb) $499

Seems to make sense pricing wise 🙂
Hoping the retina mini comes before the end of summer!

Ps. I guess they could keep the retina mini with 16gb, but it'd be pretty evil of them

 

[AppleRobert]

If I had to guess what they'll do, I'd say they'll scrap the iPad 2, and add a retina mini to the works. That'll make the lineup something like this:

(Starting prices, wifi models)

iPad mini (16gb) $299
iPad mini with retina display (32gb) $399
iPad with retina display (32gb) $499

Seems to make sense pricing wise 🙂
Hoping the retina mini comes before the end of summer!

Ps. I guess they could keep the retina mini with 16gb, but it'd be pretty evil of them

No way mini2 with retina AND 32gb would be $399. More like one with 16gb if it has retina. Then adjust accordingly the price for an ipad5 with what you wrote.