iPad Air costs $599 at the moment. A modern iPad mini would probably cost $550, or maybe $499. The problem is that the regular iPad costs $329 to start, with a larger screen. The average customer won’t be able to justify that. This is the same problem the iPhone SE poses for the mini
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Leaked Dummy Units Show iPad Mini 6 With Thick Bezels and Home Button, New iPad Pro Models
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The mini only makes sense if you want the smaller size. I do want the smaller size. It’s small enough to use standing up, for short periods. It can fit in a large pocket or a small bag and if I’m sitting down I can just hold it—I don’t need to balance it on anything.
The new Apple Pencil looks good and pro features would be nice. But the pro features are all better on a bigger screen. USB-C would mean it couldn’t share a charging cable with my phone. Also I use wired headphones. Round edges are good too, because I’m holding it and it’s heavier than a phone. Sharp edges might be uncomfortable.
Making it a pro model would put it close to the iPhone Pro in price, and it’s already kinda close to the largest iPhone in size. The price point doesn’t make the most sense now—it looks like it should cost less than the base iPad, but it costs more, because it’s really about size and not features or price. Pro models sell on features first and this is not that. Sure some people want a mini pro—just not enough people.
The one thing I would get rid of is the home button, as I prefer using gestures. Less bezel + more screen would be good, but there’s a good chance we’ll get that.
The front camera at the top is good for videoconferencing in landscape mode. No-one looks their best with the camera dead centre right in front of them.
Looks like a good update to me.
The new Apple Pencil looks good and pro features would be nice. But the pro features are all better on a bigger screen. USB-C would mean it couldn’t share a charging cable with my phone. Also I use wired headphones. Round edges are good too, because I’m holding it and it’s heavier than a phone. Sharp edges might be uncomfortable.
Making it a pro model would put it close to the iPhone Pro in price, and it’s already kinda close to the largest iPhone in size. The price point doesn’t make the most sense now—it looks like it should cost less than the base iPad, but it costs more, because it’s really about size and not features or price. Pro models sell on features first and this is not that. Sure some people want a mini pro—just not enough people.
The one thing I would get rid of is the home button, as I prefer using gestures. Less bezel + more screen would be good, but there’s a good chance we’ll get that.
The front camera at the top is good for videoconferencing in landscape mode. No-one looks their best with the camera dead centre right in front of them.
Looks like a good update to me.
Totally hear you on this! And I wish they would stop treating smaller devices as entry level devices. Their current lineup would hint at that pricewise - the dated iPad Mini 5 is actually $70 MORE than the current entry level iPad, despite having the exact same chip and a smaller screen. That doesn't make any sense to me. They will need to either lower the price on the new iPad Mini if there isn't anything to distinguish it from the entry iPad (except a newer chip), or give it features to justify something just as fast with a larger screen for a lower price. I'd hope for the latter. Otherwise we will be in the same situation as the iPhone Mini - great phone with a price tag that's unreasonably high compared to the products "below" it.
699? Until recently, well equipped mini’s were priced at $720 - $780, before Apple dis counted it. A mini pro like these guys are talking about wouldn’t cost less than a grand, if it had all the same parts and only a couple inches less real estate.
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An iPad Mini 6 is not something I need. But an iPad Mini with a pro/air body style is something I might buy. I use my 11" pro to read, but would prefer a slightly smaller form factor.
Of course, Apple didn't become successful catering to every need... or want. So I'm not holding my breath.
Of course, Apple didn't become successful catering to every need... or want. So I'm not holding my breath.
I never mentioned a Mini "Pro," but just doing what Apple has usually done with the Air/Mini line - same chips but smaller size and $100 less. My daughter has an A12 and I can already see it starting to lag in some apps along with my Mini 5 (same chip).
I agree that the new Mini (non-Pro) would cost $499, but it would sport the A14 and not the old A12 in the base iPad. But it would probably have Apple Pencil 2 compatibility, which I would welcome, as well as USB-C.
I also agree that there will be a lot of outcries from those who don't really "need" an updated Mini, but for those who are Mini fanatics, the price is justifiable. If not many complained about the new Air's price point even though it stepped on the toes of the 11" Pro, then perhaps Mini consumers won't either. Who knows until it happens?
Wrong. The 329 iPad is a chonky brick. I’ve hated that form factor since it came around the first time as the original iPad Air, and it’s only gotten worse years later. The Mini, on the other hand, was the perfect form factor from day one. I would gladly shell out 500 bucks for a Mini Pro, and that is a sentiment shared by many. The fact that the mini survived so long as the 4 iteration, despite being long outdated internally before Apple almost begrudgingly updated it to the 5 shows you have much interest there is in an iPad of this size, and why the $329 regular iPad is in no way in competition with the Mini.
Everyone who uses poor examples to support why an iPad mini Pro would be a bad idea based on the iPhone 12 mini is just buying into poor business decisions that are excused due to marketing spin:
- The iPhone mini “flopped” because of three very simple reasons: a poor strategy of release date, pricing, and benefits (or lack there-of for perceived value).
-It’s not cheap enough to justify entry-level pricing over the SE so stingy customers or or even those that want familiarity to the old design wouldn’t opt for it.
-It’s also not perceived as worth getting over the base 12 for people looking for the all-around device with the best value. It’s not sold by most sales people because they’ll just say, “For $100 more you can get the 12 with the bigger screen and better battery life.” The average person’s like, “Oh it’s only $4 more per month to get the 12.” “Sold!”
-Lastly, it came out after the 12 gobbled up a lot of the interest and with “free” trade-in offers at that.
Everything Apple positioned was essentially killing the mini before it even released. It’d have been a better strategy had they l launched the mini around this time or at the same time as the 12, been able to lower the manufacturing costs a little to price it at $600, and increased the battery by 10-20%. Not to mention don’t have any touchscreen issue that turns salespeople off from selling it.
The iPad mini is in a completely different situation because the base mini could become the entry level lower priced option like the iPhone SE (not 12 mini) with the old familiar design at entry-pricing, while a new mini Pro would become the feature-rich, Pro-designed option aka the 12 Pro.
Businesses and families wanting their kids to have basic media/consumption devices would likely opt for a cheaper mini still, whereas a $450-500 mini Pro with the newer TouchID or even FaceID would be a different target market and also not be out-priced or valued by the Air where people would do the same 12/12mini thinking.
They could increase battery life, increase display size, new Touch/Face ID, add 5G, and the Pro/Air flat edged casing. Paying $150-200 more for those things would be intriguing for a lot of people.
Or the better thing to do would be make the iPad mini 6 equivalent to the iPad 8th gen and price it at $299, and have the iPad mini Pro launch alongside it at $499 with all the upgraded features mentioned above. Creating two distinct options that serve specific purposes in the market. Not leave the mini 5 at it’s high price and increase a mini Pro price even further.
- The iPhone mini “flopped” because of three very simple reasons: a poor strategy of release date, pricing, and benefits (or lack there-of for perceived value).
-It’s not cheap enough to justify entry-level pricing over the SE so stingy customers or or even those that want familiarity to the old design wouldn’t opt for it.
-It’s also not perceived as worth getting over the base 12 for people looking for the all-around device with the best value. It’s not sold by most sales people because they’ll just say, “For $100 more you can get the 12 with the bigger screen and better battery life.” The average person’s like, “Oh it’s only $4 more per month to get the 12.” “Sold!”
-Lastly, it came out after the 12 gobbled up a lot of the interest and with “free” trade-in offers at that.
Everything Apple positioned was essentially killing the mini before it even released. It’d have been a better strategy had they l launched the mini around this time or at the same time as the 12, been able to lower the manufacturing costs a little to price it at $600, and increased the battery by 10-20%. Not to mention don’t have any touchscreen issue that turns salespeople off from selling it.
The iPad mini is in a completely different situation because the base mini could become the entry level lower priced option like the iPhone SE (not 12 mini) with the old familiar design at entry-pricing, while a new mini Pro would become the feature-rich, Pro-designed option aka the 12 Pro.
Businesses and families wanting their kids to have basic media/consumption devices would likely opt for a cheaper mini still, whereas a $450-500 mini Pro with the newer TouchID or even FaceID would be a different target market and also not be out-priced or valued by the Air where people would do the same 12/12mini thinking.
They could increase battery life, increase display size, new Touch/Face ID, add 5G, and the Pro/Air flat edged casing. Paying $150-200 more for those things would be intriguing for a lot of people.
Or the better thing to do would be make the iPad mini 6 equivalent to the iPad 8th gen and price it at $299, and have the iPad mini Pro launch alongside it at $499 with all the upgraded features mentioned above. Creating two distinct options that serve specific purposes in the market. Not leave the mini 5 at it’s high price and increase a mini Pro price even further.
Does anyone actually use their iPad as a camera very often? I can count the number of times I've used it on the fingers of one hand (over 3 years). The experience is just no good at all. I'd much rather they put in a good front camera, and saved money/weight on the rear camera stuff.
Opposite for me. I use the camera all the time, mostly to scan documents or take picture for ebay listings, but I've never in my life used the front facing camera on anything. Apart from an interview or two, I think.
I'm also firmly in the camp of those who want a redesigned iPad Mini, but I also have to insist on Touch ID (ideally like it's implemented in the current iPad Air).
Obviously that's not going to happen, though.
I love my iPad Air 4. For my needs, it supersedes the MacBook Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, etc. I'm looking forward to someday ditching the dinosaur that is the 90's laptop. The iPhone needs an overhaul too. I'll be 80 years old and Apple CEO AI Tim Cook_v2 will still be rolling out rounded vs. squared corners every other release year.
Good usage point. But there isn't any need for a fancy camera system for scanning documents.
Uhh...
The 11" iPad Pro starts at $799.
A hypothetical 8" would start at $699. Not hard to figure out.
disappointing that the mini is not a real upgrade, if it were like the pros I would consider replacing my pro.
Face ID would be great, but the bezels are very practical. A huge number of mini users are mini humans who are prone to dropping and throwing them from their car seats. Those big bezels make it possible for case makers to design some very sturdy cases. Also the mini is the only iPad that is comfortable for an adult to hold with one hand. The bezels allow you to do so without smudging the screen.
Not sure who is concerned about that with it being a touch screen device. 🤷🏻♂️
The motivation is the same as with the iPhone Pro models, get nicer specs for a bit more money.
Uhh... I said ”well equipped”, not base model. If a person has a use for an ipad mini with all the power features of the pro models, they‘re not after an el cheapo 4gb model. Not that hard to figure out.
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You're actually spot on. The Mini is heavily used by businesses and will continue to get incremental updates like this. If an updated Mini design comes out it will come out as a different model, an iPad mini Pro. While I personally would pay more for an iPad mini Pro than the 12.9 Pro the number of us willing to even buy one at all is tiny (by Apple standards). The goal of the iPad mini releases will be low cost and longevity as that's the market that uses them.
I also wanted a 12 Mini phone (and LOVE it) but... we are a niche and not the most profitable one as the Mini phone sales show. I personally will sell my current gen 11 iPad Pro in favor of the Mini 6 but that's mostly because I want a fingerprint sensor again (super handy during a pandemic). If I have to slide back a gen in styling to get it, that's fine. I'm actually looking forward to not having sharp edges on my device anymore.