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More Claims of No Retina iPad Mini Until Early 2014

As iPad mini rumors swirl, the demand for the current generation starts to dip in anticipation for the next model. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple themselves was the "source" to leak misinformation and misdirection so as to get consumers doing an about-face and just grabbing the current model.

How many people like myself are on the fence on buying a current-gen iPad mini, and after hearing this "news," are more likely to just get one to satisfy the urge?
 
CmdrLaForge said:
Too bad. Still undecided between the mini and the regular. Not sure if I can get work done on the mini in particular typing in Pages etc...
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I feel like the larger iPad is more of a computer replacement and the Mini is more of a consumer device. If you want to do a lot of typing I'd either get an iPad and a wireless keyboard or get a Mac (which I think is the better choice).

Personally I have what's in my signature, but I want a Mini when it has a Retina Display and a better processor than my iPad 2 already has. :p
 
As has been said, and it's the plain cold hard fact about Apple.

Apple don't make anything. They have to wait for others (Samsung, Sharp etc) to actually develop and make something, then Apple, the consumer can buy when they make and fit it into their products.

Until someone else can make the screen and it's power requirements are right then Apple can't use it.

So they are stuck waiting for the people who really make the products to be ready.

If Apple vanished tomorrow, no-one else it going to be in trouble as they can't get the part they need from Apple. Apple need others, not the other way round.
 
ifij775 said:
I've never understood how Samsung can sell a ridiculously large number of devices in any range of spec, but Apple can't seem to bump the hardware on a comparatively puny number of devices.
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Because they can and get away with it.
Walled garden and captive customers that they know will put up with anything.
Magic.
 
I don't know why Apple would want to have a retina mini and non retina mini 2 out there. I mean, from a pure pride position, being proud of producing the best device you can, a mini with retina, then settling and releasing a cheaper, non-retina option-- inferior display... I don't think they need to do that. They've always said they don't release cheap products, removing features, simply to hit a price point. They say the strive to make the best products in the world. A new mini with non-retina screen isn't the best product in the world.

Of course, eventually every Apple product will have a retina screen, and how much of a hit in the wallet Apple wants to take to get us there as quickly as possible is unknown. But if I was Tim Cook, I would not release an inferior product along side a retina mini.

I have a mini, love it, and am waiting for a retina version. Once I get a retina mini, I may hold off on upgrading it to a new version for maybe 2-3 cycles.

As an aside, I always updated my MacBook Pros almost yearly. However, my retina MBP has all the technology I really need. Retina screen, USB3, Thunderbolt, SSD, SD slot, HDMI, 8GB RAM, etc. This will be the first MBP I've taken through my entire AppleCare. I don't plan on getting another MBP until June 2015, when my AppleCare plan expires. I expect the same will happen with my next mini. Once I have that great screen, and for what I use it for, I'm sure it will last me at least 2 product revisions, maybe 3.
 
If true, it's no surprise. Apple is quite masterful in milking the profit taking opportunities at every turn.

They'll upgrade the mini at their convenience.
 
Is Rumors Tired of Rumors

I wonder when "MacRumors" itself, will get tired of all the rumors.

You know, even they have to look at some of these rumors and go...
"Really, another one of THESE... When will all these rumors stop?"

And then they say, "Well, it's a rumor, we should report on it."

And then... they force a smile and the rumor mills churn on....

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furi0usbee said:
I don't know why Apple would want to have a retina mini and non retina mini 2 out there. I mean, from a pure pride position, being proud of producing the best device you can, a mini with retina, then settling and releasing a cheaper, non-retina option-- inferior display... I don't think they need to do that. They've always said they don't release cheap products, removing features, simply to hit a price point.
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Was there not an ipad retina and a non-retina ipad out at the same time? Is there a macbook pro with retina and one with non-retina? Looks like they do it.

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furi0usbee said:
I have a mini, love it, and am waiting for a retina version. Once I get a retina mini, I may hold off on upgrading it to a new version for maybe 2-3 cycles.

As an aside, I always updated my MacBook Pros almost yearly. However, my retina MBP has all the technology I really need. ... I expect the same will happen with my next mini. Once I have that great screen, and for what I use it for, I'm sure it will last me at least 2 product revisions, maybe 3.
Click to expand...

And that may be the best reason of all, for Apple to hold off on inserting the technology we really want. String you along long enough, that you will give in and buy the next few cycles, and then finally give you what you want when... they know they are right around the corner from the next thing you are going want.
 
Running Dinosaur

maxosx said:
If true, it's no surprise. Apple is quite masterful in milking the profit taking opportunities at every turn.

They'll upgrade the mini at their convenience.
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Agreed. But... it does seem like they are missing key release marks. And the "Updates and New Products" are either missing the mark on when they should be released take advantage of a specific "buying season" or they take so long to upgrade the product, that when it's announced, the excitement is already over because someone else has beat them to the punch with a product with new cool features or the product that's released missing the "big bang" it would have had, if it was released a year earlier (i.e. Mac Pro).

It's like they need to be 12 - 18 months ahead on their release of products, to really keep things churning strong.

Of course, this is what tends to happen as a company gets bigger... one of their main struggles is not to become the old slow dinosaur... weighted down by the demands of producing, shipping, and maintaining millions of stores and sales outlets around the world.

May the dinosaur see it's tail and start running.
 
If they can make retina screens for the slightly larger main iPad then I don't see why they should have any problems with the iPad mini. They need a retina model to compete with new models this Christmas.
 
furi0usbee said:
<snipped>

I have a mini, love it, and am waiting for a retina version. Once I get a retina mini, I may hold off on upgrading it to a new version for maybe 2-3 cycles.

...
Click to expand...

Precisely why I believe Apple won't introduce the retina mini now. They can upgrade the processor to A6 now as Mini 2, then turnaround and introduce the retina mini on the same motor in 2014 as an underpowered Mini 3 and then release Mini 4 in 2015 with an A7/8.

Lot's of people can't resist the temptation/ peer pressure/ advertising barrage and will part with their money for 2 or maybe even 3 iPad Mini's in the same time duration.
 
Come on we all know Apple will release a new iPad mini without retina display...they release one with a faster processor and more memory first...then a year from then release the retina iPad mini!

Come on Apple is smart and knows all their customers are sheep and will buy both iPads. Why make money off one when they can sell two?!
 
A Strategic Mistake

Releasing the iPad Mini without the retina was and is a mistake.

They spent so much time and energy getting us to buy into "Retina", then delivered a "substandard" product/experience. Aside from developers, only those with money to burn would run out and buy this.
 
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In and around the time Apple released and sold the iPhone 4S as the latest model, momentum was the word of the day. Even as they migrated to the iPhone 5 Apple continued to enjoy that same momentum.

Today however so much time has passed with the only iPhone rumors being rather uninspiring, that at least from my perspective it's as though Apple has drifted off course. With what seems to be the same old recycled hardware, yet betting the farm on iOS 7, an aspect that most people are hardly aware of nor do they care, it's going to be an interesting launch once it finally happens.
 
maxosx said:
In and around the time Apple released and sold the iPhone 4S as the latest model, momentum was the word of the day. Even as they migrated to the iPhone 5 Apple continued to enjoy that same momentum.

Today however so much time has passed with the only iPhone rumors being rather uninspiring, that at least from my perspective it's as though Apple has drifted off course. With what seems to be the same old recycled hardware, yet betting the farm on iOS 7, an aspect that most people are hardly aware of nor do they care, it's going to be an interesting launch once it finally happens.
Click to expand...

In all fairness, at the time of Steve's death, they said that the road map was two years out. No excuse, but I think they wanted to honor that. Plus, Forstall's firing had to have created an internal mess that needed cleaning up.
 
jrswizzle said:
What would be the reason to purchase a non-retina mini 2 at this point?
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Generally, the average customer does not think about a product being refreshed. When s/he decides to purchase they buy. Only 'some' MacRumors commenters make an issue out of it.
 
dan110 said:
In all fairness, at the time of Steve's death, they said that the road map was two years out. No excuse, but I think they wanted to honor that. Plus, Forstall's firing had to have created an internal mess that needed cleaning up.
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Ah yes, there's no shortage of internal challenges given the personnel changes, the vast amount of negative energy spent on legal battles and the related tasks to manage their public persona. At the end of the day, it's part and parcel of what's become a long transition from Apple Inc w/Steve to Apple Inc w/out him.
 
asthamapheo said:
it's compact shape, which makes it easy to hold and easy to travel with
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exactly, as a full sized iPad 3 owner, I am waiting to dump mine for an iPad mini retina. I don't like the weight and size of the iPad 3. The mini is so much lighter and the screen isn't much smaller, and the keyboard will be MORE usable, not less, as I find the keys too spaced out for one hand use on the iPad 3, but the keyboard too small for two hand use (and how do you hold it and use two hands to type?).

We will give our lightly used iPad to my mother-in-law and I imagine I'll use the mini much more often.
 
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