Yeah the screen size would increase, but if the body stays the same that keyboard will be uncomfortable to type on. The 9.7" keyboard was uncomfortable enough, while the 10.5" was significantly better. I can only imagine what a mini one feels like.
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New iPad Mini 5 Could Support Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard
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Reading mostly. It's a great alternative to the e-readers. And it's getting harder to find tablets that are any good in this size. Samsung hasn't updated its 7" in a couple of years. There's a ton of $50 and $100 tablets out there, but the resolution isn't super great IMHO. The Apple mini will hit a good spot. And the pen will be excellent. It will make it easy to use it as a notepad, especially when you are standing.
I’d wager FaceID is going to be included. It makes no sense from a supply chain perspective to implement under display fingerprints for one product out of the entire family.
Soooo let me get this straight, you like the kindle because its more bang for the buck and does all you want, but would pay $$$ for an iPad Mini Pro? Still scratching my head on that one. Don't get me wrong, I love my Mini 4, I would debate you on performance of it (but not the 1, your only point of reference, which is by todays standard a dog), but a lot of people think the Pro is overpowered as it is for a larger form factor with a large enough screen for Apps to run side by side... smaller is not always better in screen sizes as I tried to suggest earlier. Side by side Apps is probably not practical on a mini sized pad. And I just don't see them coming out with a smaller size pencil. As market size goes, the pencil is pretty small for Apple as it is. Now for your sake I hope Apple does as you wish. But I wouldn't bet on it.
I think you are being overly harsh when you say Apple makes its decisions based on "just because." We may not agree with their logic but they try to give enough choices without being totally confusing and for quality control issues. People complain bitterly if their Apple products are not perfect... often citing poor quality control. Each product added is another product that has to be thoroughly tested prior to release.
I do feel your pain, as I am a left handed person in a right handed world, but market pressures are a reality that I have to live with, and I do not think its fair to say half the population by virtue of their gender always need smaller products.
Hope the product you want comes out.
It makes sense if it’s the first one of many more to come. The Pro devices might get it in addition to FaceID, because FaceID is not good in many situations like laying the device flat on the table...
For me, it's less clumsy than a larger unit. Big enough for reading and the keyboard, in Landscape mode, is about the same size and spacing as an Apple keyboard. But the best part is it fits in my hospital lab coat pocket so carrying it around is easier.
I would and do. Two different pads for two different uses and use cases. Why not have both if one can?
Oh I agree, if FaceID was only going to be for the higher end devices I could see it.
But from their patents and the way they’re investing heavily in the core tech of FaceID (like the factory they’re funding to produce VCels) FaceID is going to be in all Apple computers and mobile devices in the coming years.
An ipad mini with slimmer bezels and an 8.5” screen in the same size body with face ID, usb-c and apple pencil 2 support would be soooo sweet.
Wait what? FaceID doesn’t work with polarized sunglasses?? If thats true I’m putting off getting a new iPhone or iPad for a long time. I won’t use sunglasses that aren’t polarized.
If that comes true, I might as well ditch my 11" Pro...
The major problem on the pro is the wasted space. Everything is just huge. The pro needs to scale down things a little bit otherwise it display as much content as the mini 4, just on a larger display. Software wise, Apple needs to stop identifying the iPad Pros as mobile devices. It's just ridicoulus to get a mobile page at that resolution.
Well, but that pretty much sums up the problems of the Pro: Software, not hardware.
Although, it's not foldable yet, at least not more than a few degrees... and not very often...
Totally agree on that! I currently use my mini 4 along the 11" Pro. The pro turned out to not completely replace the mini. In fact, I still use the mini more often than the pro.
The major problem on the pro is the wasted space. Everything is just huge. The pro needs to scale down things a little bit otherwise it display as much content as the mini 4, just on a larger display. Software wise, Apple needs to stop identifying the iPad Pros as mobile devices. It's just ridicoulus to get a mobile page at that resolution.
Well, but that pretty much sums up the problems of the Pro: Software, not hardware.
Give the iPad Mini an earpiece: tada! iPhone XS SuperMax!
I disagree. FaceID is rather disappointing for me in the Pro. Half of the time the camere is covered as I use it in landscape mostly or it doesn't work, because the tablet is lying flat on the table and the face is out of reach of the sensor. I don't want to lift up the device everytime for checking in on notifications or quickly type a short response, but that's exactly what FaceID requires. Although I appreciated the improced security it provides.
inluded only in terms of optional equipment.
Believe it or not, it fits many pockets, especially inside jackets. Also the mini is DIN A5 sized (very common paper format in Europe) which means it fits a lot stuff that is designed for A5 paper/documents.
"Curved" is a feature!
Although, it's not foldable yet, at least not more than a few degrees... and not very often...
You would think there'd be at least one group in Apple with their ears to the streets, right? (Not closed-off in some bubble-world of money and corporate circle-jerks...)
Nah. Apple be like:
iPad mini is the only iPad I'll use, but if they get carried away with the pricing again, I'm out.
I believe both the mini and the iPad will remain compatible with the Apple Pencil 1, and the Logitech Crayon. They will also feature the lightening connector. The Touch ID may be “under screen,” but it will likely remain as is, only a bit smaller. The iPads will likely feature an A12 Bionic processor (not the 12X), 32 GB storage, and 2 GB of RAM (perhaps 3). Pricing will likely be $299 for the mini and $349 for the iPad.
There’s a massive market for a smaller iPad for people who work on their feet and have to carry an iPad all day. From restaurant waiters, to warehouse workers, to parking enforcement, to sports coaches, to realtors.
I’m a photographer and editing on the go is becoming very big for me. It’s nice to be able to edit in Lightroom on my iPhone X but I’d rather be able to edit on a bigger screen that I can carry with me to all my shoots. An iPad is still too big to throw in a camera bag. An iPad mini is just the right size.
My iPad Pro 12.9” is my main computer in the studio, an iPad mini would be a perfect companion at shoots on location.
Apple has done this forever. Even when Jobs was around you had to get the bigger screened MacBooks to get the faster process, the same with the iMacs.
You have to remember that when you shrink a device as significantly as the Pro to a mini, that requires a whole new design for engineering. Making and case smaller is easy but packing all the other components in (some of which you can't change the size of), makes it a massive undertaking. There is also cooling issues as well.
Mini sales were low on the last iteration with people choosing the bigger size or iPad or Plus/Max size phone. Apple may not want to spend millions developing a product that isn't going to sell well enough to make a good return.
iPad mini is my fav portable apple device. fits in cargo pockets and big coat pockets, good for photo editing without being ridiculously huge... wish they would make a mini pro. I'm tired of them being given hand me down junk from 3 years ago
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cause they made it suck. the phones were better than the mini. ridiculous.
If you're Apple - you'd be like - Of course! let's sell an add-on for mini's and make and extra 100-130. What could possibly discourage that action.
If Apple is really cruel, maybe they'll use pencil support on the next mini, then shift to Pencil 2 next year - because - accessory churn...
If Apple is really cruel, maybe they'll use pencil support on the next mini, then shift to Pencil 2 next year - because - accessory churn...
FaceID works with polarized sunglasses... i have several pair and they all work fine.
I came close several times on Black Friday to go for the 128gig mini 4 for $249 price, but decided to wait and see if/what the rumored mini 5 would bring. I can’t imagine Apple doing anything so crazy that I won’t be buying one on day one. My pair of mini 2’s are still doing well but iOS has slowed them down a bit.
My guess is the form factor will remain the same with better specs. It’s hard to guess where the price will go. If there is pencil support it will very likely be pencil one. Pencil two would require a redesign to accommodate charging. One of the things that makes it possible for Apple to introduce these lower priced models is to reuse existing technology. So the new budget larger size could very easily be the former 10” Pro.
I bought two of the 2017 iPads for $249 each Black Friday 2017. They are work horses.
My guess is the form factor will remain the same with better specs. It’s hard to guess where the price will go. If there is pencil support it will very likely be pencil one. Pencil two would require a redesign to accommodate charging. One of the things that makes it possible for Apple to introduce these lower priced models is to reuse existing technology. So the new budget larger size could very easily be the former 10” Pro.
I bought two of the 2017 iPads for $249 each Black Friday 2017. They are work horses.