If Apple now think that their decision to restrict 16GB RAM and Nano texture to the high end models has led to disappointing sales, then another iPad Pro sooner rather than later which gave these (even if they were optional upgrades) to all users would rectify that. I want an OLED mini, but had the Pro come with 12 or 16GB as standard, I would likely have picked up an 11”. Given that the Air has had 8GB for three years, that just isn’t enough on a device that starts at £999. The software doesn’t need more, but RAM limits a device far before anything else.
I think Apple made sales to those who wanted OLED but weren’t really tuned into the specs beyond this (I fell into this group when I bought the iPad 3, having ruled out buying the iPad 2 as I had the Retina display on my iPhone 4) and those whose Pros were no longer performing as they needed (but a few of these may have headed to the refurb store as the RAM wasn’t increased for all intents and purposes.) Maybe a few who were wavering in the UK bought when the election was called, thinking the outcome was obvious and taxes on business likely to increase - and therefore that the price might increase by £100+ as a result.
Was it disappointing sales that led the iPad 4 to be released only 7 months after the 3?
Pros are not the devices to buy every model like the Mini and the base model might be, as you lose far less money with the others. And people are now considering whether they can afford an iPad splurge, as the rainy day feels like it could only be a few months away. At this point, everyone who might become a Pro user has probably bought one - I essentially committed to waiting for an OLED mini when I didn’t buy an 11” in May. It’s a mature product now.
If they have finally learned that underwhelming updates don’t sell as they would like due to people voting with their feet/wallets, then they should finally give the Mini and the Air 90hz screens. We expect single stack, and to wait longer for OLED of any kind than Pro users, but we don’t expect the same choppy screen tech given that we’re not buying a base model.