Ninth Generation iPad With Faster Processor and Thinner Design Expected This Fall

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

What's the point of the iPad mini? Phones have ~6" screens, who would then want a tablet with a 7.9" screen?

Two inches might not sound like much in isolation, but it's a full third again bigger. It's considerable. iPad mini is the perfect device size for reading on imo. Even the biggest iPhone too small, plus I wouldn't want to spend all that on an iPhone, and have to carry around a massive phone all the time, just because it's better for watching videos and reading. I prefer a smaller phone. And iPad 11" Air or Pro too big for reading holding up for long periods.

 

[Tozovac]

I bet it bends easier. Theres a diminishing return on making stuff thinner.

Yes. Less is not always more. Less can be so much more when there’s a lot of low hanging fruit to exploit, which Apple did immensely well before around 2013.

But after 2013, Apple started making the mistake of trying to give more each year under the guise of giving less, to where more has been bad than good with that. (ports/jacks removal, Function keys removal, esc key removal, inverted-T arrow keys pattern removal, MagSafe removal, keyboard travel removal, detailed interface elements removal, etc.)

 

[smulji]

A13 with 4GB of DRAM, along with using the iPad Air 3 chassis and a laminated display should be all anyone can expect from a 9th Gen iPad. An upgrade to the front camera would be nice after all this time and a 20w USB-C to Lightning adapter, and Bluetooth 5.0. However, all this adds cost, so we’ll see.

At $329, that would be one hell of a value. For purely content consumption, I would recommend this over a $599 iPad Air.

 

[g35]

At $329, that would be one hell of a value. For purely content consumption, I would recommend this over a $599 iPad Air.

I agree on the value, but I’d buy it only if it comes with true tone. I’ve become so used to it that it’s a must-have feature for me now. Should be feasible if they’re just repurposing the Air 3 but who knows.

 

[Saturn007]

What's the point of the iPad mini? Phones have ~6" screens, who would then want a tablet with a 7.9" screen?

LOL! 😎 🙈

The iPad Mini's display is roughly TWICE as big! That's a HUGE difference! You can really tell and appreciate the difference when web browsing, book reading, looking at PDFs, using astronomy apps, working with spreadsheets, watching movies, etc.

What matters isn't the 6” vs. the 7.9”, but the AREA of the display — which is a matter of length x height, NOT the diagonal. After all, a 6” pencil has virtually no display area!

Just consider. The iPhone 12 with that 6.1” display is 5.78” x 2.82” in size. Or, 16.3 square inches.

The iPad Mini 5 is 8” x 5.3”. Or, 42.4 sq. inches.

Even if one adjusts the dimensions for the bezels, you're going to end up with close to double the display area for the iPad! That's a big difference.

I think people making this argument either hold their iPhones up to their eyes, don’t do a lot of reading on them, or have never used an iPad mini before.

The Mini is vastly superior in the earlier mentioned uses…

——

Alas, Apple only gives the dimensions of the overall device, not the screen areas. If anyone has the actual screen dimensions, please chime in.

 

[hajime]

I don't want any faster CPU nor thinner design. I want a more powerful iPad OS that can take advantage of existing hardware and do software development.

 

[Techwatcher]

While the wide top and bottom bezels aren’t aesthetically pleasing they’re actually quite ergonomic. Most people hold their iPads in landscape orientation and the wider bezeal area actually provides a nice handle to hang onto. Considering these iPads will likely be used by casual consumers and children that’s actually a plus for many.

Not just that, but the Home button is a massive plus for them. and the only way to have that button is to keep the bezels. It is what it is.

 

[Zdigital2015]

At $329, that would be one hell of a value. For purely content consumption, I would recommend this over a $599 iPad Air.

It would be, so I expect Apple will give us an A13, 3GB DRAM, same crap front camera, and BT 4.2, but a laminated display. Still not a bad value.

There is still lots that can be done on the base iPad, more than content consumption. However, iPadOS still needs quite a bit of work.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Yes. Less is not always more. Less can be so much more when there’s a lot of low hanging fruit to exploit, which Apple did immensely well before around 2013.

But after 2013, Apple started making the mistake of trying to give more each year under the guise of giving less, to where more has been bad than good with that. (ports/jacks removal, Function keys removal, esc key removal, inverted-T arrow keys pattern removal, MagSafe removal, keyboard travel removal, detailed interface elements removal, etc.)

All of which you described pertains to the MacBook Pro, not the iPad. Wrong thread, and after 5 years, it’s time to move on, even if it’s over to Windows for you.

 

[Tozovac]

All of which you described pertains to the MacBook Pro, not the iPad. Wrong thread, and after 5 years, it’s time to move on, even if it’s over to Windows for you.

Front button removal on ipad….check.
Touch ID removal on ipad…check.
Less intuitive flat interface on ipad…check.
No inverted-T arrow keys on the ipad Smart Keyboard…check.
No esc key on the ipad Smart Keyboard…check.
Headphone port removed from iPad Pro…check.

What are you talking about?

 

[Vasilisxd]

Great ! Now even the starter iPad will have a better single core CPU than my iPad Pro 2020 model that I bought 1500€

 

[Rookbird¥]

It’s time to get over this thinner/faster mentality. They have the hardware, the problem is the software isn’t keeping up. They have Ferrari hardware running Beatle software.

 

[currentinterest]

My guess is that they will simply use the older, thinner 10.5 inch iPad Pro case and jump to an A13 or A14 SoC and 4GB RAM, and will stay with Apple Pencil 1. The Air will move to the A15 as will the redesigned mini. The entry iPad will be more powerful than was the 10.5 inch iPad Pro (but without laminated display, ProMotion, or quad speakers) for $329.

 

[smulji]

If the upcoming model is indeed 8.5"

It's going to be 8.3"

However, iPadOS still needs quite a bit of work.

This is true

 

[Realityck]

It's going to be 8.3"

That’s not definitive. You just quoting Ross’s best guess.

Just to show all the predictions:

According to Kuo, Apple is planning to bump the size of the iPad mini's display somewhere in the vicinity of 8.5-inches to 9-inches. In another research note, he says it will be 8.5-inches. Digitimes backs this up. The publication states that the next version of the iPad mini will come with an "8.x -inch" display.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara believes the iPad mini 6's display will measure 8.4-inches. Analyst Ross Young thinks the display will measure 8.3-inches. Young says the display grew "from 7.9" due to narrower bezels and removal of Home button."

 

[smulji]

You just quoting Ross’s best guess.

Ross has a 100% track record, to date, with respect to predicting display sizes of new Apple devices. Why would I not give him benefit of the doubt?

 

[sunny5]

RAM is the main issue. A powerful AP won't gonna use full potential because of RAM. 6GB would be great.

 

[Seanm87]

Why on earth are people talking about power/ram and the limits of iPadOS?

This is the BASE IPad, designed for kids and grannies and people who just want to browse the web and watch YouTube.

 

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

Ross has a 100% track record, to date, with respect to predicting display sizes of new Apple devices. Why would I not give him benefit of the doubt?

You can, but you can't quote it as fact.

 

[Realityck]

Ross has a 100% track record, to date, with respect to predicting display sizes of new Apple devices. Why would I not give him benefit of the doubt?

Ross has 100% for only 2 rumors per source leaderboard. We'll see what happens later on.

 

[jimmy_uk]

Why on earth are people talking about power/ram and the limits of iPadOS?

This is the BASE IPad, designed for kids and grannies and people who just want to browse the web and watch YouTube.

And pilots, doctors, engineers......

Or anyone who want a small tablet.

 

[Seanm87]

And pilots, doctors, engineers......

Or anyone who want a small tablet.

I was referring to the base iPad not the mini

 

[jimmy_uk]

I was referring to the base iPad not the mini

Apologies - I was reading across two threads.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Great ! Now even the starter iPad will have a better single core CPU than my iPad Pro 2020 model that I bought 1500€

Technology marches on. My M1 MacBook Pro is almost as fast as my 2019 Core i9 iMac in certain tasks, some are faster. Big whoop. My iMac is still my workhorse. Is your iPad Pro now unusable? Or is it that it’s just a little less “exclusive” than when you bought it?

 

[Chlloret]

the crash doesnt happen to your M1 ipad because for stitching photos you need as more RAM as you can have...so you have at least 8gb ram or maybe 16

No, you are limited to 5 on iPad apps.