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Sketchy Report Claims Apple May Discontinue iPad Mini to Focus on 'iPad Pro'

With everything they are "getting" rid of They should get rid of the 16gig anything. But no, they got rid of 32 gig. The only thing that has the 32 gig is the mini. By the time you get your brand new i____, you lose about a gig or 2 for every thing they put in it (been awhile since I have seen a new one of anything). The 16 gig is outdated. As Apps, games and movies are downloaded on to a device will max out the drive of the device. And never mind when you do an iOS update. And yes, I know well all that stuff can be changed or you can download it from the cloud...if you got it from iTunes. Just thoughts for getting rid of "dead" weight. Keep the mini!:)
 
I hope my 5S and Mini last until Apple (and others) get their heads out of their butts and make smaller products again.
 
I keep seeing people allude to the ridiculous idea that the iPhone 6 is somehow a replacement for the mini, or is somehow cannibalizing the minis sales. Do you also think the iPhone take away from the iPod touch sales just because the screen is a similar size? The iPod touch (& iPad mini), and the iPhone are very different products, and very different kinds of purchases.

The iPhone 6+ is still too small to effectively run the iPads creative apps, and comes with a $100/mo cost obligation!

The iPhone 6+ is not a stand-in for an iPad mini.

The Mini will now sell poorly, not because of an iPhone, but because it's still last years iPad. In light of all the changes the iPad Air saw, tacking on an incomplete TouchID and upcharging it $100 was just pathetic.

Cook doesn't owe anyone anything, but would do well to provide some explanation to a lot of extremely disappointed mini customers wondering what to do now.
 
RoastingPig said:
since iphone 6+ i could give a damn about my ipad. iphone 6+ and macbook is the sweet spot
Click to expand...

Yet for some of us, the 6+ is an ungainly phone and an inadequate tablet. For us the sweet spot is the regular 6 and a small iPad with the MacBook mostly on the desk.

We do not all share the same needs.
 
I would be sorry to see the mini go. I have the Air 2, but keep the rMini in my purse and take it everywhere. It is much nicer to use for web browsing or reading than an iPhone. The Air 2 is the better tablet and lightweight but lacks the portability of the mini.
 
I was in the market for the iPad Mini 3, but then I saw the only difference was Gold and TouchID for $100 more, I scoured craigslist for a cellular ipad mini retina 16GB for $250 in mint condition. Threw a 200MB free T-Mobile SIM in it, and I'm straight.
 
I love my Mini, really hope this is not true as not everyone needs or wants a 10" iPad. The mini fits perfectly in my camera bag, giving me a bigger screen when on the road without needing a laptop or full size iPad.
 
Look, the whole point of an iPad in the first place is to have a powerful portable
computer, but without the heft & bulk of a laptop.
iPads are laptop replacements.

What's the point, then, of a laptop-sized tablet?!?
It's, quite literally, a contradiction of terms.
This is bullspit, nonsense, non-existant, etcetera.
A 12 inch plus iPad .... Bleccheroo.

Now enough of this palaver: bring "Portal" & "Half-Life" to iPad!!!!
 
Timster83 said:
Discontinue it? Probably not.

Deprioritise it and minimise R&D spend on future versions? Absolutely.

Let's face it, aside from minor spec bumps to keep it current and support the latest iOS, what future innovations do you see for the iPad Mini in terms of features, size or otherwise?

In the iPad show next year, expect it to take the place of the iPad Mini 2 and lose $100 from its selling price.
Click to expand...

What the hell type of R&D is necessary for it? Just update the processor, add some RAM, and everyone would be happy. If Apple makes this crappy decision, it will ONLY be based on forcing people (like me) to go with power over what is the ideal form factor for me.

Unfortunately, my iPad Mini 2 (with Retina) was getting a little sluggish with iOS 8, and I needed a memory upgrade. No way in hell was I going to buy an iPad Mini 3, so I switched to the Air 2, even though I am not a fan of the larger size.

That being said, Apple will probably point to anemic iPad Mini 3 sales numbers to justify discontinuing the line - super cynical of them, but I buy this story. RIP the best overall tablet I have ever owned.
 
ThunderSkunk said:
I keep seeing people allude to the ridiculous idea that the iPhone 6 is somehow a replacement for the mini, or is somehow cannibalizing the minis sales. Do you also think the iPhone take away from the iPod touch sales just because the screen is a similar size? The iPod touch (& iPad mini), and the iPhone are very different products, and very different kinds of purchases.

The iPhone 6+ is still too small to effectively run the iPads creative apps, and comes with a $100/mo cost obligation!

The iPhone 6+ is not a stand-in for an iPad mini.

The Mini will now sell poorly, not because of an iPhone, but because it's still last years iPad. In light of all the changes the iPad Air saw, tacking on an incomplete TouchID and upcharging it $100 was just pathetic.

Cook doesn't owe anyone anything, but would do well to provide some explanation to a lot of extremely disappointed mini customers wondering what to do now.
Click to expand...

I agree, except for the Mini selling poorly. Its cheap. Its an iPad, and many like the better portability. Its cheap, no doubt due to being last years tech, but its fine and again, its cheap
 
As a fan or regular iPad and iPhone didn't know the reason to exist of the iPad mini until I got one and now I love it, it has the perfect size to use it with one hand and it's really practical... I haven't used the 6plus so I'm gonna wait to see how it can co exist with my iPad air...
 
saintforlife said:
You can't be serious. The iPad mini's size allows it do certain things that are much easier than on the full sized iPad..for example reading magazines or articles when on the subway, or eBooks and such. There is no reason why you couldn't have the iPad mini, iPad Air and the iPad Pro with the same internals. Give people the choice to pick the size they want without having to compromise on internal specs.
Click to expand...

honestly apple is not about choices. it's more of the one-size-fits-all approach.
 
This has to be true...Apple discontinued the Mac Mini and Mac desktop to pursue the iPhone and Mac laptops along with the iPads and iWatch...
 
I'm not so sure they'll discontinue the mini... I think that the size is perfect for portability.
I'd introduce back a smaller screen iphone 3.5''.
My perfect deal would be: small screen phone (to use as a phone) and an ipad mini...
Obviously the new, bigger one as a laptop partial replacement... :D
 
They won't discontinue the iPad Mini anytime soon. This report is probably solely based on this years lesser featured Mini update.

Here in the UK the 1st gen Mini has just dropped to £199. As bad as it sounds that's a more acceptable price for lower income families. That's almost an entirely new market for iPads. iPads give a much better interactive game experience for younger children. Not to mention a cheap entry point to the iOS ecosystem for teenagers. I can see a lot of parents buying at the new lower entry price for gifts.

Sure the iPod touch previously had this market. It's only £40 cheaper though, and let's face it in 2014/2015 an iPad makes a better present than an iPod.

My guess is the Mini will get the A8 next year when the Air and the Pro get the A9. This trend will then continue until the iPhone Plus reaches 6.5" or larger in about 2 redesigns. So around 2018. Then Apple will stop updating the Mini completely. Then once the last gen Mini reaches a £150ish price point and the parts become harder to source, it will go the way of the iPod Classic.
 
I WON'T buy an iPhone 6+

I WILL buy an iPhone 6s

I WILL buy another Laptop

I WILL buy a Quad core Mini

I WON'T buy an iPad Air or Pro Series

I WILL buy more of the Mini Series

Please, Please, P-L-E-A-S-E ...don't make me switch to an Android :eek:
 
Nonsense. It's here to stay. iPad Mini is very popular, great for fitting in coat pockets or handbags. It's not for me as I prefer the larger screen Air but I know many people who have a Mini and would not switch to the larger screen size.
 
jarofclay73 said:
I don't see Apple getting rid of its best-selling iPad with 100% customer satisfaction.
Click to expand...

If iPhones keep getting larger, the iPad mini starts to become redundant anyway. A 6 - 6.5" iPhone would be getting dangerously close to iPad mini territory.

It's not so much about customer satisfaction, but rather Apple's margins. And margins are higher on iPhones.
 
No way

No way. The iPad mini would ship way more numbers than an iPad Pro which would be a gamble for Apple to make in the first place, being such a niche product. If they do this, then I'll think the wheels are falling off...
 
With increasing size of the iPhone6 over the 5 and two variants it might be a question if they should do something similar with the iPad - as a 12" might just canabalise sales (majority of) from the 9.7 Air.
Perhaps upgrade the Mini from 7.9 to 8.9, and the air from 9.7 to 12.3. And reduce bezel size on the top For both!
 
I think the iPad Mini had a brief moment of glory, with the ipad 3 and 4 being so heavy and unportable. However, the ipad Air 2 doesnt even feel heavier than the mini.

I think there really is nowhere for the mini to go.
 
I do love my mini retina. I like the 4" screen on my phone, it is a nice size. The mini retina fits in my coat inner pocket so ideal for travelling, then I have a 13" macbook air for proper work. I think it is the absolute ideal combination.
 
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