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

[rGiskard]

If true, this would be quite an indictment of Apple's leadership. They priced the Mini as the highest of high end 8" tablets, gimp it with one of the worst displays of any quality tablet on the market, and then can't figure out why sales suck?

My hope is that the Mini 3 sucks because TSMC couldn't fab enough A8/A8X SoCs, and Apple will introduce the "true" Mini update in 6 months or so when yields are up. I really hope this is true, because if they terminate the Mini there will be no high pixel density iPads to buy Come on Apple, it's 2014, I shouldn't be able to see the pixels on your mobile devices that cost more than anything else on the market!

Raise the Air 3's pixel density to over 325 ppi, and I'd be fine with it. Drop in 3X display (2304 x 3072 @ 396 ppi) and I'd wait in line overnight to buy it at an extra $100 over today's prices.



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Just get an iPhone Plus to replace your mini.

The Mini has over twice the display area of the 6+.

 

[fallenjt]

Well, that's what Apple said. I guess we can take it with a grain of salt. But, even if it was close to 100%, wouldn't it be worth keeping?

Not if the sale is crap...like 1% iPad owners are on Mini.

 

[iolinux333]

I just don't know where they would be spending so much energy that they can't scrape a few resources together (people) to update their limited product line.

Paris, Hollywood and yaughting it would seem are consuming the most energy these days.

 

[BCWorld]

I don't know, I never liked the iPad mini. but apple has been making some weird choices lately. They didn't update the iPad mini by much and now it is rumored to be discontinued, yet they keep around an old outdated non retina MacBook Pro from 2 years ago and price it at $999.99?????

 

[fallenjt]

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.

And how many people do that to justify for Apple to continue the product? Sale dictates products. If the Mini doesn't sell so well to make up for low profit margin, why keep it? iPhone 6+ is 3x profit compared to iPad mini. You get the picture?

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To all those people saying that the iPhone 6 Plus has effectively become a replacement for the iPad Mini: what are you smoking?

First of all, the devices do not serve the same function, whatsoever. You cannot read books or newspapers or browse the web comfortably on an iPhone, period. Forget about any kind of productivity apps.

Secondly, and more importantly, why would Apple essentially be encouraging us to merge our two devices (iPad Mini and iPhone 5) into just one device, the iPhone 6 Plus?

As a result, Apple's reasoning would be that the average customer will opt for just one device instead of two. Does that not just mean less money for them, or am I seriously missing something here???

Seriously? Ask people who own a 6+ if they want to buy an iPad, which one would they buy, Air or Mini? Only idiots would buy Mini when already owned a 6+.

 

[Glideslope]

Meh

Apple needs to decide how fast it want's to go after the Surface 3. If they need to ramp up now I could, unfortunately, I could see them building the iPad Pro in the current Mini factories. The Pro will be very similar to the Surface 3 in design. If the rumored included "Fold Up" case make it simple and quick to take anywhere It could be a powerful competitor.

Hope it not true. I love my 2nd Gen Mini.

 

[Mtmspa]

The iPad Mini will make a come back in 2016 as.... the iWatch Pro / Maxi.

Nope. Joke failed.

 

[bbplayer5]

I hope this is true, for me anyway. Really dont like the mini.

Pretty selfish.

 

[itbeme]

I just think the premium tablet market is near saturated. Right now consumers are trained to upgrade their phone every 18-36months. When that changes (and it will) Apple will be in trouble.

Indeed. Apple is not sufficiently diversified with roughly 1/2 of it`s revenue coming from a single product group. Apple is way too big to continue to innovate internally they way they could ten years ago. They are simply "buying" IP, talent and patents via an acquisition binge.

It's going to be a tough road ahead. BTW, I think they will simply let the mini fade. They aren't going to kill it, the market is. Phablets are squeezing the small tablet to death.

 

[Plutonius]

The Mini has over twice the display area of the 6+.

and your point is ?

People who want the latest hardware are eventually going to be getting an iPhone 6 Plus to replace their old Mini.

It's going to be a tough road ahead. BTW, I think they will simply let the mini fade. They aren't going to kill it, the market is. Phablets are squeezing the small tablet to death.

Yep, the iPhone Plus is the future for small tablets.

 

[WardC]

I am ready for the Apple TableTop™ Pro -- i.e.. the 27" iPad...

Running a variant of OS X, of course.

 

[cr2]

since iphone 6+ i could give a damn about my ipad. iphone 6+ and macbook is the sweet spot

I realized it a little too late. I was worried that 6+ would be too big for pocket and for the hand. I wanted to get the phone on the day one... If I have to do it again then it will be 6+ with 128Gb.

 

[fallenjt]

In a related story, Mazda is said to be dropping the Mazda3 so it can focus on the Mazda12.

Baloney.

Not until Mazda6 price is very close to Mazda 3...in this case, yeah. iPad Air 2 kicks ass so badly that no one want Mini 3.

 

[AppleMad98004]

Could be since Apple really didn't upgrade the mini especially with the new thinner less glare screen technology.

 

[flur]

Language changes, deal with it.

Except that phrase hasn't changed. You're using it wrong.

 

[littyboy]

"Sketchy report" is front page quality for MR nowadays?

Well it is MR... they'll take anything that is in front them (literally and figuratively). Makes me lose respect for them day by day. Yet i'm always back!

 

[cocky jeremy]

That'd be stupid. Far more people will buy a 7" than 12". Guaranteed.

 

[jyen]

To all those people saying that the iPhone 6 Plus has effectively become a replacement for the iPad Mini: what are you smoking?

First of all, the devices do not serve the same function, whatsoever. You cannot read books or newspapers or browse the web comfortably on an iPhone, period. Forget about any kind of productivity apps.

Secondly, and more importantly, why would Apple essentially be encouraging us to merge our two devices (iPad Mini and iPhone 5) into just one device, the iPhone 6 Plus?

As a result, Apple's reasoning would be that the average customer will opt for just one device instead of two. Does that not just mean less money for them, or am I seriously missing something here???

One word: cannibalization. If Apple doesn't do it, someone else is going to.

 

[Cloudane]

Hope not, I love mine. Fits in a jacket pocket. The thing of "the 6+ taking over" is nonsense as it's still far smaller. Doesn't make a lot of sense - it's not like they don't make a significant margin on it, considering that a similar sized Nexus is far cheaper.

 

[Sirious]

Love the iPad mini. Hope Apple never think of discontinuing it!

 

[japanime]

and your point is ?

People who want the latest hardware are eventually going to be getting an iPhone 6 Plus to replace their old Mini.

Yep, the iPhone Plus is the future for small tablets.

I won't be among them, for two reasons:

1) I don't want to carry around a tablet-sized device for making phone calls.

2) I don't want phone calls to interrupt me while I'm reading an ebook.

 

[Mtmspa]

If this is true then it would really be a slap in the face for someone like me. Right now, I have a lineup of Apple products that is virtually perfect. I need the following devices each for specific functions:

Phone- Communication.

Tablet- Information/ content consumption.

Laptop- Content creation/ work.

Hence, owning an iPhone 5, an iPad Mini, and a Macbook Pro is perfect. I have no use for an iPad Air as it is not portable.

And as for an iPhone 6 Plus... I find that just laughable. Too big to be comfortable to hold/pocket at all times, and too small to read or watch movies or browse the web on. I still don't understand the point.

Or iPhone 5S, iPad Air 2 (or Pro in the future) and Mac mini. That is my setup and I think that is perfect. Needs and wants vary so they should continue with options.

 

[MacModMachine]

Or iPhone 5S, iPad Air 2 (or Pro in the future) and Mac mini. That is my setup and I think that is perfect. Needs and wants vary so they should continue with options.

i have the same deal , except and air....for the coffee shop visits.

i was hoping the iPad pro will carry a core M and have a hybrid os.

 

[musika]

Honestly, I don't think Apple ever wanted to make the iPad mini in the first place. It was a market research product, that the public happened to prefer.

 

[sracer]

Charging $100 for a fingerprint scanner and gold body color option doesn't leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling of its sales potential until the mini retina inventory sells out.

Seriously... that upgrade bump was a joke.

Maybe they're pulling an "iPod Classic" on the iPad mini? Y'know, don't offer a substantial upgrade that doesn't give customers reasons to buy it and then claim that they're discontinuing the product due to lack of sales.

Similar to someone who murders their parents and then asked the judge for leniency because he's an orphan.