Sketchy Report Claims No New iPad Air in 2015, One Last iPad Mini

[teslo]

I'm all for a Mac tablet, but not because I want a hybrid device--I just want a (somewhat mobile) Mac with pen input for pro digital art. I don't care about touch or iOS apps, although it would need to support touch for logistical reasons. But that's where the problem comes in. Neither OSX nor its applications are designed for touch (and won't be any time soon), therefore it would make for a less than optimal user experience. And we all know Apple is not prone to release anything that it doesn't believe is a great user experience. And I honestly don't think Apple cares enough about my niche demographic to try to create such a device anyway, even with the existence of the SP3. I think most people want a hybrid device so that they can have a productive and casual device rolled into one. But Apple has been very clear about what it believes regarding hybrids.
That said I am still looking forward to the iPad Pro announcement. Though it won't replace my Mac (+ Cintiq), it could make a great ancillary device, on a couple conditions--decent apps and (free) seamless file transferring support between the iPad Pro and my Mac, and of course pressure sensitive pen input. I think that's as best as someone like me can hope for realistically.

people often claim that what apple spokesmen said at one point is how they'll continue to operate forever. just look at all the things jobs said that he 'against all indications' oversaw in secrecy. misdirection is a key component to successful competition. and i know i mentioned adobe software specifically and you say it's a niche category (which i disagree with honestly), but a computer/tablet is in no way catered to only 1-2 types of people. if it can run adobe, it can run other software that millions of other pros use on their desktop. it would be great for MANY 'niche' categories, which isn't 'niche' at all. it's huge.

 

[s2mikey]

If this is true, that's a shame because all they had to do was fix the obnoxious screen vibration problem that plagues the current Air 2 and I'd have been upgrading. Oh well. Not the end of the world.

 

[Macneck]

Getting rid of the iPad Mini would be a mistake

And a real shame!

 

[Macneck]

I can't possibly see the market for an iPad Pro being bigger than the iPad Mini...

Unless they beef up iOS and have a keyboard accessory etc... but then you're practically at the Retina Macbook...

That sounds really tasty to me! A RMB I can also use as a tablet for display purposes, drawing...

 

[benedictm]

just a thought but does anyone think that the device that ended up being last years new, super slim Macbook could be where all the rumours about the alleged iPad Pro came from? People seeing parts and cases for the new Macbook could easily think it was to be a new macbook - especially its tiny amount of ports and no separate power supply port.

Add to that there seem to have been no hardware leaks since the Macbook was released, the only reports seem to be from Asian Supply Sources and Ming-Chi Kuo who are hardly reliable sources.

 

[theluggage]

I think the iPad Pro will be running Intel chips not Arm. Why else would Apple be recompiling every iOS app automatically to work on multiple processor architecture?

I'd be very surprised if Apple didn't have experimental prototypes of Intel-based iOS devices and ARM-based Macs, just as they had Intel machines running OS X years before they announced the switch to Intel. Being able to easily change CPU horses puts them in a powerful position should Intel's next laptop CPU be a lemon or their next mobile product be an ARM-killer. However, that doesn't mean either of those products will ever see the light of day.

just a thought but does anyone think that the device that ended up being last years new, super slim Macbook could be where all the rumours about the alleged iPad Pro came from?

Yes...

Or, more to the point, it seems unlikely that Apple would launch both the Macbook and an iPad Pro close together: they're both pitched at the same 'an iPad Air doesn't quite cut it for me - I rather fancy the MS Surface Pro' market.

The problem is, at that size, it ceases to be viable as a handheld device: even if they somehow kept it the same overall weight as an iPad Air, since simply being bigger means that, when you hold it one-handed, the centre of mass is further away from your hand so there will be more strain on your wrist. You'd want to use it on a table, or at least on your lap (even on a lap the ergonomics would be awkward).

As a portable, tabletop document reader/media player it would be better than the Air. The other area would be art/drawing - if they added a proper active digitiser & stylus with proper cross-app iOS support (don't comment if you've only ever used the blunt plastic fingers sold for the current iPad) it would certainly clobber the market for graphics tablets like the Wacom Cintiq! A good stylus could also be useful for mathematics, document mark-up etc. That's the only thing I could see that would compensate for the loss of handheld mobility - but even those sound like niche markets to me.

Oh, and before people quote The Sacred Steve on the subject of styli - I agree with him when it comes to small-screen handheld devices - I have a Galaxy Note phone and the stylus is of minimal use. The Galaxy Note tablets are more credible but lack software that really uses the stylus - but even the 10" screen (unfortunately a 16:9 letterbox) is a bit limiting.

 

[Billy95Tech]

Been reading some of posts in this thread some people saying Tim Cook has abandoned the Ipad.

What are you smoking!!!??? That is NOT TRUE at all!!!


The Ipad is one of the BEST selling products for Apple and Continue adding features(look at IOS 9/multi window) to the Ipad and improving and making the Ipad a lot more powerful and will definitely Continue to improve and add new features in the future..

So why the heck would Tim Cook abandoned the ipad as some of you say for some reason???

It is stupid and ridiculous to think that Tim Cook has abandoned the ipad!!!!!
Tim Cook have NOT abandoned the ipad at all!!


And i definitely can't see Apple putting OSX on the Ipad because it is not touch friendly and IOS is way better for touch and have way more apps that are touch friendly and Apple have a very good reason not to put OSX on ipad and keep IOS on the Ipad in the far future yet even on Rumoured Ipad Pro.

IOS is a WAY BETTER tablet OS than OSX and IOS makes the Ipad a lot more appealing and unique than OSX.!!
And that is why Ipad having a mobile OS(IOS) instead of a desktop OS(OSX )took of in the 1st place!!

I bet if it the Ipad had OSX instead of IOS the Ipad would not of took of as well in terms of sales and usage.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

My "logic" is product-focused. Not market-focused.

Right. So was Betamax. Great product, but poor marketing on Sony's part. You simply cannot separate a product from how its marketed because without customers and sales growth there is no product. No product sells itself, and certainly not "last years" tablet, which might be superior to "this years" competitor, but that does make a difference in the consumer's mind. "Last year's" model is still "stale."

As I previously said, why do you think Apple bothers with slight annual updates on its main revenue products? It's to keep them "new" and fresh. And that was my point in my original thread. If you want to separate product from marketing then you responded to the wrong post, because what I was saying in that original post was that Apple has to keep the Air line fresh or it will lose even marketing share. I was not saying the Air 2 is junk and will be obsolete next year -- just that sales will fall off even more than they already have.

 

[nStyle]

I had an iPad first off and found reading on it awkward, it put a strain on my wrist when hosting it with one hand. So I opted for a Mini and love it. It has been around the world with me twice so far.

If the mini goes.... well its a Kindle next for me.

Well see there's this amazing convenience you usually have when being a human - you have not one but TWO hands! Amazing!

 

[KohPhiPhi]

Having 3 iPad Minis is insane. Just have 2 at the most. Perhaps only one iPad Air.

I agree. They need to stop servicing legacy products. Does it really make sense selling former versions for a $100 less? I paid $599 for my iPad Air 2 when it came out... does it make sense that I'm offered the legacy version for $499 instead?

 

[KohPhiPhi]

Well see there's this amazing convenience you usually have when being a human - you have not one but TWO hands! Amazing!

And how on Earth do you hold your iPad Air with both hands and type on it?! With the Mini, you can thumb type with both hands, or you hold with one hand and type with the other. With the Air, because of its larger size, you can only do the latter.

For me the Mini is far superior as a casual hand held device.

 

[oldmacs]

I agree. They need to stop servicing legacy products. Does it really make sense selling former versions for a $100 less? I paid $599 for my iPad Air 2 when it came out... does it make sense that I'm offered the legacy version for $499 instead?

Well it does offer a lower end solution which is good for some, but I think the role of the 'cheaper full sized iPad' was pretty much taken over by the iPad Mini.

 

[nStyle]

And how on Earth do you hold your iPad Air with both hands and type on it?! With the Mini, you can thumb type with both hands, or you hold with one hand and type with the other. With the Air, because of its larger size, you can only do the latter.

For me the Mini is far superior as a casual hand held device.

Huh? Portrait mode. My thumbs easily reach all the letters. If they don't reach, you can split the keyboard.

 

[Kal-037]

I want to say I doubt Apple will not update the Air 2... but it's Apple... They always do crazy stuff.
iPad Pro has always seemed silly to me, just buy a wacom tablet and Retina MacBook. IMO the 10" iPad is plenty big, I see major Bendgate issues for the still rumored "iPad Pro." Unless it's made of adamantium.


Kal.

 

[Robstevo]

I would say the Ipad will be dead in a few years time, you just have to look at the progression windows is making. Tablets that are getting as small and thin as the ipad, yet have the functionality of a true computer.
iPads have awesome hardware, but the software is basic as hell.

I'm gonna get the surface pro 4 if/when it comes out.

 

[ds2000]

I don't understand the hate towards the mini. I love mine. It is way more portable than when I had an iPad. Why can't we have three?

I agree, I went from my iPad 3 to the mini 2 last year and never want to have a large tablet again

 

[mehtdosa11]

I love my mini, currently on my second one, the mini 2. I take it everywhere with me, even use it for my job, as I'm on my feet most of the day. Much more portable than the Air.

I really hope they keep the mini.....

 

[Billy95Tech]

I would say the Ipad will be dead in a few years time, you just have to look at the progression windows is making. Tablets that are getting as small and thin as the ipad, yet have the functionality of a true computer.
iPads have awesome hardware, but the software is basic as hell.

I'm gonna get the surface pro 4 if/when it comes out.

Sorry no you are definitely wrong there!! Ipad and Android tablets will not be dead in a few years because not everyone wants a Windows tablet because they are not as easy to use, Windows is kind of boring and not that touch friendly compared to IOS, Android and lots of people find Ipads and Android a lot more appealing and way more easy and fun to use and you say software is basic as hell well for me and lots of people think the software is not basic and is very good and the software is getting more advanced on IOS and Android every year.

I really don't understand that some people are soo short sighted and think Ipads and Android tablets will be dead in a few years because of Windows tablets.... Yeah right I really hope that won't happen!!!


All 3 Windows, Android tablets and the Ipad all have a place and i can't see any reason why Android and IOS(Ipad) should disappear on tabletsi!!

Why not have 3 OS's on tablets a least we have a great choice to pick your OS for your tablet rather being forced to use Windows as your OS on tablets!

Choice is good!!!!!

 

[ackmondual]

I don't understand the hate towards the mini. I love mine. It is way more portable than when I had an iPad. Why can't we have three?

AFAIK, it may be cannibalizing enough sales into Apple's other similar products that they may want reduce selection to make better sales of those, and reduce the overhead of having extra models out at one time. If they upset x # of people, but a good percentage of those 'x' still suck up and get the Iph6+, or Ipad anyways, they come out ahead.

It would be a shame, as I met a couple of folks in person who said the Ipad Mini is what did it for them. The Iph is too small, but the Ipad is too big. The Ipad Mini fits neatly into the purses of one of them.

 

[ackmondual]

Just like how Apple killed the 4" iPhone...

There were rumors that they may come out with a 4" model... either alongside or in lieu of another 4.7"+ model, but there's nothing to really back those rumors up. I looks like 4" Iphone users are stuck with the Iph5s as the latest and greatest there :\

Apple is not a charity, they charge what they think people will pay, which is normal business practice. If people buy it then they must think it's worth it.

Well, there have been those vocal enough to speak out otherwise... on internet forums, and with their wallets. I'm sure Apple's doing very A-OK despite these criticisms, but the criticisms are certainly there.

A $650 Iphone that nets them $400 in profit is certainly intriguing if nothing else. I've read an article how phone sellers push more Android phones on buyers because the margins that go to them are much lower.

Why Apple seemingly hates a choice in sizes is beyond me. The 6S should be 4, 4.7 and 5.5 and there should be a Mini, Air and Pro. They did 4 different 'sizes' with iPods, so I ca't see why it would be a problem doing 3 for the iPhone and iPad.

I wish they could've came out with 4" and 4.7" options for the IpT6. I know, wishful thinking as it's probably the lowest priority of all their products, but a man could daydream.

 

[MikeFairbanks]

I don't understand the hate towards the mini. I love mine. It is way more portable than when I had an iPad. Why can't we have three?

My main gripe with the mini (and I have the II) is that it only has 1gb of RAM. It causes crashes. It should have had 2 in the third edition. The minis, the air, and the phones all have only 1gb of RAM. Only the iPad Air2 has 2gb of ram.

That's really not good enough.

 

[ackmondual]

My main gripe with the mini (and I have the II) is that it only has 1gb of RAM. It causes crashes. It should have had 2 in the third edition. The minis, the air, and the phones all have only 1gb of RAM. Only the iPad Air2 has 2gb of ram.

That's really not good enough.

Well, you know the Apple solution... backup your data, then factory reset to get your performance back again

 

[oldmacs]

Well, you know the Apple solution... backup your data, then factory reset to get your performance back again

Except for when your restore from backup brings the performance and battery issues back over... I get 2-3 hours of usage on my iPhone 5 (Replaced recently by Apple, holding 98 percent battery capacity), and the solution is to erase it. However because Apple's backup system is so backwards, I can't just transfer over certain apps. So I've now gone 1.5 years with a 5 with terrible battery life, as it is either that or loose my 5 years of message history etc.

 

[M@C]

If Apple stops making iPad Minis, I'll stop buying iPads.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

Except for when your restore from backup brings the performance and battery issues back over... I get 2-3 hours of usage on my iPhone 5 (Replaced recently by Apple, holding 98 percent battery capacity), and the solution is to erase it. However because Apple's backup system is so backwards, I can't just transfer over certain apps. So I've now gone 1.5 years with a 5 with terrible battery life, as it is either that or loose my 5 years of message history etc.

Sorry to hear. There is a Mac app called iExplorer that backs up all your text messages to your Mac. Also voicemail.