Supposed iPad Mini 5 Case Supports Rumors of Few Design Changes

[jgdeschamps]

I really wish they gave this a iPad Pro look in a Mini.. would sell like hotcakes.

Apple here's an idea.

Kill the iPad 9.7

Make the Mini w/ iPad pro design - call it iPad.

Keep the pros.

Don't need to kill the 9.7.
Just drop the "Pro" moniker and give the same design and same hardware specs to all three iPads.
Cool things that might help sell each version:
- iPad mini, $350, sell it as a bare bones iPad, no accessories, just the charger and cable.
- iPad 9.7", $500, includes AirPods, cable and charger.
- iPad 12", $850, includes the Apple Pencil, cable and charger
All of them are compatible with the Pencil. All of them would be clearly market oriented due to their accessories and price points. Increase quality control (a lot, please.) Stop trying to sell them as laptop replacements, and please don't add useless hardware features like Face ID and non-durable ultra thin design. Focus again on computing beginners/education and come up with an iOS XCode app so students can really learn Swift on them, and for the 12" option -that would be oriented to very "natural" graphics workflows- try to get ZBrush developed for it with tight Photoshop/Procreate integration. That's all you need. Again, you don't need to say it's Pro or a laptop replacement.
If they were really courageous like they say they are, they would add an option with a cell modem so you can make calls with it, and make it compatible with the Apple Watch +cellular option. No need for an iPhone, and would make you look like you don't really depend on iPhone sales. Don't goof around making TV shows....
So many things they could do that won't imply jacking up the prices to make you feel special for spending money on light-workflows hardware that don't really bring anything new to the table and make you look bad. You guys at Apple are not even coming up with great, usable software anymore! Wake up!

 

[16BitArcadeGraphics]

didn't we see iphone se 2 cases as well? that device never even materialized. this reminds me and reeks of that thumbnail on the youtube video that says "iphone se 2 is happening!"

 

[Dave245]

so sick of seeing Kuo's name in every article.
didn't this guy make a big deal of stopping analytical work on apple? who cares what he has to say.

People who are interested in what Apple is working on, Kuo has an excellent track record.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I feel like Apple's method for releasing iPads is to just throw them at a wall and see what sticks.

 

[ignatius345]

Really hoping for a new Mini. The wife is getting mad at the fact there are several “unfinished” spots on various walls in our house because I’m waiting for a new device to mount there.

You're mounting several iPad Minis around the house? Interesting idea. We have one in the kitchen that's kind of a control panel for streaming and a few other shared household things, but in a larger house I could totally see embedding them as dedicated devices.

 

[anthogag]

A new iPad mini with a home button doesn’t add-up.

 

[puckhead193]

any case for 4.1" iPhone ?

any cases for a Mac Pro, iMac or Air Pods 2?

 

[NomadicTy]

Specs bump and USB-C, and most mini users would be happy. Even the Touch ID would be a welcomed non-change by pilots.

If they stick with the Lightning port, though, will just show apple is losing their vision. Having different connectors between Pro and non-Pro products is just sloppy. People who would pay for Pro stuff does not mean they want/need every other apple product to be Pro as well.

 

[iLLUMI]

As much as I'd love a Pro-Mini, I really don't see them doing it. Apple, unfortunately, doesn't believe there's a demand, because their sales numbers don't reflect people buying enough minis. Their numbers are low because people don't want old, outdated hardware and would probably buy shiny new minis if it was really new, but Apple doesn't realize that, and as a result, they're self-dooming the Mini.

That's the way I feel about buying new products. A spec bump is okay when you have the most current product design at hand. However if you have an older design receiving a spec bump then consumers will feel like they're being offered outdated hardware. Consumers want the satisfaction of purchasing something that looks new/different and offers new features.
The iPad Mini doesn't have to be a "Pro" iteration however an all screen display would be a sufficient design change to make it more attractive to consumers. And if it is just a spec bump, can they warrant calling it an iPad Mini 5? Wouldn't it be more like and iPad Mini 4s?

Tim Cook used to always be on about products looking "gorgeous" so why doesn't he apply that mindset to the Mini too.
A "shiny new mini" would certainly get consumers looking at and thinking about the product.

 

[Klososky]

I really don't want Apple to regress to a non-laminated screen on this update. As long as they can deliver an iPad mini in the same form, with the same screen, but with faster internals I will be happy. 2nd gen TouchID would be excellent too. Does the current 6th gen iPad use the 2nd gen TouchID or the slower original version?

 

[joeblow7777]

I really don't want Apple to regress to a non-laminated screen on this update. As long as they can deliver an iPad mini in the same form, with the same screen, but with faster internals I will be happy. 2nd gen TouchID would be excellent too. Does the current 6th gen iPad use the 2nd gen TouchID or the slower original version?

6th Gen iPad has 1st Gen TouchID.

 

[igotarock]

The Mini design is already excellent IMO with a wonderful display. A spec bump works fine for me. I have a Mini 4 with a worn out battery. It will be the perfect time for me to trade up. I love that it is keeping lightning and headphone jack. I do hope that the laminated display stays, though.

Yes! I hope they keep the laminated display.

 

[Greenmeenie]

As much as I'd love a Pro-Mini, I really don't see them doing it. Apple, unfortunately, doesn't believe there's a demand, because their sales numbers don't reflect people buying enough minis. Their numbers are low because people don't want old, outdated hardware and would probably buy shiny new minis if it was really new, but Apple doesn't realize that, and as a result, they're self-dooming the Mini.

Totally agree. I think if Apple were to release an ipad mini pro with slimmer bezels making the screen 8.5” but keeping the same size as the previous ipad or perhaps keeping the 7.9” screen size but shrinking the body by slmming the bezels....then add face ID, usb-c and apple pencil 2 support...it would DEFINITELY boost sales.

I hope at some point they do it. But i dunno if they ever will.

And i know why apple isn’t giving the regular ipad & upcoming mini a bezel-less design...but they really should. They can always differentiate the pro models with what really makes a device pro...BY GIVING THEM FASTER CHIPS. Duh.

But again, Apple won’t do that. Would be nice to use the apple pencil 2 with non pro ipads. The first gen apple pencil looks so un-apple like in comparison. The way it charges is so awkward, and the cap gets lost. Shouldnt even be a pro thing. Its a pencil!

 

[Scarpad]

actually thats good cause i have several cases from my old mini that i'd like to use one an otter box

 

[Jim Higgins]

As much as I'd love a Pro-Mini, I really don't see them doing it. Apple, unfortunately, doesn't believe there's a demand, because their sales numbers don't reflect people buying enough minis. Their numbers are low because people don't want old, outdated hardware and would probably buy shiny new minis if it was really new, but Apple doesn't realize that, and as a result, they're self-dooming the Mini.

Such is Tim "Me Too" Cook's "vision".

 

[sundog925]

People who are interested in what Apple is working on, Kuo has an excellent track record.

you're not getting it, every website reported on him stepping away from apple and making a huge deal about it, so why does he keep going? put up or shut up.
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Being you’re on a rumored website, don’t you think it’s practical that they would report what an insider analyst like Kuo predicts? He has a very lengthy and accurate track record with Apple. It only makes complete sense that they report what he has to say.

you're not getting what i said lol

 

[mollyc]

you're not getting it, every website reported on him stepping away from apple and making a huge deal about it, so why does he keep going? put up or shut up.

He didn’t quit he just moved to a different company. He is still an Apple analyst.

 

[Wackery]

I won’t even consider upgrading until I see OLED Ipads

 

[dampfnudel]

The Mini design is already excellent IMO with a wonderful display. A spec bump works fine for me. I have a Mini 4 with a worn out battery. It will be the perfect time for me to trade up. I love that it is keeping lightning and headphone jack. I do hope that the laminated display stays, though.

Yeah, it would be a serious downgrade if they didn’t keep the great looking laminated display which was highly praised in reviews back in 2015. Anything less than an A11 with 3GB of RAM would also be a slap in the faces of mini 4 users who would like to upgrade. A 256GB option should be offered as well which would allow those of us with a 256GB iPhone to keep the same content on both devices.

 

[chr1s60]

iPad mini, the new iPad 2.

 

[Jacoblee23]

I have a 11 and 12.9 inch pro for the bells and whistles, give me a mini with just an updated processor and I am good to go.

 

[Marty80]

I guess this means I am stuck with my iPad mini 4 for another year

 

[kazmac]

They only care about customer experience on products costing over 1k. This is just throwing together a bunch of old parts lying around to make a quick buck as expected of Tim Cook’s Apple.

Just saying: If Apple truly cared about customer experience on products costing over $1k, they wouldn’t use cheaper parts and assembly, they’d make them worth those prices. Trying to make a quick buck on everything is all they care about.

 

[Jeffro71]

IPad Pro mini = starting at 600$ probably... I’ll pass....IPad mini with a10 or a11 3gb ram and keep everything else the same starting 250$ 299$ ish = apple shutup and take my money now. Typing on a way too slow mini 2.

 

[Syrgul]

IPad Pro mini = starting at 600$ probably... I’ll pass....IPad mini with a10 or a11 3gb ram and keep everything else the same starting 250$ 299$ ish = apple shutup and take my money now. Typing on a way too slow mini 2.

I'd probably be willing to drop $600 on a iPad Pro Mini, provided it actually had the Pro features, edge to edge screen, upgraded internals, A12x, etc... It's actually not that far off what I paid for my Mini 2 originally. Heck, given the Pro's features, I'd probably even go as high as $800. I love the form factor that much to be willing to pay those kinds of prices.

But if they just take a Mini 3, throw a 3 year old A10 in it, and try to sell it for $600, no way. Even at $299 it'd be a hard sell, because it's not really enough of a leap from my existing Mini 2. That's just planned obsolescence starting it off already outdated.

Basically, if they keep looking at the Mini as an 'entry level' device only, and constantly give it underpowered, outdated hardware, then I'll just keep using my old one until it completely dies. If they get serious about it, and recognize it for the portable powerhouse it could be, I'm on board.