All iPads The simplification of the iPad lineup

[awshucks]

The iPad lineup is complicated, so let me simplify it.


-Discontinue the base iPad.

A non-laminated screen and no magnetic Apple Pencil charging is a shame in 2026.​

-Give the iPad Air an A chip and lower its price.

At least on the 11" model, Apple has been using the same panel since 2020, so costs would obviously be lower over time. Keep the 13" model but still lower its price. My M2 13" is appreciated but I think about how much it cost. A $600+ iPad model with half the starting storage and a smaller base screen size is hard to recommend compared to the MacBook Neo. Lots of Air buyers really don't care about an M chip that is not able to be fully utilized.​

-Rename the iPad mini as an 8.3" iPad Air.

If it becomes an iPad Air, its price should be the lowest priced iPad in the lineup, just like it used to be before the base iPad. I like my mini but $500+ is a bit expensive.​

-The iPad Pro needs no changes as far as I know. Maybe an option for macOS if you want to use it as an incentive to upgrade to the Pro.



I have made a simple iPad lineup. Two models. iPad Air in three sizes and iPad Pro in two sizes.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Apple will never change the name of the mini to the Air. But i do agree the Air moniker currently makes no sense. 😂 It’s the only Air product that isn’t thinner than it’s pro counterpart. Which is strange. Things are gonna get stranger when later this year the iPad mini 8 is rumored to be getting a single panel OLED screen with 120hz refresh rate. The M5 iPad Air is suppose to get the same screen next year. When that happens the line btwn the Air & the Pro iPads is gonna get even blurrier. Makes me wonder what plans Apple has for the M6 iPad Pro? 🤔 As far as the base iPad, it makes sense that Apple offers a super inexpensive tablet for kids & schools as well as for people that literally just use a tablet for web surfing and nothing creative. I do agree about the plug in Apple pencil tho. That thing is an abomination & not Apple like at all. Apple should definitely get rid of it and have ALL apple pencils charge the same way - magnetically.

I wonder also what impact the upcoming foldable iphone will have on the iPad mini? Will you be able to use the apple pencil with it?

There have also been vague rumors about a 14” or 16” “iPad Ultra”. But nothing solid.

The iPad design has been relatively unchanged for the last 6 years or so. Should be interesting what plans Apple has going forward. As an artist, the iPad is my favorite device Apple has ever made. Paired with the Apple pencil it has been a game changer for me.

 

[I7guy]

Seems simple to me. 4 different models. The pencil well yeah. Don’t understand why all iPads can’t support all pencils. But I think Apple wants multiple models at different prices.

 

[Miltz]

I disagree, I think Apple's line up makes a lot of sense from a business standpoint. They can target every customers who wants to buy one. What I think they should do is drop the price of the iPad Pro/Air keyboard. The price is on the extreme side even though it's fantastic, $350 for a keyboard/trackpad is extreme. It should be $249 maximum.

 

[Basic75]

Or make the iPad line sync up with the Mac.

• iPad Neo as name for the cheap base iPad to lure in customers with an older A-series chip
• iPad Air with latest A-series chip in 8" and 11"
• iPad Pro with latest M-series chip in 11" and 13"

Having an iPad for everybody is a good thing, but so is not confusing customers like the PC makers do.

 

[Abazigal]

I don't think the iPad line is all that complicated.

Base iPad - cheapest option. It will eventually get 8gb ram.

iPad Air - for people who still want performance but may not need all the bells and whistles of the pro model. The only change is that it should come with 256gb storage standard.

iPad Pro - for people who want the best iPad experience, and are willing to pay for the best. I just wish it could get a better camera and I don't mind paying for one.

iPad mini - a smaller tablet for more niche use cases.

Chances are - most people have already settled on a model that is the best fit for their computing needs and budget range, and won't move from there. The rest are simply overthinking it.

 

[snipr125]

Or make the iPad line sync up with the Mac.

• iPad Neo as name for the cheap base iPad to lure in customers with an older A-series chip
• iPad Air with latest A-series chip in 8" and 11"
• iPad Pro with latest M-series chip in 11" and 13"

Having an iPad for everybody is a good thing, but so is not confusing customers like the PC makers do.

Yes agree that the iPad Mini should just be called iPad Air 8” because that's pretty much what it is imo.