Both WSJ and Bloomberg claimed mini would be retina. I trust them over these "supply chain check" rumors. Adding A7/M7, Touch ID and 1GB RAM but leaving out retina makes zero sense. Especially when iOS 7 looks so much better on a retina display.
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Uncertainty Remains Over Whether Retina iPad Mini Will Ship Alongside iPad 5 in 2013
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Both WSJ and Bloomberg claimed mini would be retina. I trust them over these "supply chain check" rumors. Adding A7/M7, Touch ID and 1GB RAM but leaving out retina makes zero sense. Especially when iOS 7 looks so much better on a retina display.
Couldn't agree with you more. The first thing I noticed on my Mini with iOS7 was the icons/text in the status bar. Because they are smaller....they looks worse.
I'd love to see it all added to the mini.....but my preference would be retina first.
-Kevin
As was pointed out above, there are already 300+ ppi devices on the market (including Amazon's new Kindles).
IMO, there is no reason not to roll out a retina iPad mini, especially when you consider the mini is the last non-retina iOS device in Apple's product lineup.
IMO, there is no reason not to roll out a retina iPad mini, especially when you consider the mini is the last non-retina iOS device in Apple's product lineup.
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Well....First 64 bit processor EVER in a mobile device. First truly functional finger print scanner in a mobile device. First ever motion co-processor..... You get the idea.
Can't argue...those are firsts.
Can't say though I'd be rushing to preorder a new mini just because it has a 64bit chip inside.
What I'm trying to say is, Apple's competitors are closing the gap in a lot of areas....screen resolution, battery life, size and weight.....heck even storage upgrades. Why is it Apple STILL charges $100 for storage upgrades? No one else does.
-Kevin
Well....
Not quite.
Right on the 64 by part but functional fingerprint scanners isn't new.
Motorola did it years ago
A lot of people use their iPads/minis for work and at work. Most companies require employees that use BYODs to have a passcode on the lock screen. So it's still very useful to put touch ID on the iPad product family.
I agree they charge to much for their memory options, no doubt. I also agree that they are falling behind in the screen/resolution department, but they are hampered by their desire to keep the combinations developers must support to a minimum.
Google and Amazon both did it, and their hardware engineering teams are full of clowns. How could Apple's engineering team not pull this off?
Must have retina
I posted a week or so back that I was trying to decide between the N7 and the new Mini. I would really like to get one of those for Xmas. I should say I will be getting one of those. If the Mini is retina the decision is made for me. If it's not, the decision is still made... N7.
I can't think of 1 valid excuse for the Mini not being retina.
I posted a week or so back that I was trying to decide between the N7 and the new Mini. I would really like to get one of those for Xmas. I should say I will be getting one of those. If the Mini is retina the decision is made for me. If it's not, the decision is still made... N7.
I can't think of 1 valid excuse for the Mini not being retina.
Motorola's implementation was terrible. Having a 5S since launch, it's failed maybe twice, and that was more me rushing and barely getting my full finger on the reader.
I think we'll have retina, I think it will have Touch ID. I think it will become trivial to implement profiles based on finger prints as well, I don't think we'll have this at launch, but I can imagine a time when you can have two or three individuals on an iPad and your finger unlocks *your* version of that iPad. We know Apple likes to keep the UI clean, and having various "logins" was something they never wanted to do, but if you could register different family members to unlock and you got different levels of trust based on that, I think that's innovative.
Touch ID would make sense on an iPad if they ever add multiple user login capability. Pick it up, touch it, you have your data and not mine. That would be really cool.
Edit: (it would help if I read comments before posting...)
I would LOVE any type of multi user functionality....and if Touch ID pushes them to do it....perfect, can't wait.
I'm losing faith though that Apple cares in the least about user profiles on the iPad. They make it so hard today even to just restrict it for kids AND still be able to use it as an adult. I like what Amazon is doing with the kids functionality. Wish Apple would just do it already.
-Kevin
It would be nice but not necessary IMHO. Adding the Touch ID sensor would be enough of a feature-upgrade. And I believe the Touch ID encryption code requires the A7 for fast response. So we might see an iPad mini with Touch ID plus A7, which would be a huge step forward. And I'd expect Apple to push their 64-bit advantage (and benefit from economy of scale) by putting the A7 in as many iOS devices as they can.
But a Retina LCD display would require more power, which would either reduce battery life or require a larger heavier battery. Apple had to increase the size and weight of the iPad 3 to support its Retina display. I'm hoping that was a one-time deal.
On the other hand, if Apple has secretly ramped up production of IGZO-based displays (LCD or OLED), then a same-sized Retina iPad mini might be possible. And, if Apple wanted to fill in that new-product-gap between now and WWDC next summer, they might ship a Retina iPad mini next spring.
But for the 2013 holiday quarter, I'd guess that Apple will ship an improved iPad mini that they can produce in huge quantities. Adding Touch ID + A7 + Retina screen all at once might not allow them to fulfill demand. Too many new technologies at once. Too many risks and unknowns.
And I think Touch ID is vastly more important to Apple's current and future success than screen resolution. Screen resolution will come over time, and frankly I don't think the average iPad mini user minds the current "1x" resolution. I certainly don't mind it. But Touch ID is a (patented) differentiator that Apple can leverage in all their iOS devices immediately. Convenience and improved security are probably more important to consumers than the Nth degree of screen resolution. We'll know pretty soon either way.
But what about those who travel with their iPad daily? Just like you do with your iPhone? It could benefit a lot of people.
Yes, lots of people travel with an iPad all the time.
Yes, lots of people use iPads for work.
I'm just guessing MORE people carry iPhones than iPads out in public.
Not saying Touch ID wouldn't be beneficial and cool feature......but consider that it REQUIRES the A7.....I'm not sure Apple would be ready to put that on the mini yet.
-Kevin
They really can't afford to release a non-retina ipad mini, IMHO.
The competition is catching up quickly and, right now the only thing Apple has in their favor is the ecosystem, but that will only last so long.
A new 64-bit A7X/M7 and other stuff on the full sized ipad and possibly the A5X or the A6X on the retina ipad mini. The a5x wasn't great on a full sized ipad, but it should be enough to drive a retina mini efficiently. Ideally we'd get the A6X. That would be a killer on the ipad mini...
What do you guys think will happen to the ipad 2 and 4. The 2 will most certainly be discontinued this year and probably the 4 as well, which would make an A6X powered mini retina have some sense.
The competition is catching up quickly and, right now the only thing Apple has in their favor is the ecosystem, but that will only last so long.
A new 64-bit A7X/M7 and other stuff on the full sized ipad and possibly the A5X or the A6X on the retina ipad mini. The a5x wasn't great on a full sized ipad, but it should be enough to drive a retina mini efficiently. Ideally we'd get the A6X. That would be a killer on the ipad mini...
What do you guys think will happen to the ipad 2 and 4. The 2 will most certainly be discontinued this year and probably the 4 as well, which would make an A6X powered mini retina have some sense.
Probably, but we can't really tell about the mini until the refresh.
If it is not retina, I think heads will roll at Apple.
The mini has a siginificanly larger screen -- about 35% more area (and about 35% more pixels at retina). People on these forums shouldn't ignore that because when you hold a mini side-by-side with a 7" 16:10 device, it's very obvious.
So it's not quite fair to expect the battery to be the same size.
I think the mini might have to get a little thicker and heavier to drive a retina screen while keeping battery life up.
iPad mini release date - November 2, 2012
Nexus 7 release date - September 2013 (Cellular) or July 2013 (WiFi)
Kindle Fire HDX release date - October/November/December 2013 depending on model.
Yeah, I would certainly hope that tablets released almost a year or more after the iPad mini would beat it in specs. I guess when apple releases a product now it needs to beat the specs of products that will be released 11+ months later to keep customers happy.
where did you hear this?