One of our faculties can CNC pvc models so i had them whip up the iPad2 model (rough estimate) with the current thickness, with 7 mm thickness and with 5mm thickness. My favorite was still the 7mm one. 5mm was too thin in my opinion. 8.8 was great too, for todays standard incredible, but I would like to see it come down to 7mm in the future. More thin doesn't make sense to me.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What is your opinion on Apple's obsession with thinness?
- Thread starter Mad Mac Maniac
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I just got an iMac and I admit it is beautiful. However I think it has given up functionality for the sake of thinness. It's now too thin to have a CD drive. Now only has ONE tinny speaker. Now takes an expensive expert to get to the hardware inside. Particularly bothered that there is no way to clean air intakes, too thin to have any filters that could be replaced. There is no technology to stop dust particles from getting inside. How much difference does it make to have computer that is so thin when only slightly thicker would add more functionality. In their quest for beautiful design Mac forgot that form follows function.
Last edited:
Lol this is an over 3 yr old thread about iPads.
The iMac wasn't too thin for a cd drive it was designed around not have one.
It has more then one speaker, looks like 4 in stereo on ifixit tear down. And the sound is better then a lot of all in ones.
Air filtration in any electronic is relatively rare and a solution looking for the problem. The designed it to pull air up which decreases dust intake. It's not a desktop that sits on the floor. If dust is still an issue the source of the dust should be corrected.
DUCKofD3ATH
Suspended
mtneer
macrumors 68040
Is ok to make the iPad as thinner and lighter as possible. iPad 2, 3 and 4 were too heavy, while Air is very comfortable to hold. I'd be happy to buy an even lighter iPad in the future.
On the other hand I'd like to have more battery on my iPhone, so I don't want it to be thinner in the future, I think we already reached the right thinness with this product
On the other hand I'd like to have more battery on my iPhone, so I don't want it to be thinner in the future, I think we already reached the right thinness with this product
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
The iPhone 5 has reports of it being bent, from being in the back pocket of some people, the iPhone 6 is reportedly even thinner. While the iPads don't fit into people's pockets, I do worry that it may get too thin, i.e., thin at the expense of structural integrity.
So far I'm happy with the dimensions with my rMini and I'm not planning on upgrading anytime soon, so its not a pressing concern for me.
So far I'm happy with the dimensions with my rMini and I'm not planning on upgrading anytime soon, so its not a pressing concern for me.
s2mikey
Suspended
Good one. 😀
IMO, the Air is the lighter and thinnest that any iPad should get. No reason to go further. At some point the device is too light and is actually harder to handle since it wants to just fling right out of your hands or whatever. You need something to grab onto, ya know?
That's why I prefer my women with actual bodies and some curves, NOT this beanpole supermodel crap! 😉
Newtons Apple
Suspended
Apple is giving us what they think we want. We are at the point that our devices will bend if much pressure is put on them.
I will take thicker, more battery and structural integrity over thin any day!
I will take thicker, more battery and structural integrity over thin any day!
But I haven't heard of iPod Touches getting bent, while being as thin as the iPhone 6 is rumored to be... 😉
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
I don't own a iPod touch, so I can't say anything about it one way or another. Plus I don't see anyone with them any longer, mostly just iPhones on the subway.
colodane
macrumors 65816
My opinion is mixed on this. The thinness of iPads is truly impressive and no actual functionality seems to be lost in the process. Aesthetically pleasing.
However I take strong opposition to Apple's obsession with tapering the thin product to a sharp edge. It makes iPads uncomfortable to hold. There was a similar problem with a sharp edge on some MacBooks that put a crease on your hand when typing on the keyboard.
On the iPad, I'd like to see the same thinness but a more rounded edge - perhaps even with some kind of padded or rubbery material around the edge.
However I take strong opposition to Apple's obsession with tapering the thin product to a sharp edge. It makes iPads uncomfortable to hold. There was a similar problem with a sharp edge on some MacBooks that put a crease on your hand when typing on the keyboard.
On the iPad, I'd like to see the same thinness but a more rounded edge - perhaps even with some kind of padded or rubbery material around the edge.
DUCKofD3ATH
Suspended
Yebubbleman
macrumors 603
Form really shouldn't win out over functionality.
The thinner you make it, the more you sacrifice in terms of what it can do.
Yes, you make things lighter, but really, what does that say about us as a society when we consider anything over 1 pound to be in need of slimming down? Work those arm muscles people!
The thinner you make it, the more you sacrifice in terms of what it can do.
Yes, you make things lighter, but really, what does that say about us as a society when we consider anything over 1 pound to be in need of slimming down? Work those arm muscles people!
Lightness really helps when you're dealing with Senior citizens and others with arthritis. My grandma couldn't comfortably use an iPad until the Air.
I think that when it comes to the iPad, it's not "thinness" that I care about, but "lightness" - I hope to one day be able to hold an iPad that's as light (or lighter) than a magazine, but I don't much care about how thin it is.
As for the iPhone, I think the thinness is seriously detrimental to the user experience. If the iPhone 5/5s was one millimetre thicker you'd probably have an extra 25% battery life and virtually no difference in heft or hand feel. The iPhone is already too light as it is in my opinion anyway.
As for the iPhone, I think the thinness is seriously detrimental to the user experience. If the iPhone 5/5s was one millimetre thicker you'd probably have an extra 25% battery life and virtually no difference in heft or hand feel. The iPhone is already too light as it is in my opinion anyway.
Both my iPad and my iPhone have cases to protect them anyway. And with my case, the phone is still thin enough. I would rather have longer battery life.
Wow, I think it's funny that my 3 year old thread has been dug up 😛
What I've come to realize is that our expectations of thinness is perpetually changing. For the iPad 1, it was amazing how thin and light it was. Then the iPad 2 came out and it was unbelievable how thin it got. I'll even admit that I voted that I thought the iPad 2 was thin enough. Now the iPad air is out and now people are saying "Ok NOW it's thin enough; I don't need any thinner"
The same thing happened with the iPhone. When the iPhone 4 came out, I never imagined needing/wanting a thinner phone, just make it better. Then the iPhone 5 came out and I was like "Ok, yeah this is pretty great, NOW it's the perfect size". Now I'm totally ready for the iPhone 6 and can't even imagine it getting any thinner. But I'm sure that it will...
I think as long as products continue to gain functionality and at least maintain battery life, we will always be happy with thinner products... Of course, technically there IS a limit.... and as we approach that limit the changes will be less and less dramatic...
What I've come to realize is that our expectations of thinness is perpetually changing. For the iPad 1, it was amazing how thin and light it was. Then the iPad 2 came out and it was unbelievable how thin it got. I'll even admit that I voted that I thought the iPad 2 was thin enough. Now the iPad air is out and now people are saying "Ok NOW it's thin enough; I don't need any thinner"
The same thing happened with the iPhone. When the iPhone 4 came out, I never imagined needing/wanting a thinner phone, just make it better. Then the iPhone 5 came out and I was like "Ok, yeah this is pretty great, NOW it's the perfect size". Now I'm totally ready for the iPhone 6 and can't even imagine it getting any thinner. But I'm sure that it will...
I think as long as products continue to gain functionality and at least maintain battery life, we will always be happy with thinner products... Of course, technically there IS a limit.... and as we approach that limit the changes will be less and less dramatic...
Piggie
macrumors G3
The problem's start to show themselves when you get to the point where you are saying:
"if only it was a little thicker it could have X,Y,Z fitted, but it can't as it's so thin"
Then you are making something worse than it otherwise could be for the sake of the thinness
Of course, we don't want the iPad being 1" think.
But I can guarantee you, if there was a model with a better camera, better speaker, better battery, and just 2mm thicker, not enough to notice unless you put them side by side, most would pic the better, fractionally thicker model, I'm sure of it.
Night Spring
macrumors P6
On the other hand, how much better can speakers, cameras, battery, etc. be by being just 2mm thicker?
I can just imagine making people compare two iPads, one 2mm thicker than the other, and the thicker model has "better" speakers.
"Can you hear the difference?"
"Uh, not sure... maybe? Oh, wait, which one is which? I got them confused..."
For iPad it is crucial. It's a pretty large tablet. If you hold the iPad Retina and the Air the difference is huge.
Plus, the Tab S 10.5 is out now and it is 6.6mm thin. IPad Air is 7.5mm I think. They could still go thinner and not lose any battery life.
----------
Hold the iPad retina up for 10 minutes straight, then pick up an Air. There's a massive difference.
The Tab S is thinner than the Air. Has Micro SD, the whole 9.
Piggie
macrumors G3
Well you say that.... and it may not seem much, but it's more dependent on percentages than size.
To a large desktop speaker that's 6" deep with a 3" deep speaker cone, indeed and extra 1mm on the depth of the loudspeaker is going to be nothing........
However, say that speaker was in the 1st place only 1mm thick, and you added another 1mm to it in a redesign, then you have a new speaker TWICE as thick as the original model, which could sound vastly different/better.
