iPad mini Why iPad Mini w/ Retina is a huge threat to Android Phones

[bag of kittens]

I was at the Apple store yesterday looking at iPad mini's.

I have a 3rd generation iPad, and even though I love my device, the iPad mini form factor is just outstanding. The weight, size, and finish is something to behold. I am definitely getting one when the retina models are available.

As more and more people buy the mini's, especially when the Retina version comes out, I think you will see decreased interest in these phablet monstrosities in the android system, because the phablet tries to do two things at once:
1. Be a phone
2. Be a portable content consumption device (web browsing, email, games)

The phablet is a jack of both trades, yet master of none.

Once the iPad mini w/ Retina shows how ideal it is for number 2 above, then we will start looking at our phones as just phones. Which means the "small" screens of iPhones will remain in our pockets, and we will love the "small" form factor for not feeling like we're carrying bricks.

In other words, phablets are station wagons.
The iPad mini is a SUV crossover.
The iPhone is a Porsche 911.

When you have a SUV crossover, and a Porsche 911, there is no longer a need for a station wagon.

 

[617aircav]

Wrong. Some people want one large device that does all. The iPad mini won't ever have cell service and is a tad too big anyway. The note 2 seems to have the right size for a phablet.

 

[inselstudent]

Well, opinions differ. My first choice would be one device to do it all. I currently have an iPhone 4 and actually do a lot of browsing on the tiny 3.5" screen. I'd love to have a bigger iPhone though. By that I don't mean gigantic 5.5", but rather like 4.3-4.6". But the idea of carrying with me two devices, one of it the size of an iPad mini, really turns me off.

Of course other people have other opinions...

 

[bag of kittens]

Wrong. Some people want one large device that does all. The iPad mini won't ever have cell service and is a tad too big anyway. The note 2 seems to have the right size for a phablet.

The iPad mini does those things BETTER than a 5 inch plastic phone. Some people will prefer to have one, but a LOT of people (more than you expect) will want to diversify those two jobs (1. be a phone 2. portable content consumption) into two devices.

 

[Han Solo 1]

The iPad mini does those things BETTER than a 5 inch plastic phone. Some people will prefer to have one, but a LOT of people (more than you expect) will want to diversify those two jobs (1. be a phone 2. portable content consumption) into two devices.

1. You have an awesome screen name, kudos.

2. I can tell you've never had a Note II.

 

[Mrbobb]

Can't wait the day when I see ppl putting their Minis up to their ears.

 

[bag of kittens]

1. You have an awesome screen name, kudos.

2. I can tell you've never had a Note II.

I never have, because I don't like plastic phones.

 

[Han Solo 1]

I never have, because I don't like plastic phones.

lol.

You're right there, I dislike the fisher-price plasticky feel of most android devices, and I've used nothing but Android since it debuted until just about a month ago.

And you raise some good points, OP. But millions of people's wallets have proved that having a 5"+ phablet is appealing and even preferable. One device to do it all.

Personally, I don't mind having to switch between 2 devices for my content consumption, but millions of others don't feel the same way.

 

[bag of kittens]

lol.

You're right there, I dislike the fisher-price plasticky feel of most android devices, and I've used nothing but Android since it debuted until just about a month ago.

And you raise some good points, OP. But millions of people's wallets have proved that having a 5"+ phablet is appealing and even preferable. One device to do it all.

Personally, I don't mind having to switch between 2 devices for my content consumption, but millions of others don't feel the same way.

Agreed - I didn't mean to imply that android is dead in the water because of this, only that the iPad mini is a brilliant tactical move from Cook b/c they are chopping down (not fully) one of the reasons some people prefer android form factor to iOS.

 

[walie]

The iPad mini does those things BETTER than a 5 inch plastic phone. Some people will prefer to have one, but a LOT of people (more than you expect) will want to diversify those two jobs (1. be a phone 2. portable content consumption) into two devices.

please demonstrate the process of putting an ipad mini in the front pocket of my jeans where my Note2 currently resides.

 

[Stuntman06]

The iPad mini does those things BETTER than a 5 inch plastic phone.

What about those 5" metal ones?

Some people will prefer to have one, but a LOT of people (more than you expect) will want to diversify those two jobs (1. be a phone 2. portable content consumption) into two devices.

I personally find that I would rather just carry one mobile device on my. Tablets, even those 7" ones, do not feel mobile enough for me because I am aware of carrying one around. My 4.8" phone fits nicely in my belt holster. If I'm not using it, I am not aware of carrying it around. For a larger device, I find that it either takes up a hand to carry around or requires a case of some sort which is bulky enough to require me to be aware of it while carrying it around.

I currently have a 10" tablet which I pretty much just use for travelling. It is much more compact and less bulky than a laptop. It can do most of what I would want to do on my PC while travelling anyway. If I'm just doing my daily commute, a tablet even a smaller one just isn't useful enough for me to go through the trouble of carrying it around.

 

[Prawnstar69]

gonna get the SUV soon already got the Porsche 911

 

[IJBrekke]

To play devil's advocate:

I've never purchased an iPad because so many of its uses are redundant with my iPhone. For mobile computing I prefer only having to carry a single device, and for real work I definitely still prefer traditional computers.

This is why I wouldn't mind an iPhone with a larger screen. I also drive a station wagon.

 

[lordofthereef]

The largest variable here is number of devices. I certainly wouldn't trade in a note for a phone plus iPad mini (presumably with mobile data plan). Not only does my upfront cost rise, but so does my monthly cost by a minimum of $10, as far as I am aware. And, of course, I am now carrying around two devices rather than just one.

Then there is this assumption that people buying phones like the note are buying them for two reasons: size and screen resolution. We are dismissing the fact that they do, in fact, run Android. As hard as it is for some iOS fans to believe, there are people out there that legitimately prefer Android over anything else. And no, it's not because they are cheap and want to pirate everything (they could do that on iOS too, frankly). It's because, well, they prefer Android.

Lastly, we are assuming that these people want tablets in the first place. That is a pretty big assumption. An iPad is much more unwieldy than a 5" phone. By that I mean, you either carry it in your hand, your purse, or backpack, etc. There is no fitting that into your pocket. My wife's mini barely fits into her purse, especially with all the other junk she seems to need to have with her on a day to day basis. There is no way that thing is fitting into any of my pockets unless I bust some seams, if even then.

The iPad mini, with its current resolution, is already very usable. While a resolution bump would certainly be appreciated, I have a hard time believing people going into the store thinking "I really want this iPad mini. But its resolution isn't up to my needs. So I will get this Note 2 instead." That's... just not how people shop for mobile phones.

----------

Agreed - I didn't mean to imply that android is dead in the water because of this, only that the iPad mini is a brilliant tactical move from Cook b/c they are chopping down (not fully) one of the reasons some people prefer android form factor to iOS.

The iPad mini does one thing, first and foremost. It puts an iPad in your hands at a fraction of the cost of its predecessor. At $329, you shave off a cool $170 from what you would have previously paid for a current gen iPad (or $70 from previous gen). Android Tablets, in the many months to perhaps a year before the mini's launch actually saw a surge in sales, and I am sure Apple noticed this. They are all (well, the best sellers) in the 7" range running a version of Android that is actually usably on a tablet (Honeycomb was an abortion, though I am sure the Android team learned a thing or two). I personally don't see the iPad mini as a reaction to "phablets" at all.

 

[bag of kittens]

The largest variable here is number of devices. I certainly wouldn't trade in a note for a phone plus iPad mini (presumably with mobile data plan). Not only does my upfront cost rise, but so does my monthly cost by a minimum of $10, as far as I am aware. And, of course, I am now carrying around two devices rather than just one.

Then there is this assumption that people buying phones like the note are buying them for two reasons: size and screen resolution. We are dismissing the fact that they do, in fact, run Android. As hard as it is for some iOS fans to believe, there are people out there that legitimately prefer Android over anything else. And no, it's not because they are cheap and want to pirate everything (they could do that on iOS too, frankly). It's because, well, they prefer Android.

Lastly, we are assuming that these people want tablets in the first place. That is a pretty big assumption. An iPad is much more unwieldy than a 5" phone. By that I mean, you either carry it in your hand, your purse, or backpack, etc. There is no fitting that into your pocket. My wife's mini barely fits into her purse, especially with all the other junk she seems to need to have with her on a day to day basis. There is no way that thing is fitting into any of my pockets unless I bust some seams, if even then.

The iPad mini, with its current resolution, is already very usable. While a resolution bump would certainly be appreciated, I have a hard time believing people going into the store thinking "I really want this iPad mini. But its resolution isn't up to my needs. So I will get this Note 2 instead." That's... just not how people shop for mobile phones.

I actually think there are a TON of gadgetphiles who haven't bought the mini yet because of the screen resolution, but will do so once it is available.

But besides that argument, you bring up some good points. The key with the mini is it will bring further evolution into what we think of as "mobile" content consumption, which is constantly changing (i.e. what devices we use, and how we use them).

You are right in saying that for many people, it is not mobile enough. But for others, I think the iPad mini will do media consumption to such a higher degree that those people will simply look at smartphones (both iOS AND android phones) for simply making calls/sending text messages.

Personally, it fits perfectly into the inside pocket of my jacket. I realize not all people will have pockets large enough, or won't always wear a jacket in the first place, but a ton of people will find a way to lug the thing around.

 

[thehustleman]

I never have, because I don't like plastic phones.

I guess you never had a iphone before the 4 huh?


What does it matter about the plastic?

 

[lordofthereef]

I actually think there are a TON of gadgetphiles who haven't bought the mini yet because of the screen resolution, but will do so once it is available.

My claim was never that people aren't buying an iPad mini due to resolution. It was that they aren't deciding to buy a note 2 instead. I am certain there are people waiting for a retina display mini. I am also pretty certain that they aren't going to replace said Note with said mini. In other words, the new Mini will be used alongside whatever other smartphones they already have. Apologies if that wasn't clear.

----------

I guess you never had a iphone before the 4 huh?


What does it matter about the plastic?

I have seen this argument before. Some claim it feels of quality. I don't know what that means. If you drop it and it busts, it busts. Pretty much all phones on the market have similar mortality rates when dropped. Are these plastic phones falling apart? Are they malfunctioning ins some way? I don't think so, at least not any more frequently than I can think of.

My best comparison is linoleum versus tiles. Composite versus granite. Aluminum versus carbon fiber. Well, ok, maybe that last one was going overboard. But the first two examples, one is just as functional as the other. Yet people would rather have the tile over the linoleum (generally) and the granite over the composite (generally). I've had all of the iPhones released thus far, and I must say the 3G/S were m least favorite. Was that because of the plastic? I am not sure. I have other plastic phones that I am ok with. But there was something about the 4/S especially, to me, that made them feel premium. Many like the look of the 5. I simply tolerate it. It is a lot more delicate than the 4/S, a lot more expensive to repair, and therefore inferior, in my book (speaking solely design).

 

[thekev]

The iPad mini does those things BETTER than a 5 inch plastic phone. Some people will prefer to have one, but a LOT of people (more than you expect) will want to diversify those two jobs (1. be a phone 2. portable content consumption) into two devices.

The trend has always been in the other direction. I can remember claims that a camera and a phone were different things. The same was claimed with PDAs and phones prior to that, as well as mp3 players. I like the nano with an armband for running, but that doesn't represent generalized use. The point of these is how much functionality can be placed in a device that is always carried. It doesn't have to do the same thing just as well. When it comes to mass market devices, it's usually a case of good enough. That being said, I don't expect tablets of any kind to go away solely due to phones. For a lot of people, they are almost good enough to replace notebook devices for personal use. They just need obvious solutions to some of the things that were basically given features with prior device classes. I suspect that if it doesn't fit in a pocket or basically travel conveniently, it will not pose a long term threat to smartphones.

By the way, the car analogies are asinine. We could all do with fewer broken metaphors.

 

[bag of kittens]

The trend has always been in the other direction. I can remember claims that a camera and a phone were different things. The same was claimed with PDAs and phones prior to that, as well as mp3 players. I like the nano with an armband for running, but that doesn't represent generalized use. The point of these is how much functionality can be placed in a device that is always carried. It doesn't have to do the same thing just as well. When it comes to mass market devices, it's usually a case of good enough. That being said, I don't expect tablets of any kind to go away solely due to phones. For a lot of people, they are almost good enough to replace notebook devices for personal use. They just need obvious solutions to some of the things that were basically given features with prior device classes. I suspect that if it doesn't fit in a pocket or basically travel conveniently, it will not pose a long term threat to smartphones.

By the way, the car analogies are asinine. We could all do with fewer broken metaphors.

In general terms, I think people end up spending more time web-surfing/email/gaming/watching movies on their phones, than actually talking on them.

So the convergence PDA's, cameras, etc, is a moot point to this issue, because for most people these are secondary features of smartphones.

Whereas the issue of content consumption has become the primary feature of smartphones.

----------

My claim was never that people aren't buying an iPad mini due to resolution. It was that they aren't deciding to buy a note 2 instead. I am certain there are people waiting for a retina display mini. I am also pretty certain that they aren't going to replace said Note with said mini. In other words, the new Mini will be used alongside whatever other smartphones they already have. Apologies if that wasn't clear.

----------



I have seen this argument before. Some claim it feels of quality. I don't know what that means. If you drop it and it busts, it busts. Pretty much all phones on the market have similar mortality rates when dropped. Are these plastic phones falling apart? Are they malfunctioning ins some way? I don't think so, at least not any more frequently than I can think of.

My best comparison is linoleum versus tiles. Composite versus granite. Aluminum versus carbon fiber. Well, ok, maybe that last one was going overboard. But the first two examples, one is just as functional as the other. Yet people would rather have the tile over the linoleum (generally) and the granite over the composite (generally). I've had all of the iPhones released thus far, and I must say the 3G/S were m least favorite. Was that because of the plastic? I am not sure. I have other plastic phones that I am ok with. But there was something about the 4/S especially, to me, that made them feel premium. Many like the look of the 5. I simply tolerate it. It is a lot more delicate than the 4/S, a lot more expensive to repair, and therefore inferior, in my book (speaking solely design).

Ive knocked it out of the park with the 4/4s. There is something about holding that phone that makes you feel like it's sturdy and well built.

 

[lordofthereef]

In general terms, I think people end up spending more time web-surfing/email/gaming/watching movies on their phones, than actually talking on them.

So the convergence PDA's, cameras, etc, is a moot point to this issue, because for most people these are secondary features of smartphones.

Whereas the issue of content consumption has become the primary feature of smartphones.

I think you are right, BUT, and this is a big but, I also think that the cameras most people use most often are the ones on their smartphone. So it is not such a huge deal how often they are using the camera feature, but that it is the only camera that they are using, so they wish for it to be outstanding.

Before graduating college last year, I worked at an urgent care and had to register people in our system. Plenty of people (I would say roughly 70% off the top of my head) have gotten rid of their landlines in favor of their mobile phones as well. It's not that they talk a lot on their smartphone, but they do depend on the ability to hold a conversation using their smartphone since it is all they have.

 

[thekev]

In general terms, I think people end up spending more time web-surfing/email/gaming/watching movies on their phones, than actually talking on them.

So the convergence PDA's, cameras, etc, is a moot point to this issue, because for most people these are secondary features of smartphones.

Whereas the issue of content consumption has become the primary feature of smartphones.

I didn't disagree with you on the issue of content consumption or whether the Mini is better for it. Even without the retina screen resolution, it is probably more satisfying if you want to watch movies. What I said was that smartphones go everywhere with you. A greater threat to them would be leveling off of hardware features or a decline in subsidies. Basically anything that encourages people to hold the devices over a longer period of time is a threat. With an ipad mini, they have to purchase an additional device and choose to take it along. It would only be a real threat if it was likely to fully displace ownership of a phone. Right now I would suggest that a greater number of people own phones than own tablet devices.

 

[Satnam1989]

Wrong. Some people want one large device that does all. The iPad mini won't ever have cell service and is a tad too big anyway. The note 2 seems to have the right size for a phablet.

Last I followed up with the Galaxy Note Series Phablets the screen size was jus going up....meaning it did not have the "right size for a Phablet" figured out...

 

[maxosx]

Frankly I don't care which mfg it threatens.

Just produce the bloody thing, so I can dump my pixelated low-res iPad Mini ...

Soon!

The Mini form factor is quite nice

 

[Essenar]

Dude, I tried to use the iPad Mini as a phone and you know what? It doesn't freaking work. It's obnoxious to carry around an 8" tablet and try to make calls from it.

Can you run at the gym with an iPad Mini strapped to your chest like Iron-Man's first Arc Reactor? No. You look like a troll.

But the Note 2 is small enough to stuff into your pocket or strap to your shorts and still look somewhat like a normal person working out. You also can't stuff an iPad Mini into your pocket so you have to carry around a sack or a man-bag or a fanny pack.

Even the Nexus 7 is too big. You'd have to wear baggy gangster pants or something. It just doesn't work.

The only thing an iPad Mini 2 with Retina is a threat to, is the Nexus 7 and the regular iPad because it's cheap, it's an iPad and it will have a great screen. (Which it didn't need, trust me.)

 

[bmt134]

Note 2 > iPad Mini. Keep dreaming