The rumor from Business Insider is a smaller version of the larger ipads due in March. Time will tell. That IMHO is too soon for a second Mini but I don't think sales of the 4th gen went very well so I can understand reducing the larger ipads size and weight.
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All iPads You will probably see new iPad and iPad mini in Spring
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It's really the only way for iPad to stay alive. Who wants a bigger iPad, when portability is definitely a factor here...
Too much competition so I also think Apple will release something in March or April. I think iPad 4 sluggish sales were a given because most iPad 3 owners probably did not want to buy another iPad which does basically the same thing and it looks like the iPad mini is the HOT item right now.
I was browsing news on Bing this morning from Business Insider and they reported the Mini outsold the larger ipads 2 to 1 after it was released. Not sure what their source is.
So I can see Apple definitely moving to a smaller and lighter ipad than the bigger 2, 3, and 4. March I'm unsure about, that is BI's forecast.
That said, I MIGHT return the 4 I bought at BF price and just wait it out. That is taking a chance since the 4 at the price I got it for is well worth the money and who knows what the specs will be for the next ipad. I think it worth a gamble though knowing it at least it will be smaller and lighter AND the resolution on the MINI wasn't terrible so...
Not picking on you. Picking on Business Insider's terminology. Isn't a smaller iPad = Mini ? They are calling it a 5th gen iPad. But they are describing what should more appropriately be a Mini 2. It's semantics I know. But they are giving people the wrong impression of what's coming IMHO.
If you are prepared to wait 3 to 4 months for the next (rumored) iPad, you presumably don't need or want one that badly, and if an iPad 5 comes out in March then Apple will have signaled to the public and investors that they will be updating iPads on a 6-monthly cycle going forward - so what will you do then?
Well if the one coming is bigger than a Mini but smaller and lighter than the larger ones, maybe it isn't a Mini 2?
I'm not sure if the next one will even come with Retina, lots of folks traded off the larger 3 and 4 iPads great display for size and weight of the Mini so maybe that is in itself is enough? Time will tell.
Most here think the next Mini will come with Retina, thus mini 2. I don't know think it being much bigger or heavier is wise since the MINI's form factor seemed perfect for most now BUT I doubt there would be much leeway around that for the Mini 2.
Well if the one coming is bigger than a Mini but smaller and lighter than the larger ones, maybe it isn't a Mini 2?
That could be. But I think it would be unlikely that there would be a third form factor, somewhere in size between the current Mini and current iPad 4.
I think it's just a translation issue. I think what the article means is a Mini 2. But we shall all see soon enough.
Problem is I'm not unhappy with the 4 but I don't necessarily love it for lack of better terminology especially when something may definitely be available real soon that I'm sure will be lighter and smaller.
Reason being talk of another ipad being released very soon is because Apple saw what happened when they released the Mini with its sales figures versus the larger ones. That imbalance will just go on longer until they react so they may not have much choice if they don't like what is happening.
That doesn't necessarily mean it will definitely be a 6 month cycle going forward.
I can get back what I ponied up for the ipad 4 now. When the next one comes, probably substantially less.
And I still have till January 24th to return the iPad 4! I think I can wait till March or shortly thereafter for the new iPad or buy the 4 again for probably the same price I got on BF if I don't like the new one.
They will do it in march if technology is ready by that time in terms of promised less power hungry retina displays and more efficient processors/gpus. Mini will greatly benefit from retina screen and iPad 4 needs to loose weight. Competitors are not sleeping and apple can't afford to wait till next fall.
So what do you think about returning a 4 and just waiting it out with knowing a new one may be released as soon as March or thereabouts?
Heh, I just got iPad 4 for $435 after taxes and I will wait for a price drop on 5. That way my loss when reselling 4 will be minimal. But if there are no significant improvements in performance or screen quality, I'm ok to wait even longer.
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That's about what I paid. I avoided sales tax because I got it in Deleware.
I think I'm going to return it. My GF has a Mini and I can use that so I'm not totally ipad-less. I'll wait it out and see what Apple's next move is.
I purchased the Mini early this month, and 1 week later rumors about a Retina Mini will be coming out in 3 months made me a bit upset at first. But after seeing my wife using the Mini everyday, I'm keeping it. I'll skip the Mini 2 if it's just a Retina display with the same battery life as the current one, but will probably be heavier, and just get the Mini 3 whenever that comes out. And if the Ipad 5 is smaller and significantly lighter than the Ipad 4, and it has a longer battery life, I'll just get that.
The Ipad mini is our first Apple product, and we absolutely love it, even though we don't listen to any music on it.
The Ipad mini is our first Apple product, and we absolutely love it, even though we don't listen to any music on it.
I doubt seriously a Mini 2 will be released in the next few months. The Mini is great for one's first Apple ipad product. That was the way I went until I learned I could get the 4 at a reduced price for Black Friday. That was what tipped the scale. If it was $499, I would have kept the Mini.
If anything for a March release, I feel it will be a thinner and lighter version of the big brothers. So my thinking is why not return the 4 and wait and see since I have my GF's Mini to use.
We don't even know if its technically possible to release an iPad mini in all of 2013 with retina display while retaining the same battery life and weight, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Highly doubt we see any new iPads in the spring. Apple rushed out the iPad 4 in the fall so they could move their release schedule to the fall. It'd place incredible pressure on themselves to move to a six month release cycle. There's only so much you can do in terms of hardware upgrades in a six month span.
Agree.
A whole lot of folks are waiting for a much better screen on a mini.
A screen that at least can match the one but out by Barnes and Noble.
The NookHD is incredible. They were able to get a high Rez screen in a thin factor with long battery life.
So I don't understand people when they say Apple can't do it without making the device heavier due to battery issues....?
Apple has also been taking a big hit on Wall Street. They need to keep churning out far better upgrades to products if they want to see a $700 share price again.
A whole lot of folks are waiting for a much better screen on a mini.
A screen that at least can match the one but out by Barnes and Noble.
The NookHD is incredible. They were able to get a high Rez screen in a thin factor with long battery life.
So I don't understand people when they say Apple can't do it without making the device heavier due to battery issues....?
Apple has also been taking a big hit on Wall Street. They need to keep churning out far better upgrades to products if they want to see a $700 share price again.
Apple will pull the plug on 16gb iPad 2 in the spring. iPad Mini with retina will become the entry level product. It is already priced for retina.
Yup, they want to get rid of any devices left with 30-pin connector. Its all Lightning now.
Agreed.
People have reacted as if a retina Mini is going to be like carrying around a lead brick. How much thicker/heavier could it be? When the iPad went retina, it was 0.8 mm thicker. And 2 ounces heavier. When the iPod went retina, it actually got thinner and lighter.
You have a good point: Apple has contradicted Jobs. However, it is my opinion that they will not manufacture a touchscreen laptop. And its not because I think that Apple can't do a better job of making a touchscreen laptop, it's just against their style as it currently is. Remember also, that even Jobs himself was infamous for contradicting himself, let alone his company. So just because Jobs said something at one point, does not mean that he would not say differently today.
This is a great point, and most would gladly take a Mini 1 ounce heavier and 1/2 mm thicker for retina.
They will make what sells. If they see that they are losing market share to the touch screen laptops then apple will come out with their own. It's about making what people will buy and less about their style
call it the ipad goldilocks
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imo--touch screen laptops ubiquitous in 5 years. Apple will introduce a touch os--iosX--within two years. Just go to any store and watch people play with touch laptops. Very popular. Hybrid tablets still a fail. You might say the ipad mini killed the hybrid. It redefined the tablet.