All iPads 12.9/13 inch Users (Or Prospective Users): Will The Availability of a 12.9-inch iPad Air Dissuade You From Going Pro?

[Apples Apples Everywhere]

I'm happy to pay more for the OLED when I replace my 4th Gen 13" Pro, but I also want WiFi 7 since I don't upgrade that often. I don't think I want WiFi 6E for 4-5 years since my access points are already WiFi 7.

 

[iPad Bro]

Probably not. I want the new OLED, better speakers (which nobody seems to care about), and all the fixins. Promotion, the redesign, the new Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard all contribute to me going Pro yet again.

 

[rkuo]

I figure the 12.9 Air will be good enough for my mom instead of having to get the Pro. It’s just a senior thing … she needs the big screen but otherwise has no need for fancy Pro features. We’ll have to see how everything shakes out in the actual announcement.

 

[iPadified]

I know I'm not the only person intrigued by the idea of a 12.9-inch iPad Air.

I am with you on this one. Screen size should not be a "pro" feature while the quality of the screen definitely is. I believe many used to chose the 12.9 Pro because of the of the screen size. A 12.9 air will drive some cost sensitive or people from the Pro line. Those with PWM sensitivity will be happy.

However if the real difference in price is $200 for a similar device (RAM, Disk), it might be a hard sell. My 2017 is still fine for what I do at home, and my 2020 iPad Pro at work will be used until it falls apart, hopefully >2027 so $200 over seven years is nothing. Due to the maturity and limited feature and performance development per year, it is easier to pay a little more for a device.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I know I'm not the only person intrigued by the idea of a 12.9-inch iPad Air. Especially considering that my use cases for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro today don't really make much use of the features that currently set the iPad Pro line apart from the iPad Air. But I know that there are several 12.9-inch iPad Pro users out there for whom those iPad Pro specific features are totally essential. We've long since had the choice between iPad Air and 11-inch iPad Pro in terms of which 10.9/11-inch iPad to choose; those who want ProMotion, FaceID, better speakers, the two cameras with LiDAR scanner, higher-end storage options, Thunderbolt, etc, all have the option of buying that higher-end model. We've never had that option for the 12.9-inch iPad. If you want/need a larger screen, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is the only option.

So, my question to you all is this: Whether you are a prospective first-time 12.9/13-inch iPad customer or whether this is an Apple product that is integral to your tech arsenal (or whether you're somewhere in between), will the availability of a 12.9/13-inch iPad Air dissuade you from buying the 12.9/13-inch iPad Pro? Or will you still go with the iPad Pro? What will be your determining factor?

I know this is a rumors site, but speculating about being dissuaded about two unknowns seems crazy to me. I am one of those potential buyers, and it seems obvious to me that we need to see what the products are before we can decide A versus B.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I figure the 12.9 Air will be good enough for my mom instead of having to get the Pro. It’s just a senior thing … she needs the big screen but otherwise has no need for fancy Pro features. We’ll have to see how everything shakes out in the actual announcement.

Like you said, "We’ll have to see how everything shakes out in the actual announcement."

 

[TechRunner]

I'm definitely interested in the 12.9" Air but my level of interest will be determined by specs/price. 128GB base model for $799? Absolutely. 64GB base model for $899? Probably not.

 

[dominiongamma]

Aww, crap. You're totally right. My apologies. I guess ignore the "Yes" in the second option (or swap "Yes" for "No" in both answer choices) for it to mean as intended?

There should be “not getting one “ choice

 

[m0nkeyb0y]

I do a ton of reading for work (often with music), so quality of screen and speakers is really important to me. Buuuuut, I definitely do not need M3, GPU, better cameras, etc. I'd love to upgrade from my 11" M1, maybe to a bigger size (depending on weight?), but whether Pro or Air REALLY depends upon the price and a head-to-head comparison in store.

 

[sparksd]

I'll stay with the Pro but am waiting on the pricing to decide on an upgrade to my M1 12.9.

 

[iPadified]

There should be “not getting one “ choice

No, the poll is for those who need to decide between 12.9 Air and 13 Pro.

 

[SalisburySam]

I’ve purchased a couple of iPadPros over the years mostly for the 13” screen size, which I very much like and value. If the iPadAir were to become available in that size, I’d go for it for the expected cost savings. Don’t really need/care about speaker quality, OLED screen, etc.

Oh and yeah, I’d wait until these were available in the refurb store for max savings. Haven’t bought anything but refurb’d items in years and relish the savings. I’ve learned to put aside FOMO to great financial advantage.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I’ve purchased a couple of iPadPros over the years mostly for the 13” screen size, which I very much like and value. If the iPadAir were to become available in that size, I’d go for it for the expected cost savings. Don’t really need/care about speaker quality, OLED screen, etc.

Oh and yeah, I’d wait until these were available in the refurb store for max savings. Haven’t bought anything but refurb’d items in years and relish the savings. I’ve learned to put aside FOMO to great financial advantage.

I've only purchased my 12.9-inch iPad Pros as Apple Certified Refurbished units from their online store. Not entirely sure how to afford them otherwise; I can't justify paying $1099 for only 128GB without cellular, let alone $1199 for cellular. $979 for 256GB Wi-Fi Only Refurb (the going rate for a 2021/M1 version) is something I can stomach. But even that hurts a little.