iPad mini Do you think they will release a new mini?

[Digitalguy]

120hz OLED would be incredible in this form factor. But then it would probably cannibalize Air sales.

It wouldn't, it's a different market, Air has M1, the mini would get A16 and 6GB RAM at best and wouldn't get Stage Manager (it has no official keyboard).
And the air could get 120hz and OLED in 2024. So no issue.
I am not sure about OLED, but I do believe the mini will get promotion next year, especially after the jelly saga.

 

[nStyle]

I’d be fine with 120hz only and no jelly.

 

[bitethis]

I’m ready for a new mini. I was excited about my mini 6 until I started scrolling and the jelly still to this day drives be nuts. Other than that, I love it and take it with me pretty much everywhere. If they did nothing but improve the display I would update again. 120Hz or mini LED or maybe OLED whatever they decide. If they moved the controller to the landscape orientation that would work better for me, I use mine primarily in portrait.

Do all minis display this scrolling issue?

 

[spiderman0616]

Do all minis display this scrolling issue?

Mine definitely has it, but I only ever notice it in real world use when I see someone mention it WHILE I'm using it, and even then I need to be in portrait view, and I'm usually not. I typically hold it in landscape, especially when reading books. I have a page on each side, so it's like reading a small paperback.

 

[bitethis]

Mine definitely has it, but I only ever notice it in real world use when I see someone mention it WHILE I'm using it, and even then I need to be in portrait view, and I'm usually not. I typically hold it in landscape, especially when reading books. I have a page on each side, so it's like reading a small paperback.

Thanks for that. Should be arriving Wednesday. Looking forward to it.

 

[kristalsoldier]

I disagree with the assertion that I bolded. At the time of the iPad Mini's initial release, 7" Android tablets were selling in quantities large enough to catch Apple's attention. The 9"-10" tablet space we already securely in Apple's hands, but the smaller form-factor was growing.

When the first 7" Android tablets began to appear, Steve Jobs said that tablets smaller than the 9.7" iPad did not provide for a good user experience. It was a wise move for him to back off that position and produce the Mini.

It was market forces that were the primary pressure to produce the Mini.

Well, yes, but while I don’t know who Eddy Cue is, the fact that Apple has persisted with the Mini is interesting. I am not sure there is a large market for the 7” Android tablet any more and the Mini sales must be much lower than the sales figures of the regular iPads. So, Apple must see a reason - aside from profit - for pursuing with the Mini.

 

[spiderman0616]

Well, yes, but while I don’t know who Eddy Cue is, the fact that Apple has persisted with the Mini is interesting. I am not sure there is a large market for the 7” Android tablet any more and the Mini sales must be much lower than the sales figures of the regular iPads. So, Apple must see a reason - aside from profit - for pursuing with the Mini.

They’re lower because the market seemingly understands that the mini is no longer a budget model. There is a market out there for this size tablet with these capabilities and Apple has figured out that market will pay for small as a feature, not a price point.

Edit for clarity: my point being that no model sells nearly as well as the regular old iPad. Especially not the 12.9” Pro.

 

[kristalsoldier]

They’re lower because the market seemingly understands that the mini is no longer a budget model. There is a market out there for this size tablet with these capabilities and Apple has figured out that market will pay for small as a feature, not a price point.

Edit for clarity: my point being that no model sells nearly as well as the regular old iPad. Especially not the 12.9” Pro.

In that case, it would be interesting to compare the size of the 12.9” Pro and the Mini markets and the profit Apple makes from each of these market segments.

 

[Lioness~]

I suppose a chip change to M1 might happen.

But this time around? I suppose it depends on their corporate vision. M-power all the things? As soon as possible?

I am waiting for the M1 upgrade too for the Mini.
If it doesn’t come fairly soon, I might go for another larger iPad with M-chip.
My Mini is still hanging in there for causal usage after cleaning up a bit.
See what Apple say….

 

[spiderman0616]

I am waiting for the M1 upgrade too for the Mini.
If it doesn’t come fairly soon, I might go for another larger iPad with M-chip.
My Mini is still hanging in there for causal usage after cleaning up a bit.
See what Apple say….

I really wish they would at least make full monitor support available on the mini 6, even if they won't unlock features like Stage Manager. I know this is an edge use case, but my favorite new hardware feature on the mini is the USB-C port. I have a whole Bluetooth profile set up at my desk just for my mini, so if I want to use iPadOS with keyboard and mouse, I just dock it via USB-C and switch all my stuff to that profile. It really is similar to using an iPad Pro/Air with Magic Keyboard but on a much larger canvas.

The problem is that it doesn't scale correctly, even on the UltraFine 4K I bought from Apple and that they still carry and support to this day. I basically get a blown up iPad mini with black bars on the sides. It's perfectly usable, but not ideal, and kind of undermines the mini as the iPad that can kind of sneak its way into any situation.

I don't know--I really feel like the chip in the mini 6 could at least support monitor scaling, but also admit that I know nothing about chip design or what kind of hit the RAM would take in that situation.

Either way--I will upgrade this mini whenever the next one comes out in a couple of years or so, and I really really hope the next one has an M chip in it, marketing ploy as that may or may not be.

 

[Ludatyk]

I have a whole Bluetooth profile set up at my desk just for my mini, so if I want to use iPadOS with keyboard and mouse, I just dock it via USB-C and switch all my stuff to that profile. It really is similar to using an iPad Pro/Air with Magic Keyboard but on a much larger canvas.

Bluetooth profile set up at your desk? What does that mean exactly? Umm... keyboard and mouse switch similar to those MX Master accessories?

 

[gsmornot]

Thanks for that. Should be arriving Wednesday. Looking forward to it.

I would like to hold off until you receive it and see for yourself. It was the first thing I noticed out of the box coming from a mini 5 but I love the form factor and everything else about it so I have stuck it out. If you prefer landscape view you will never notice. I use my Pro landscape on a Magic Keyboard but my mini is mostly portrait and I’m not sure they thought this would be the case. None the less, hope you enjoy the mini 6, I still give it high marks otherwise.

 

[spiderman0616]

Bluetooth profile set up at your desk? What does that mean exactly? Umm... keyboard and mouse switch similar to those MX Master accessories?

Yep—Logitech MX keyboard/mouse with 3 Bluetooth profiles on each. I use one for the work Mac, one for the personal Mac, one for the iPad.

 

[IJBrekke]

Will the Mini 6 be changed/updated this fall? No, almost certainly not.

Will a Mini Pro with 120 Hz screen and M-based processor be released? My personal speculation is that there are battery life issues trying to use the M1 in the smaller form factor, so that this type of device may need a more efficient 3 nm processor to hit the ratios Apple prefers. Because the M2 is still 5 nm, that likely signals no Mini Pro for at least another year. They could continue to use the iPhone processor, however it all gets muddy with the rollout of Stage Manager and the self-imposed restrictions on it by Apple.

So, I would anticipate an updated Mini and a Mini Pro release alongside the M3, which is late 2023 or early 2024.

 

[Digitalguy]

Will the Mini 6 be changed/updated this fall? No, almost certainly not.

Will a Mini Pro with 120 Hz screen and M-based processor be released? My personal speculation is that there are battery life issues trying to use the M1 in the smaller form factor, so that this type of device may need a more efficient 3 nm processor to hit the ratios Apple prefers. Because the M2 is still 5 nm, that likely signals no Mini Pro for at least another year. They could continue to use the iPhone processor, however it all gets muddy with the rollout of Stage Manager and the self-imposed restrictions on it by Apple.

So, I would anticipate an updated Mini and a Mini Pro release alongside the M3, which is late 2023 or early 2024.

Extremely low chances of M3 or whatever M on the mini. The mini will NOT get Stage Manager, simply because it does not have a first party keyboard, it's not a matter of efficiency it's a matter of positioning the mini as a pure tablet. Promotion is a different story and I see how it could get it next year.

 

[Lioness~]

Will the Mini 6 be changed/updated this fall? No, almost certainly not.

Will a Mini Pro with 120 Hz screen and M-based processor be released? My personal speculation is that there are battery life issues trying to use the M1 in the smaller form factor, so that this type of device may need a more efficient 3 nm processor to hit the ratios Apple prefers. Because the M2 is still 5 nm, that likely signals no Mini Pro for at least another year. They could continue to use the iPhone processor, however it all gets muddy with the rollout of Stage Manager and the self-imposed restrictions on it by Apple.

So, I would anticipate an updated Mini and a Mini Pro release alongside the M3, which is late 2023 or early 2024.

Fair enough, but contradictory 😂

I don't expect anything at all. I prefer to be positively surprised.
But Apple have a history of not abandoning their customers needs. So they might upgrade the Mini with M1 fairly soon. iPad Air already have it, so it's not a big deal.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Extremely low chances of M3 or whatever M on the mini. The mini will NOT get Stage Manager, simply because it does not have a first party keyboard, it's not a matter of efficiency it's a matter of positioning the mini as a pure tablet. Promotion is a different story and I see how it could get it next year.

Indeed. This is something that the Mini could use, particularly in its role as a pure tablet. I can also see minor design changes in the sense of a slightly larger screen or shrinkage of bezels (accompanied with better edge touch resistant software), a slightly thinner profile though that will be contingent on battery capacity/life, among others.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

It wouldn't, it's a different market, Air has M1, the mini would get A16 and 6GB RAM at best and wouldn't get Stage Manager (it has no official keyboard).
And the air could get 120hz and OLED in 2024. So no issue.
I am not sure about OLED, but I do believe the mini will get promotion next year, especially after the jelly saga.

Promotion has already been shown to be only on models with the Pro name so it won’t be. OLED is the best bet, if anything.

 

[Haust]

Do all minis display this scrolling issue?

I said I wouldn’t buy one because of this very issue. I caved and bought one anyways. Yes, it’s there on every one because of the display used. BUT, to be honest in actual use it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s there but it’s pretty easily ignored. Unless your purposely dragging the screen back and forth to see it, it’s not that bad just plain scrolling at a normal pace.

My biggest gripe would be brightness and padding. I wish it was a bit more brighter and a had a not larger battery to support it. Also, the padding is kind of weird. I don’t understand why Apple scrunches the app and widget layout into a smaller area then is needed. There’s space for things to extend out across the whole display.

 

[bitethis]

I said I wouldn’t buy one because of this very issue. I caved and bought one anyways. Yes, it’s there on every one because of the display used. BUT, to be honest in actual use it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s there but it’s pretty easily ignored. Unless your purposely dragging the screen back and forth to see it, it’s not that bad just plain scrolling at a normal pace.

My biggest gripe would be brightness and padding. I wish it was a bit more brighter and a had a not larger battery to support it. Also, the padding is kind of weird. I don’t understand why Apple scrunches the app and widget layout into a smaller area then is needed. There’s space for things to extend out across the whole display.

Should be arriving tonight. Weird the only ones in stock in my area were 64gb so I had to order the 256gb. I will not be looking for any issues. I have a case waiting, a few hours of getting all my stuff on it ( I really need to clear out some messages ). And all set.

Thanks everyone for all the feedback and info.

 

[Haust]

Should be arriving tonight. Weird the only ones in stock in my area were 64gb so I had to order the 256gb. I will not be looking for any issues. I have a case waiting, a few hours of getting all my stuff on it ( I really need to clear out some messages ). And all set.

Thanks everyone for all the feedback and info.

I’m planning to leave my old iPhone XR at home connected to my wifi and buy an Apple Watch 8 cellular model and I think I’ll be set to just about everything without carrying a phone. My eyes are older and the mini iPad is perfect for me. I can always bring the phone with me if I really need it for some reason.

 

[Digitalguy]

Promotion has already been shown to be only on models with the Pro name so it won’t be. OLED is the best bet, if anything.

Things may change, we'll see.

 

[gsmornot]

I’m planning to leave my old iPhone XR at home connected to my wifi and buy an Apple Watch 8 cellular model and I think I’ll be set to just about everything without carrying a phone. My eyes are older and the mini iPad is perfect for me. I can always bring the phone with me if I really need it for some reason.

So, you’re going to carry the iPad mini and a cellular watch in place of a phone? Interesting. It’s not a cost savings but does give you the watch and device with a larger display. I sort of do this. My iPad mini says on a bracket in the car and works as my phone device in the car. I take it with me in places I park but otherwise my phone is with me as my phone device. I can see how that would work but wonder if it’s really going to work long term.

 

[NARadyk]

My iPad mini says on a bracket in the car and works as my phone device in the car. I take it with me in places I park but otherwise my phone is with me as my phone device.

I’ve been wanting to do this exact thing. Any recommendations on what to buy for this?

 

[sparksd]

I’ve been wanting to do this exact thing. Any recommendations on what to buy for this?

Here's one source for a variety of car mounts-

ProClip USA