All iPads Has Apple finally done it this year?

[mac_head]

Just don’t buy the newest gen products. There often is no need to buy the latest and greatest and you can get good deals on refurbished products or discounts at other retailers…

- why would you need an m2 in an iPad Pro anyway? There is no use case where you can really take advantage of the computing power. M1 prices are already dropping at retailers.
- m1 MacBook Air is still a great device in comparison to m2 MacBook Air and already starts selling for around 800$…
- iphone 14 pro had such a buggy start that it’s sometimes even the better experience to buy an iPhone 13 Pro for a lower price
- with the new Apple TV 4K “update” I can imagine the prices are dropping for the old one as well. I still have one and it works perfectly fine…

You can still build your Apple ecosystem without having the newest stuff..

 

[cupcakes2000]

why would you need an m2 in an iPad Pro anyway? There is no use case where you can really take advantage of the computing power.

Speak for yourself.
There are several apps which could take advantage, and there are several use cases for these apps.
You not knowing them doesn’t make them not exist.

But you’re right with the rest of your statement. iPads in particular - if you don’t need the power for specific reasons then refurbished , secondhand or a base model is the way to go to cut costs - all recent iPads can cope with ‘general iPad’ tasks very well.

 

[madeirabhoy]

i figure im like a decent percentage of ipad users. im not a pro user, i dont do design on it, i read the newspaper and magazines, watch films on planes and look at the internet when my iphone is on charge.

Ive just replaced my AW3 with an SE2022 and seeing a massive upgrade, replaced my XS with 14 pro and happy. Imac 2017 will last a bit longer.

but im really struggling with the idea of replacing my ipad, its an ipad air 2. there is nothing a new ipad is going to do that is going to improve my use of it. id love there to be. play tropico.... thats about it.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

And yet, here you are complaining to the OP for doing exactly that; sharing their opinion and airing their frustration.

Where was I doing that incidentally?

 

[OneSon]

Interesting thread. A lot of people seem to be taking a very 'all or nothing' approach to their thinking here. I suspect this is because Apple by their own design hook people into the Apple ecosystem. It makes it hard to leave. They also create a very strong brand identity.

For me, I just consider each product in its own right and compare Apple to the competition. Smartphone? Currently use an iPhone but I'll probably go Android next time around. Laptop? Have always loved the Macbook Air and currently use an M1 but would gladly switch to an XPS. Desktop? Nothing beats an iMac. Tablet? I can take them or leave them to be honest.

The key to the way of thinking is to deliberately not get drawn into the whole ecosystem thing. It's a very deliberate and clever strategy by Apple to keep you locked in. The problem comes when either (i) their prices shoot up, or (ii) their quality drops. My advice is to untangle yourself from the whole iCloud, apple music, apple photos, key chain etc etc thing and just make smart decisions for each product you need to use.

 

[itunexify]

Western Europe here. The prices are simply outrageous. Not only new products cost more than ever, but also OLD products have had prices increases. The OLD iPad 9 is more expensive now than a year ago. The OLD M1 Air is more expensive now than 2020. The NOT-updated iPad Air, AirTags, iPad mini, Pencil (1st gen too!!), Magic Keyboard are more expensive. This is ridiculous. Especially considering competition doesn’t seem to charge currency fluctuations on the final customer.

 

[mac_head]

Speak for yourself.
There are several apps which could take advantage, and there are several use cases for these apps.
You not knowing them doesn’t make them not exist.

But you’re right with the rest of your statement. iPads in particular - if you don’t need the power for specific reasons then refurbished , secondhand or a base model is the way to go to cut costs - all recent iPads can cope with ‘general iPad’ tasks very well.

I don't know...I just don't see any Pro Color Grader pull out an iPad Pro and connect it to a Pro Display XDR with Davinci Resolve running. This is stuff I see in ads and it seems "made up". Or even a Pro Photographer edit his work on an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil. Color accuracy of the display is not up to Pro Standards. 3D Modeling (Cinema 4D, etc.) is not available on iPad and would be quite clumsy to use. Sure, there is Forger, but I think people who are using this or are even drawing for high-end animation studios use other – more professional – drawing tablets that do not have such a distracting and glossy glass surface...

 

[MathersMahmood]

Western Europe here. The prices are simply outrageous. Not only new products cost more than ever, but also OLD products have had prices increases. The OLD iPad 9 is more expensive now than a year ago. The OLD M1 Air is more expensive now than 2020. The NOT-updated iPad Air, AirTags, iPad mini, Pencil (1st gen too!!), Magic Keyboard are more expensive. This is ridiculous. Especially considering competition doesn’t seem to charge currency fluctuations on the final customer.

Apple know that with a large majority they can get away with it. But i think those days are nearly gone now.

I was going to buy an iPad but the price changes have stopped me and i may buy an Tab S8+ that i can get on sale which is fantastic in its own right and work well with my S22 Ultra. Can get a 12.4 inch latest samsung tablet with a pen and a free keyboard case and its 256gb for 699.

 

[chikorita157]

You have to try starting with one alternative device, and work from there.

Clearly you didn’t read my post. All the alternatives don’t compare to Apple’s as they don’t fit my needs or vastly inferior/deal breakers, and I don’t intend to switch anytime soon.

 

[cupcakes2000]

I don't know...I just don't see any Pro Color Grader pull out an iPad Pro and connect it to a Pro Display XDR. This is stuff I see in ads and it seems "made up". Or even a Pro Photographer edit his work on an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil. Color accuracy of the display is not up to Pro Standards. 3D Modeling (Cinema 4D, etc.) is not available on iPad and would be quite clumsy to use. Sure, there is Forger, but I think people who are using this or are even drawing for high-end animation studios use other – more professional – drawing tablets that do not have such a distracting and glossy glass surface...

Well in conjunction with other devices the iPad can indeed be used for some of these things. Aside an artist using it in place of a sketchbook, I think most professionals you mention will merely use it a part of a greater workflow.

I'm a pro photographer, and I regularly use an iPad to edit work, the pencil is ideal - great for masking, spot removal, cropping and all sorts of other work. I also use it in place of a Wacom tablet attached to my Mac for Mac only apps. I tether it to my cameras in the field or in the studio to show clients immediate results.
Most colour professionals will have hardware calibrated monitors to correct the colour on, I do. The glass is a non issue with a matt screen protector like paperlike.

Then I operate my entire business using it, designing advertising elements, my website, cards etc. I use it to post my work on various freelance and social media sites. It's a lot easier to do that kind of thing on the couch watching telly with an iPad, as it's phone like in that respect - basically made for it.

I can't do without a Mac, but a powerful large screen pro level iPad is an essential time saver and laptop replacement for me also, nowadays.

 

[GalileoSeven]

Interesting thread. A lot of people seem to be taking a very 'all or nothing' approach to their thinking here. I suspect this is because Apple by their own design hook people into the Apple ecosystem. It makes it hard to leave. They also create a very strong brand identity.

For me, I just consider each product in its own right and compare Apple to the competition. Smartphone? Currently use an iPhone but I'll probably go Android next time around. Laptop? Have always loved the Macbook Air and currently use an M1 but would gladly switch to an XPS. Desktop? Nothing beats an iMac. Tablet? I can take them or leave them to be honest.

The key to the way of thinking is to deliberately not get drawn into the whole ecosystem thing. It's a very deliberate and clever strategy by Apple to keep you locked in. The problem comes when either (i) their prices shoot up, or (ii) their quality drops. My advice is to untangle yourself from the whole iCloud, apple music, apple photos, key chain etc etc thing and just make smart decisions for each product you need to use.

This. Take an honest look at your own use case(s), then see what's out there and would work the best for you/your budget.

For me, being a casual user at home, diving into the ecosystem makes sense and is convenient. It might not though for others with different workflows or those who use more specialized apps and luckily for them, there are plenty of other phones/laptops/tablets etc that could fill the bill.

YMMV

 

[firewire9000]

Apple has lost its vision for the iPad in the recent years. iPadOS is clearly capped to not resemble too much to the Mac. the iPad 10th gen is also purposefully capped to not resemble too much to the iPad Air. It’s funny that since now that the Mac is rising again, the iPad is going down rapidly.

 

[currocj]

I was the guy who lined up for the iPhone 3G.

Now I have no desire whatsoever to upgrade my iPhone 12 Pro. None.

iPad Pro 11” 1st gen? Not touching it.

Watch series 4? Not until the wheels fall off.

The only thing I had to part with this year was my iMac 2017 5K. I got $900 for it and upgraded to a Mac Studio. I felt like that will last me 6 to 8 good years.

There are no compelling features getting me to spend money on apple tech right now.

I’m good.

 

[slplss]

I'm thinking about swapping my iPad Pro for a Galaxy Tab S8 since it's a lot cheaper and I just use my iPad Pro for watching videos / web surfing. But I've never used Android before so I have no idea what the experience is like.

I had/have the Galaxy Tab S5e for about 6 months. It was basic iPad 9 level cheap. But came with beautiful 10.5" AMOLED screen and four speakers. Super light, easy to hold.

But Android on tablets is not well thought out. I remember when powering it, a "phone loading" screen appeared.
It took ages for Samsung to release OTA for Android 10 and 11, months behind Pixel phones OS release. It’s only 3 years old now, but it’s as laggy as 10 year old iPad 3. And, it won’t receive any further OS updates. Also, the AMOLED screen is making super jelly effect in portrait mode, so it’s unusable for practically any vertical scrolling. Worse than iPad mini case.
Similar experience with their flagship phones OS and performance wise.
Watch out for Samsung.

 

[progx]

I wouldn't say your observation is anything new. My feelings have been this way before. When the iPhone X launched, it didn't interest or excite me, so I went to an 8 Plus because my 7 Plus turned into a dreadnought of problems. Eventually, I updated to the 11 Pro and now have the 13 Pro Max. Quite happy with it and don't feel the need to update.

Another one where I thought things were very bland was the last few years of Intel Macs, aside from my late 2018 Mac mini, there was nothing doing in that area for me. The iMac let me down horribly after I bought the late 2012 21" model, so the last Intel Mac mini was a perfect fit. It still isn't bad, but I think the M3 will be the my spot to jump in.

iPads... I've been up and down with those devices since they came out. Had the iPad 2, 3 and Air 2, then I stopped buying them from 2014 until 2018. Sold my Air 2 since I had an early 2015 MacBook Pro for work. Jumped back in with the 6th Gen iPad, which I just traded in this year for the new Air 5. Which I'm really digging it.

Apple Watch is just a device for telling time, measuring workouts and other sorts of tiny things you wouldn't think it'd be handy. I'm still running my Apple Watch 5, but next year I'll grab the 8 if there are any deals. I had the original one (twice), then a Series 3 and now 5. No rush to upgrade.

In my opinion, as a Mac user from the "Crazy Ones" era, Apple has been gradually turning down its excitement since the original iPhone. What is it people say on this forum, FOMO (fear of missing out)? There's nothing wrong with not wanting something new and enjoying what you have. In the era of Apple being a monolith, people are too quick to rush out and get the newest thing. Hell, I ran my 1999 iMac from 2000-2005, then my grandparents used it until 2012. It's healthy to feel this way. Every 2-3 year, Apple makes a big change to the product lines that is must buy for someone holding onto their devices. I don't think it's a bad thing, they're a giant, $2 trillion company with millions of customers.

Right now, I'm exploring the option of using my iPad Air 5 with my Mac mini as a server and playing around in Windows land with my new Ryzen 7 5800X build. I'll be renewing my AppleCare on the mini, so there's nothing to lose in this situation with playing around. However, I would to repurpose my Ryzen 5 3600 for Linux, so that could be a possibility. It can be fun to explore a little bit, so hop in and have some fun or just wait. One day, I will get a Mac with Apple's Silicon in it, but my mini has 32GB of RAM and a 4GB eGPU attached. I don't game and it covers any work I need to complete (which isn't anything huge).

 

[progx]

I had/have the Galaxy Tab S5e for about 6 months. It was basic iPad 9 level cheap. But came with beautiful 10.5" AMOLED screen and four speakers. Super light, easy to hold.

But Android on tablets is not well thought out. I remember when powering it on for the first time, a "phone loading" screen appeared.
It took ages for Samsung to release OTA for Android 10 and 11, months behind Pixel phones OS release. It’s only 3 years old now, but it’s as laggy as 10 year old iPad 3. And, it won’t receive any further OS updates. Also, the AMOLED screen is making super jelly effect in portrait mode, so it’s unusable for practically any vertical scrolling use. Worse than iniPad mini case.
Similar experience with their flagship phones OS and performance wise.
Watch out for Samsung.

Bought my girlfriend a Samsung Tab A for Christmas (🤮). She hates Apple stuff period, so I wanted to get her something similar to my iPad Gen 6 (at the time). For the regular iPad, nothing like it exists in Android land in terms of performance to price. You either get junk for the price of an iPad or lower, or pay premium for something similar. Comparing the Air and Pro to anything Android... yeah, there's not really anything on par. The lag is real. Androids are very inconsistent between hardware manufacturers, they're always loaded with bloatware and other types of garbage you don't need.

For better Android phone experiences, ASUS, OnePlus or the not-so-known brands are probably a better bet.

Samsung was always the great copycat in electronics for years. When I was a kid, you'd always see a Samsung tube TV sitting next to a Sony or other top brand for the time at a lower price point. It's crazy to see how far they've come in the world as a leading electronics manufacturer, but I can never shake my original perception of them.

 

[Isamilis]

After the iPad ‘updates’, price bumps and what seems to be a deliberate manipulation by Apple to push people to more expensive devices (again) by gimping and purposely making thing less user friendly - I just feel like the value is diminishing rapidly.

Stuck between feeling like I’ve either paid too much for something, or I bought something that’s not quite what I wanted.

Most things work well in the eco system, and I’ve been an Apple for over 15 years. However - I really feels like they’re taking the absolute piss out of their customer base, now that they make more profit than ever before, have billions upon billions in the bank, and hardly any competition it seems.

So, how tricky would it be to leave the eco system behind and replace products and services while keeping maximum usability?

Some obvious ones would be switching to Google, who do phones, smartwatches and soon a new tablet - but for example replacing my MacBook Air m2…a surface pro? A Chromebook? An XPS?

YouTube Music, Spotify, Google Drive, Dropbox, HomePods, Google Nest Audio…

Apples makes a boatload of revenue on their relatively new servies business. Wouldn’t it be smarter to keep the pricing of their hardware somewhat in check and that way have more users to sell their services to?

From what I’ve seen in the past few years - this recent update has had 100% negative comments across a lot of Apple specific forums and some how it feels like the number of people who feel the same has reached a tipping point, where Apple might have actually found the upper limit of how much the general public is willing to pay for their products.

You don’t need to leave the ecosystem. Just ignore what the new stuff coming up every year. Focus on what you have and what your needs. I my case, if my iPhone has been broken or battery dye / unusable, then just buy the new one - new or refurbished. Same with MacBook, iPad etc. Apple (and many other companies) will surely push us to buy their products as much & as frequent as possible - which are very normal.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

And yet, here you are complaining to the OP for doing exactly that; sharing their opinion and airing their frustration.

In case you didn’t see the other post, where did I do this with the OP? Could you quote me maybe?

 

[FeliApple]

Apple has been doing what you've observed for years.

As for leaving the ecosystem, I've done it... but that doesn't require ditching Apple hardware. I still have my 2013 and 2017 iMacs (the 2013 serves as my Plex server and 2nd monitor to my 2017 iMac). I have an iPad Mini 5, iPad 9th gen, and iPhone SE 2.

That's the key these days, IMO. Forget the FOMO (fear of missing out) of not having quad speakers, pro-motion, etc. and go for the entry level products. The iPhone SE and base iPad offer some of the best tech bargains available.

I have chromebooks, Windows laptops, Android tablets, and countless other devices in my regular mix, and these Apple products work well together. As a result, I have spent far less for far more tech than those who are all-in on Apple's top tier products and services.

But that's me... I'm a bit of an oddball. But if you'd like to get into the details of how something like this can work for you, I (and others in similar situations) would be happy to help.

I won’t leave the ecosystem, but I don’t buy new devices all the time (I buy pretty infrequently, actually), and I think what you propose is very interesting.

You can even stop buying new! I (try to, if Apple allows me...) leave devices on their original iOS versions, or, if possible, on the earliest version Apple will allow. They force me to update? (Like it happened when they forced my 9.7-inch iPad Pro from iOS 9 to iOS 12), it stays there (I had an updated iPad three years ago, now it is four iOS versions behind. While battery life is bad compared to iOS 9, it is a lot better than it will be on iPadOS 16).

If I do that, devices maintain top-notch performance for years. If the user’s usage patterns don’t change, they can be used for many, many years. Buying new is cool, but not necessary. I keep devices for many years, and as long as Apple doesn’t force me, it’s fine.

I recently bought an iPad Air 5 to upgrade my 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The only reason for which I was compelled to do that is Apple’s forced update. Otherwise I would’ve been fine. Hell, if I weren’t so obsessive with the motto of “my devices should work exactly as I expect them to, otherwise I don’t like them as much anymore”, I could still use the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. I use the Air in the exact same way. The Pro works just fine! The 20-40% dip (depending on the cycle, it varies) in battery life bothered me a lot, and that’s the only reason I upgraded. It still gets 8-11 hours of screen-on time, so if I were happy with that, I’d have no reason to upgrade. I use the Air 5 in the exact same way I used my 9.7-inch iPad Pro. I don’t need new.

I could use my iPhone 6s on iOS 10 as a main phone just fine (if it were 128GB like my previous 6s, which was on iOS 9 and was forced to iOS 13 due to the same iOS 9 on A9 activation bug, it‘s 32GB, it’s a little tougher), but only now am I losing access to one important app. Go back to, say, last year, and I’d be able to use it just fine. I don’t even need new devices, they work for years. Battery life on my 63% health iPhone 6s on iOS 10 is like-new (yes, 63% health. 7.5 hours of screen-on time on Wi-Fi), and I use my iPhone Xʀ (on iOS 12, of course), just like I use my 6s. They work for a very, very long time if kept on their original iOS versions, and app support’s impact is wildly - very wildly - overstated. It takes many years for it to reach critical level, and barring some specific cases, if you download everything you need it doesn’t even matter, assuming usage patterns don’t change.

 

[usagora]

It’s a forum mate and people come here to share their opinions and often their frustrations. You’re right, people don’t have to buy new Apple products and many this aren’t. You also don’t have to respond to those who complain if your don’t want to, it’s not compulsory.

What on earth are you on about? When did I say people weren't allowed to share opinions or that I was being forced to respond? Yes, obviously people are allowed to share their opinions/complaints, and I'm also allowed to respond to them and point out when people are not being reasonable. It goes both ways. If you post in a public forum, don't expect 100% agreement/sympathy. Surely you know this.

Yeah, I think some people just need a place to vent and see that people agree with what they are feeling.

Again, when did I say he shouldn't have posted? Neither of you are actually responding to what I said.

 

[usagora]

Where was I doing that incidentally?

I believe he's referring to me (he should've said "the person you were replying to", since OP normally refers to the thread starter). You seemed to be complaining that I was responding to the OP's opinion with my own opposing opinion.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

What on earth are you on about? When did I say people weren't allowed to share opinions or that I was being forced to respond? Yes, obviously people are allowed to share their opinions/complaints, and I'm also allowed to respond to them and point out when people are not being reasonable. It goes both ways. If you post in a public forum, don't expect 100% agreement/sympathy. Surely you know this.

You just came across very condescending and negative because you didn’t agree with them that’s all. The stance that your opinion is right and it’s other peoples problem if they don’t agree with it.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

You seemed to be complaining that I was responding to the OP's opinion with my own opposing opinion.

Not at all, just the tone and ridicule.

 

[usagora]

You just came across very condescending and negative because you didn’t agree with them that’s all. The stance that your opinion is right and it’s other peoples problem if they don’t agree with it.

Not at all, just the tone and ridicule.

Everyone thinks their opinions are "right"--that's why we have them 😉 (obviously I'm talking about opinions on things like the thread topic, not "what's your favorite color" type of opinions).

As for "negative"--disagreeing with someone is "negative" by definition. As for "condescending"--not at all. This would be a condescending/ridiculing reply: "Oh, you poor baby. Can't afford the new iPad so now you're whining on the forum. Go buy an Android tablet, plebeian!"

I didn't have that sort of tone at all. I simply pointed out that it doesn't make sense to "leave" Apple just because you don't like the pricing of their new products. I even gave a constructive suggestion to simply wait a bit and buy used/refurbished. I ended by pointing out that many on this forum take Apple's decisions way too personally/emotionally, which is a sincere observation. The OP's post is a mild example of that. I've seen far worse, such as literal rants and melodramatic "after 30 years, goodbye Apple!" type posts over the most trivial things.

So, I'm not sure why you have a problem with my comment and not he OP's (which was very negative/critical of Apple). As you yourself pointed out, this is a public forum. Opposing opinions are allowed. Both the OP's and my comments are completely within the rules of this forum.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Everyone thinks their opinions are "right"--that's why we have them (obviously I'm talking about opinions on things like the thread topic, not "what's your favorite color" type of opinions).

As for "negative"--disagreeing with someone is "negative" by definition. As for "condescending"--not at all. This would be a condescending/ridiculing reply: "Oh, you poor baby. Can't afford the new iPad so now you're whining on the forum. Go buy an Android tablet, plebeian!"

I didn't have that sort of tone at all. I simply pointed out that it doesn't make sense to "leave" Apple just because you don't like the pricing of their new products. I even gave a constructive suggestion to simply wait a bit and buy used/refurbished. I ended by pointing out that many on this forum take Apple's decisions way too personally/emotionally, which is a sincere observation. The OP's post is a mild example of that. I've seen far worse, such as literal rants and melodramatic "after 30 years, goodbye Apple!" type posts over the most trivial things.

So, I'm not sure why you have a problem with my comment and not he OP's (which was very negative/critical of Apple). As you yourself pointed out, this is a public forum. Opposing opinions are allowed. Both the OP's and my comments are completely within the rules of this forum.

I think this year will either drive people to keep devices much longer or try Android though. Prices have remained static from other manufacturers who chose to absorb the inflationary increases and retailers are promoting this at the moment. I prefer iOS personally and have been an iPhone user for over a decade, but I am realistic that I may be priced out in the coming years as prices soar. Buying used isn’t ideal for everybody if you want a warranty and it’s a sad state of affairs to have to do this when you’ve enjoyed years of buying the latest hardware. If Apple don’t want customers who want a £700-£950 smartphone and favour the silly high end of the market going forward, then I think that might encourage consumers to shift focus. This might be what we need to happen in order for products to remain competitive.