All iPads If one iPad had to go?

[minik]

I have the 2020 iPad Pro (12.9"), 2022 iPad (10th gen.), and both iPad mini (5th and 6th gen). Bought the magic keyboards for the iPad Pro and iPad (10th gen). Typing on the iPad mini is jarring as the on-screen keyboard covers half the screen while on landscape. However many forgot iPad has the ability to run iPad apps, which the iPhone cannot.

Our of the current line-up, I would drop the iPad (9th gen.). Yes it's the remaining iPad with the headphone jack, Lightning connector, and previous design language. The 10th gen. is superior in many ways, Apple should lower the price as it is on the market for almost a year.

 

[msackey]

If apple were to drop (1) iPad from the lineup which one would it be? I'll bet it would be the air, but others may argue the Mini. I love the Mini as that is what I use and I got it primarily as a book reader. Perhaps not as nice as Kindle but I have hundreds of books in the apple books format. But I hope none get dropped as I bet they are all popular but perhaps the Mini may be the slowest on sales.

I've gotten confused as to the various lines of iPads so I had to look up what they are!

I do agree there is a place for the Mini. I'm not really sure why there are the iPad and iPad Air lines. I get the Mini: that for smaller sized iPad. I get the iPad Pro: that's for the souped up maximum feature in biggest format.

What about the iPad and iPad Air? Just merge the lines so these two become one line. In the current specifications for each line, I say get rid of the iPad line so there are just three lines: iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad Mini.

There is no need for a fourth line. It just muddies up the distinction between iPad Air and iPad.

And to say why I prefer to current iPad Air as opposed to the current iPad:
- iPad Air uses 2nd generation pencil; iPad uses 1st gen pencil with ridiculous wired and dongle connections
- does not support Magic Keyboard (the one with backlight)

 

[msackey]

Different take but get rid of the iPad Pro 11”. Apple messed up and actually separated their pro line due to the miniLED display and I feel pro models should have the same specs. That said Apple should introduce a bigger 14” or something to make the pro line “pro” again and force the narrative that those who use them want more work space.

Mini
Air
IPP 12.9”
IPP 14”

Oh no. I will say the IPP 12.9 is too big for me. IPP 11 is a good size (though still heavier than I like).

The 11" is just about a good size for both carrying and using as an electronic reader. The physical size is about that of a medium-sized book. As such, I would not get rid of the 11". The 12.9 is really too big for carrying around regularly to use as a reader (and note when reading, many of us aren't just reading, but we are also annotating or taking marginalia).

The 11" though could certain be lightened. And if possible, I'm game for the bezel being even smaller without any more increase in physical dimensions, although the current bezel is ok.

 

[macsound1]

I don’t understand what sets the 11” iPad Pro apart from the iPad Air
Aren’t they the same size? At various times in the refresh cycle they share the same chip.
The 11” Pro feels like the overpriced version of the Air which people buy because it’s called “Pro”

 

[sailingHobbit]

I don’t understand what sets the 11” iPad Pro apart from the iPad Air
Aren’t they the same size? At various times in the refresh cycle they share the same chip.
The 11” Pro feels like the overpriced version of the Air which people buy because it’s called “Pro”

I once sold an iPad Air 4th Gen and replaced it by the M1 iPad Pro 11" just because TouchID does not work for me.

 

[subjonas]

Apple like any company would almost certainly just drop whichever brings in the least money.

From a consumer point of view, I think we would all just want Apple to drop whichever model we don’t plan on buying (if they have to, the premise of this thread). Otherwise, why would it matter which model, except for some weird compulsion to control a company’s lineup? If you’re asking which model if dropped would upset the least number of consumers, I’d say it’s probably also the one that brings in the least money, not coincidentally.

But if we’re dreaming, the ideal for us wouldn’t be any lineup at all, other than size. Just pick your specs a la carte, and it costs what it costs based on those choices. But that would of course be a much less efficient way to produce them and therefore costly.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

If apple were to drop (1) iPad from the lineup which one would it be? I'll bet it would be the air, but others may argue the Mini. I love the Mini as that is what I use and I got it primarily as a book reader. Perhaps not as nice as Kindle but I have hundreds of books in the apple books format. But I hope none get dropped as I bet they are all popular but perhaps the Mini may be the slowest on sales.

Apple should not drop an iPad from the lineup. Making this commentary moot.

 

[culo77]

What?????? Do you have the Mini 6??????? It's a BIG improvement over the previous model.

Yes I do have a mini 6. That is how I know the iPad software team at Apple does nothing for the mini each OS update.

 

[Traverse]

I dunno - I can argue myself into multiple outcomes. The real issue is Apple's need to push the Pro line into more and more expensive territory. The iPad mini is niche product so it stays. I think the $399 entry price of the basic iPad is an important entry, but then having to jump directly to $799+ (or more expensive with OLED) is too big of a gap.

Either the iPad needs to go back to $499 and merge the iPad and iPad Air into a higher quality iPad with more storage, or the current lineup makes sense after the next iPad Pro refresh.

• iPad mini: $499 - niche product that serves a particular market so not directly comparable
• iPad: $399 - merge the 9th and 10th generation to give a basic iPad to the masses
• iPad "Air": $599 - mid-tier iPad with quad speakers, nicer screen (ProMotion?) and higher storage to capture prosumer market. This is the one that should go first.
• iPad Pro: $799 - $1099+ - 11.1" and 13.0" iPad Pro OLED with higher starting price and all fancy features. In theory you could have a 14" iPad Pro or "Studio"

It's clear the the iPad Air is in that weird gap between the basic iPad for most people and the higher end Pro line. At the moment the overlap with the 11" iPad Pro makes this really muddy, but I think the OLED refresh along with the accompanying price hike with justify the iPad Air's place. The biggest issue with the Air is the arbitrary 256GB storage limit.

 

[jwolf6589]

Yes I do have a mini 6. That is how I know the iPad software team at Apple does nothing for the mini each OS update.

Talking about hardware and YES it has improved drastically since my first iPad the Mini 2.

 

[iPadified]

Simpler lineup would be

Ax based (8,10, 12 inch). Target group web users, content consumers, “schools” and “homes“. Low cost device.

MX based (11, 13, 15 inch). Target group content creators , higher end gamers, performers. “pro” although I really dislike that label. Not really a cost sensitive group.

They could add a very cost sensitive Edu line with a 12 inch AX iPad. At schools, you always have a desk and you need the real estate for taking notes and reading books and doing web based research.

 

[AVE№TURA]

If apple were to drop (1) iPad from the lineup which one would it be? I'll bet it would be the air, but others may argue the Mini. I love the Mini as that is what I use and I got it primarily as a book reader. Perhaps not as nice as Kindle but I have hundreds of books in the apple books format. But I hope none get dropped as I bet they are all popular but perhaps the Mini may be the slowest on sales.

To me it's the 11 Pro, but under one condition: The Air gets a 60 Hz VARIABLE refresh rate!

 

[steve217]

To me it's the 11 Pro, but under one condition: The Air gets a 60 Hz VARIABLE refresh rate!

You obviously meant 120hz...

 

[AVE№TURA]

You obviously meant 120hz...

Oh I would love 120 Hz variable . But knowing Apple it will cost 1 Million more if they added it.
srsly 60 hz variable would be just fine as it would get you 3 hours more battery life!
And please keep the Fingerprint reader!

 

[curnalpanic]

They should drop the ones that I don't like, and the rest should be twice as good for half the price. /s

 

[Shanghaichica]

The air or the 11 inch pro. There is a lot of overlap in terms of size and the feature set isn't all that different.