If there is no new iPad mini.....

[MyopicPaideia]

I agree, but I think that there are a LOT of people in Cupertino who still think that Jobs had the TRVTH. It doesn't matter how many people at MR think so. What matters is that people who make decisions at Apple still think so.

Like those same people that decided a on producing a 12.9” iPad, and a 5.8” iPhone (or even a 4.7” model for that matter)??

Jobs had a very clear and publicly known and marketed opinion that the iPhone 4’s 4” inch screen was the perfect size for a phone, as it was the largest to allow one handed use. He also was known to go on and on about how the iPad’s 9.7” screen was “the perfect size” having built and tested prototypes in dozen of different sizes.

Jobs was also known to contradict his own decrees, which is perfectly fine, but if the “LOT of people in Cupertino” you refer to are as selective with their memories about what Jobs said, and what he “would have done,” then everything the do will be disingenuously toed back to some Jobsism they can pull out of context somewhere. Ridiculous.

 

[Sydde]

I dream of the mPad: a system unit that slides into the screen of your choosing. Thus, Apple would only have to make screens and system units and the user could choose the form factor for themself, perhaps having the option to buy two different screens and swap them out as needs change.

It is a bit of a silly, greybeard dream, but I think it could make economic sense for Apple. Except, of course, for the inevitable arising of 3rd-party screen options which might prove troubling.

 

[joeblow7777]

Like those same people that decided a on producing a 12.9” iPad, and a 5.8” iPhone (or even a 4.7” model for that matter)??

Jobs had a very clear and publicly known and marketed opinion that the iPhone 4’s 4” inch screen was the perfect size for a phone, as it was the largest to allow one handed use. He also was known to go on and on about how the iPad’s 9.7” screen was “the perfect size” having built and tested prototypes in dozen of different sizes.

Jobs was also known to contradict his own decrees, which is perfectly fine, but if the “LOT of people in Cupertino” you refer to are as selective with their memories about what Jobs said, and what he “would have done,” then everything the do will be disingenuously toed back to some Jobsism they can pull out of context somewhere. Ridiculous.

Only Apple fanboys continue to worry about what Jobs wanted. Apple wouldn’t be where they are right now if the people calling the shots in 2018 were still following a 2011 road map.

 

[pika2000]

The small tablet market was destroyed by Amazon. By subsidizing their cheap Kindle Fires to almost nothing, the market accustomed to smaller tablet being disposable cheap crap tablet. Obviously this is not the positioning that Apple wanted, but even with just the mini 4, Apple doesn't really have any competitor here for overall best small tablet experience. There's Samsung, but their price cannot justify the lack of tablet apps, and if you want Android, might as well go for the throwaways Kindle fires.

So Apple is kinda stuck. Plus they are focussing on prepping up iPads for productivity. It's difficult to put productivity narrative for the mini form factor, at least for now. Obviously only Apple knows, but I hoped that now Apple has "normalize" the non mini iPads into clear segments (12.9 and 10.5 Pro, 9.7 consumer), I hope they now have the time to look at the mini. Heck, I don't mind if they give it the same treatment as the 9.7 iPads, ie. going back to the thicker shell of the mini 2 for cost reasons. Just update the internals for 2018. My mini 2 is dragging itself on iOS11. I don't expect A11X performance, but good grief at least update it to the A10. At least Apple can streamline the lineup. Right now, you have all A10 iPads except them ini with a very aging A8.

 

[newellj]

Like those same people that decided a on producing a 12.9” iPad, and a 5.8” iPhone (or even a 4.7” model for that matter)??

Jobs had a very clear and publicly known and marketed opinion that the iPhone 4’s 4” inch screen was the perfect size for a phone, as it was the largest to allow one handed use. He also was known to go on and on about how the iPad’s 9.7” screen was “the perfect size” having built and tested prototypes in dozen of different sizes.

Jobs was also known to contradict his own decrees, which is perfectly fine, but if the “LOT of people in Cupertino” you refer to are as selective with their memories about what Jobs said, and what he “would have done,” then everything the do will be disingenuously toed back to some Jobsism they can pull out of context somewhere. Ridiculous.

I would ask this: how much real product innovation have we seen from Cupertino in the last five-seven years?

And yes, Jobs did change his mind from time to time, a characteristic that we see too infrequently. -\

 

[pika2000]

I would ask this: how much real product innovation have we seen from Cupertino in the last five-seven years?

And yes, Jobs did change his mind from time to time, a characteristic that we see too infrequently. -\

Define innovation.
Is making just another PC tower/laptop innovative?
Or is making arguably the fastest and most efficient mobile SOC on the market innovative?
Apple is betting on the latter.
You might want to check the meaning of innovation again.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Apple is gonna do what apple is gonna do, but i really do wish they’d update the ipad mini. If not a pro version, at least a version that can use the apple pencil like the latest 9.7” ipad can. I am still using my ipad mini 2, and although it has a cracked screen and the home button doesn’t work anymore, i still love the form factor. It really is the perfect size for me. More portable than any other ipad, and yet with a larger more productive screen than the largest iphone, it really strikes that balance between portability & productivity.

It’s been almost 3 yrs since the ipad mini was last updated, so i am pretty much resigned to the fact that if Apple doesn’t update it this year, things don't look good that it ever will be. I am going to wait until WWDC in June. If no new ipad mini is announced alongside the new 10.5” & 12.9” then I will just nab the latest 10.5”.

 

[newellj]

Define innovation.
Is making just another PC tower/laptop innovative?
Or is making arguably the fastest and most efficient mobile SOC on the market innovative?
Apple is betting on the latter.
You might want to check the meaning of innovation again.

You confuse iteration with innovation.

Thinking about Apple, I think that to the extent there is innovation it's not in hardware but in services. While iCloud does not seem very competitive, other service areas seem to have a lot of promise. Health as a service, supported by hardware like the Watch, seems like the best example right now. Apple's track record with home automation seems more uneven, especially when you consider individual hardware items (such as the HomePod), but still looks positive.

Long term, it doesn't seem like Apple really wants to be a hardware company, and that's probably not a bad decision.
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Apple is gonna do what apple is gonna do, but i really do wish they’d update the ipad mini. If not a pro version, at least a version that can use the apple pencil like the latest 9.7” ipad can. I am still using my ipad mini 2, and although it has a cracked screen and the home button doesn’t work anymore, i still love the form factor. It really is the perfect size for me. More portable than any other ipad, and yet with a larger more productive screen than the largest iphone, it really strikes that balance between portability & productivity.

It’s been almost 3 yrs since the ipad mini was last updated, so i am pretty much resigned to the fact that if Apple doesn’t update it this year, things don't look good that it ever will be. I am going to wait until WWDC in June. If no new ipad mini is announced alongside the new 10.5” & 12.9” then I will just nab the latest 10.5”.

I would run right out the door and buy a Mini Pro at almost any price.

 

[muzzy996]

I dunno, I think people who write off things that on the macro level seem like incremental improvements are doing the designers and engineers a HUGE disservice by assuming that there isn’t innovative thinking going on in order to achieve it.

 

[Atomic1977]

I don’t know and I don’t think anyone knows if there will ever be another mini iPad in the future or not. The way it’s going it looks like the minis are on their last lifes. I’ve become to attached to my mini 2 to know anything better.

 

[kindaichi81]

My little mini 2 has survived all the way through iOS 11.3. I don’t know how much farther the minis will go but it looks like the minis will be no more.

My iPad mini 2 I still use it as my daily driver. still strong performance on iOS 10.3.3. Will never upgrade to iOS 11.

 

[Jafin]

Well I went ahead and took the plunge and bought the 6th gen iPad today to replace my four year old Mini 2 because the lag was starting to get pretty bad lately. The difference in speed is...phenomenal. Knowing my luck though they'll announce a Mini refresh at WWDC.

 

[m00min]

If Apple don’t update the Mini I’ll start looking at other devices but it won’t be another full sized iPad. I want a small tablet to accompany my laptop. I won’t reward Apple’s lack of product variety by purchasing a second best option from my point of view.

 

[mrklaw]

The small tablet market was destroyed by Amazon. By subsidizing their cheap Kindle Fires to almost nothing, the market accustomed to smaller tablet being disposable cheap crap tablet. Obviously this is not the positioning that Apple wanted, but even with just the mini 4, Apple doesn't really have any competitor here for overall best small tablet experience. There's Samsung, but their price cannot justify the lack of tablet apps, and if you want Android, might as well go for the throwaways Kindle fires.

So Apple is kinda stuck. Plus they are focussing on prepping up iPads for productivity. It's difficult to put productivity narrative for the mini form factor, at least for now. Obviously only Apple knows, but I hoped that now Apple has "normalize" the non mini iPads into clear segments (12.9 and 10.5 Pro, 9.7 consumer), I hope they now have the time to look at the mini. Heck, I don't mind if they give it the same treatment as the 9.7 iPads, ie. going back to the thicker shell of the mini 2 for cost reasons. Just update the internals for 2018. My mini 2 is dragging itself on iOS11. I don't expect A11X performance, but good grief at least update it to the A10. At least Apple can streamline the lineup. Right now, you have all A10 iPads except them ini with a very aging A8.

I do find it odd though. Fine to push productivity but iPad is a fantastic consumption device. Yes you can use a large iPhone to watch Netflix or read a book, but a larger screen like an iPad mini is a much nicer experience.

 

[pika2000]

I do find it odd though. Fine to push productivity but iPad is a fantastic consumption device. Yes you can use a large iPhone to watch Netflix or read a book, but a larger screen like an iPad mini is a much nicer experience.

That's the dilemma. When you go into consumption route, sure the iPad mini is better than the iPhone, but then the regular iPad is even better than the mini (larger screen), and it's starts at a cheaper price to boot!

I do still have hope since Apple surprisingly bring pencil support for the regular iPad. Apple could just re-use the mini 2/3 shells, put an A10 in it with pencil support, and call it a day, and I'll bite. The mini's form factor makes it into an ideal note-taker on the go (much more portable than the regular iPad), and it is perfect pair with the pencil.

It feels that we are in a transition period, the same period of time where Apple introduced the iPad Air, yet kept the old iPad 2 around. It was baffling, having an aging A5 iPad side by side with a fresh redesigned A7 iPad. Later on Apple silently replaced the iPad 2 with the iPad 4. So there's still hope for the mini.

But if another year comes by without an update, I guess that's it, RIP iPad mini.