iPad mini iPad Mini Pro in 2H 2021

[Crow_Servo]

Don't think so. The Air 2 got a price drop to $399 at the same time the Mini 4 was released at $399. The Mini used to be the "affordable" iPad but with Mini 4, that was no longer the case. Air 2 even had some advantages like the more powerful A8X chip vs plain A8 on Mini 4.

With that said, Apple could potentially go OLED on both Mini 6 and Air 5 at the same time. If so, the delay will likely be forgivable for most.

It would definitely please many, while angering owners of the 2021 IPP 11”.

That’s crazy that the Air 2 dropped in price so quickly. Apple really doesn’t know how to handle the Mini or even the Air if I’m being perfectly honest.

I picked up the Air 4 because I wanted an iPad without the home button and it was on the latest A series chip, came in different colors (blue is appealing to me) and I liked the TouchID built into the power button concept (it works beautifully).

The Pro of 2020 didn’t impress me. The Pro of 2021 does impress me, though. Center Stage alone is a killer feature. That only exists because they added an ultra wide camera to the front and I have to imagine the next gen neural engine also makes it possible.

Perhaps the A15 will also have a next gen neural engine, so an upgraded Air/Mini could conceivably have Center Stage. I guess Center Stage and OLED would be a nice upgrade, if Apple allows it to happen. They seemed to think that the Air replaced the regular iPad, but then they introduced the Pro and brought back the regular iPad. Now the Air is in an awkward middle position, which also holds back the Mini. Hopefully they figure it out.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I might get the mini depending on price and improvements. I am not interested in paying the same price as you would for the base Mac mini.

 

[Apple_Robert]

No way Apple is going to have a Mini and a Pro Mini. The Mini market is already really small. The profits on a Pro Mini would be even smaller to the point it wouldn't even be worth it to make such a device. The most you're getting is a Mini with the Air 4 redesign.

I agree. I don't think we will see a pro mini. If we did, I think Apple would need to keep the iPhone mini as well.

 

[rui no onna]

It would definitely please many, while angering owners of the 2021 IPP 11”.

Dunno why they would be angered. OLED has been rumored for the Air for quite a while so if someone wanted different display tech, why even buy the 2021 11"?

That’s crazy that the Air 2 dropped in price so quickly. Apple really doesn’t know how to handle the Mini or even the Air if I’m being perfectly honest.

Not really unusual. Iirc, the Air also dropped to $399 when the Air 2 was released in 2014. Similar price drops occurred with the OG iPad and iPad 2 as well. Difference in 2015 is there was no replacement to the Air 2.

I picked up the Air 4 because I wanted an iPad without the home button and it was on the latest A series chip, came in different colors (blue is appealing to me) and I liked the TouchID built into the power button concept (it works beautifully).

Yeah, the colors grabbed me, too. It's hard deciding between Sky Blue or Green. The price increase, not so much. I picked up an open-box 256GB LTE Sky Blue for ~$750 at Best Buy. I have issues with OLED though so if the next Air is OLED, I'll probably grab another Air 4 discounted (Green this time).

Skipped the Pro 11 for now. With masks being the norm, TouchID is just easier than FaceID.

 

[Crow_Servo]

I could only see a Mini Pro happen if the Air was discontinued completely. A Mini Pro would be the price of the current Air most likely, and most people just figure bigger is better, so the Mini probably still wouldn’t sell as well as the Air.

 

[Crow_Servo]

That’s true about the price drops, now that you mention it. It’s just more unusual now because they discontinue the previous generation iPads each time a new one comes out. So the price drop is through individual retailers trying to clear out old inventory.

 

[rui no onna]

That’s true about the price drops, now that you mention it. It’s just more unusual now because they discontinue the previous generation iPads each time a new one comes out. So the price drop is through individual retailers trying to clear out old inventory.

Well, apart from the 8" mini, they didn't really have separate iPad lines then. They just sold the previous gens. Now, they've made a distinction between good-better-best.

Pro gets latest tech at very high prices ($800+).

Air/mini are the mid-range and where we see the first trickle downs ($400-600 base).

iPad is the entry level for mass market, education, fleet, etc. at relatively affordable prices ($329 MSRP but can be had for ~$300 discounted pretty much always). It seems to me that extra $70-100 savings over the previous gen at $399 is sufficient either monetarily or psychologically to drive sales.

 

[pshufd]

It looks interesting. I have the Mini 5 and it does what I need it to do. A bigger screen would be nice. Mini 5 CPU is fine for my needs. My wife would probably like a tablet too. She mostly uses her large phone but a tablet would be nice when her phone is on the charger. She could use it for cooking too.

A really big factor on tablets for me is the availability of cases. I have a case with a built-in stand and screen protector. I have been thinking about keyboard stands lately too but I may just do the separate thing of typing with a PC and consumption on the tablets.

One thing about buying tablets is making the decision on cellular or not. My only reason for cellular is GPS - I would not get a data plan for it. I wish that Apple put in GPS on their WiFi models as is the usual case with Android phones. I like GPS when on a long drive where I have a co-pilot.

 

[ofarlig]

I‘d like a Mini Pro actually, refreshed exterior in the same style as the current Pro’s with M1/120 Hz OLED or mini-LED/Pencil 2 support and so on. I think the form factor of the mini is perfect for a tablet only device used without a keyboard. I do not think the market is big enough for it though.

 

[Crow_Servo]

I‘d like a Mini Pro actually, refreshed exterior in the same style as the current Pro’s with M1/120 Hz OLED or mini-LED/Pencil 2 support and so on. I think the form factor of the mini is perfect for a tablet only device used without a keyboard. I do not think the market is big enough for it though.

You’re probably right. Apple took a chance with the iPhone Mini last fall and apparently it hasn‘t sold well, but maybe people will come out of the woodwork to buy this year’s iPhone Mini. That way, Apple could conceivably take a chance on a newer high-end iPad Mini.

Chances are, Apple already has a tentative road map for the iPad Mini. There’s been rumors of a refresh for a while. I actually expected to see a new iPad Mini last fall alongside the new Air, but it didn’t pan out that way. Maybe this fall we’ll get it. What that new Mini will look like and what specs it will have seems harder to peg than usual.

 

[ofarlig]

You’re probably right. Apple took a chance with the iPhone Mini last fall and apparently it hasn‘t sold well, but maybe people will come out of the woodwork to buy this year’s iPhone Mini. That way, Apple could conceivably take a chance on a newer high-end iPad Mini.

Chances are, Apple already has a tentative road map for the iPad Mini. There’s been rumors of a refresh for a while. I actually expected to see a new iPad Mini last fall alongside the new Air, but it didn’t pan out that way. Maybe this fall we’ll get it. What that new Mini will look like and what specs it will have seems harder to peg than usual.

Yeah, I think the only hope for a true high end mini is if they decide to have 2 versions. One which more or less a smaller Air and one that is a smaller Pro, which I am highly doubtful they would do. Otherwise we will most likely see a refresh that makes it into a smaller Air.

 

[ElectronGuru]

New report

EXCLUSIVE: First Look at Newly Redesigned iPad mini 6 - fpt.

For some, iPad mini is an absolute favorite. All the warm fuzzy feels of an iPad, packed into…

www.frontpagetech.com

 

[Digitalguy]

New report

EXCLUSIVE: First Look at Newly Redesigned iPad mini 6 - fpt.

For some, iPad mini is an absolute favorite. All the warm fuzzy feels of an iPad, packed into…

www.frontpagetech.com

It looks beautiful... for me however, unless they make a keyboard for it, which they won't, I'll keep my mini 5 (with brydge keyboard when I travel... I mainly use it when I travel and in bed, but the vast majority of the time I am using larger iPads at home...)

 

[topmounter]

Of course just as soon as I give in and finally buy a Mini 5, a Mini 6 rumor appears... I still have a Mini 2 that I tried to replace with a Pro 10.5", but I was never comfortable with the size of the 10.5" Pro so I've basically been using an XS Max as a pseudo tablet ever since. An iPad Air Mini would be great, as long as the height and width aren't any larger than the Mini 5 and it has the Touch Id sensor on the power button... an OLED display would be icing on the cake.

 

[pshufd]

Of course just as soon as I give in and finally buy a Mini 5, a Mini 6 rumor appears... I still have a Mini 2 that I tried to replace with a Pro 10.5", but I was never comfortable with the size of the 10.5" Pro so I've basically been using an XS Max as a pseudo tablet ever since. An iPad Air Mini would be great, as long as the height and width aren't any larger than the Mini 5 and it has the Touch Id sensor on the power button... an OLED display would be icing on the cake.

I bought the Mini 5 when it came out (2018 I think) and I don't feel the need to upgrade outside of possibly getting the cellular model instead of the WiFi. My cell company didn't support iPads back then and I miss being able to use it as a GPS. I also have a Mini 2. I have been using it as a desk clock and weather display for several months (really useful if you workout and run).

It's in a similar category to my phone. My iPhone 7+ works just fine. I have no NEED to upgrade it. I would like to get the newer phone for performance and because I can get almost the same screen size in a smaller and lighter package. The iPad Mini 5 performance for me is adequate. A new one would feel really fast and a bigger screen in the same package size is always nice. But it's a want.

 

[Digitalguy]

Of course just as soon as I give in and finally buy a Mini 5, a Mini 6 rumor appears... I still have a Mini 2 that I tried to replace with a Pro 10.5", but I was never comfortable with the size of the 10.5" Pro so I've basically been using an XS Max as a pseudo tablet ever since. An iPad Air Mini would be great, as long as the height and width aren't any larger than the Mini 5 and it has the Touch Id sensor on the power button... an OLED display would be icing on the cake.

Rumors say it's going to be longer and wider... Similar to how the 10.5 had a larger footprint compared to the 9.7. My guess is that most people will still be happy with the larger footprint given the new design.

 

[slplss]

OLED display definitely Not Mimi-LED

Yep, with miniLED on smaller screen you'd get higher full screen brightness, but the dimming zones are too large and there would be too few of them for HDR and true blacks to have any real effect.

 

[ZGXtreme]

Bring the 6. Looks perfect for the cockpit.

 

[topmounter]

I bought the Mini 5 when it came out (2018 I think) and I don't feel the need to upgrade outside of possibly getting the cellular model instead of the WiFi. My cell company didn't support iPads back then and I miss being able to use it as a GPS. I also have a Mini 2. I have been using it as a desk clock and weather display for several months (really useful if you workout and run).

It's in a similar category to my phone. My iPhone 7+ works just fine. I have no NEED to upgrade it. I would like to get the newer phone for performance and because I can get almost the same screen size in a smaller and lighter package. The iPad Mini 5 performance for me is adequate. A new one would feel really fast and a bigger screen in the same package size is always nice. But it's a want.

Certainly, the Mini5 performance is more than adequate and will be for quite some time. Off the top of my head, I can't recall the last time there was an Apple h/w refresh or update that fell into the 'need' category, for my personal (not work related) use at least.

 

[topmounter]

Rumors say it's going to be longer and wider... Similar to how the 10.5 had a larger footprint compared to the 9.7. My guess is that most people will still be happy with the larger footprint given the new design.

Yeah, longer and/or wider overall is probably a non-starter from a 'Mini' perspective, but we will see.

 

[DMG35]

Whether or not it is, Apple can just slap the “Pro” label on any iPad at this point and tell people that although it can’t do anything different than any other iPad, its still “Pro.” ?

 

[Digitalguy]

Yeah, longer and/or wider overall is probably a non-starter from a 'Mini' perspective, but we will see.

for some sure, but most will barely notice the small difference and will be instead happy to gain 1 inch or more... The aspect ratio will probably change too, like in the 11 pro and air 4...
Personally I won't be upgrading my mini 5, since I don't care to have a larger screen (I have larger iPads for that, which I use more than the mini), performance is stellar and I have cellular already... But for someone who uses their mini as their main iPad, the larger screen, USB C and pencil 2 can be a big deal...

 

[Digitalguy]

Whether or not it is, Apple can just slap the “Pro” label on any iPad at this point and tell people that although it can’t do anything different than any other iPad, its still “Pro.” ?

No way they'll call it pro... They couldn't even make a decent keyboard for it and pricing would be problematic.... it will instead occupy the now disappeared $499 spot that the iPad used to cost... which makes total sense

 

[Crow_Servo]

I’m going to predict that the next Mini launches spring of next year, since 2022 is the 10 year anniversary of the Mini. Then it can be released alongside the next Air and match that one’s specs.

But it could still be this year, so Apple has a couple new iPads to announce this fall. iPad 9th gen and iPad Mini 6th gen.

This has been my analyst report for today.

Thank you.

 

[Surfman]

Won’t be a pro