iOS iPad Mini retina as a long term test device

[1458279]

It looks like the iPad Mini 2 (retina) is being axed. It supports iOS9, but no touch id.

I'm looking for input on using it for a long term test device. My focus is business apps, and I don't think it'll support Apple Pay or iBeacon. The business apps would include retail and I don't want to have to buy another device for a while.

This would be the new primary test device as it'll be the only one that'll go past iOS6.

Can anyone think of a reason I shouldn't get one?

 

[chown33]

Please be more specific.

How long is "long term"?

What kinds of apps do you intend to produce?

Who decides what kind of apps you make? I.e. are you a contract developer who takes orders from clients, or are all your apps chosen entirely by you?

For example, if any of the apps you might make could benefit from touch ID, or other features the mini 2 lacks, then you'll end up needing another device to test if you decide to pursue that kind of app within your "long term" time window.

"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra.

 

[1458279]

Please be more specific.

How long is "long term"?

What kinds of apps do you intend to produce?

Who decides what kind of apps you make? I.e. are you a contract developer who takes orders from clients, or are all your apps chosen entirely by you?

For example, if any of the apps you might make could benefit from touch ID, or other features the mini 2 lacks, then you'll end up needing another device to test if you decide to pursue that kind of app within your "long term" time window.

"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra.

I'd like to get about 2 years of functional use out of it, so I guess that means it has to update to about 2 years worth of upgrades to iOS.

The apps will be business apps but also B2C so there'd be consumer apps as well and these are not by contract.

One use would be to demo an app to a small group, so having a "larger iPhone" type tool would be useful. I know iPhone interface is usually different, but it could still be useful as a demo tool.

I haven't done any contract work, but that could be an option later.

I guess the primary concern is that years ago, I bought an iPT gen 4 for near $300. It's now near useless as a dev tool. It won't go past iOS 6, and that's a big problem. Buying a 1.5 year old Mini, is concerning in that Apple can dump support any day now.

About the only thing that strikes out right now is the mobile payment issues. I predict that several other companies will offer iOS solutions to mobile payments and they might not be testable without touchID.

 

[1458279]

Ok, so maybe this just got more complex

There's a rumor that the Mini 4 will support split screen. That could very well be a deal breaker for all the current devices as test devices.

Oh well, I've confirmed a 30 day return, so maybe I'll try it. Might need 2 new test devices for the BT testing anyways.

This upgrade stuff sucks, nice devices turns to expensive bricks.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ipad-mini-4-likely-to-support-split-view-multitasking.1907124/

 

[AxoNeuron]

Definitely wait for the mini 4. I usually would advise against buying a device that is already obsolete since they don't last as log from a developer standpoint.