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iPad mini Mini 2 upgrade to Mini 4?

pika2000 said:
I have the mini 2 as well, and boy I really want to upgrade. However, the mini 4 is just extremely unattractive at this point. It would only be supported probably just 2 more years. Not willing to spend that much for such short longevity. The mini 2 gets freshed a bit with iOS12, so I'm holding on to it as long as I can until Apple decided to release a new mini.

Seriously, Apple is doing the ultimate tease. If they want to discontinue the mini, I'd rather them to just stop selling the mini 4. It is priced awkwardly (starting price is more expensive than the much more capable A10 2018 iPad) with technology that is 4 years old.
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Apple just knows that replacing the battery inside the Mini is around $100 and if you do it yourself the kit alone runs anywhere from $30-$50 and it takes a couple of hours time too according to Fixit! Apple takes your Mini and just swaps the entire device out for a battery replacement!

I purchase a new Mini 4 based on my depleted battery in my Mini 2 and the fact that I get a slightly faster Mini for $400 and it is brand new and has an Apple warranty too. My Mini 2 had everything on it and it was around $700 back in 2012. So, Apple is just saying to potential buyers - you want it; here is the price! It is sort of obsolete but they still selling it since there is demand in the marketplace. Otherwise, they would of discontinued it long time ago; maybe in 2016.

The A8 is quite old; I think it was release on the Mini 3! Not sure why they just do not swapp out the SoC and the memory module and use the A11 and 4GB LPDDR4 and then give it a starting price of $600? The A8 inventory must be at the bottom now and you cannot buy the LPDDR3 cheaply since everything is LPDDR4 and LPDDR5 is coming in 2020 as mainstream module! My guess if they are going to update the Mini; all the major components will be updated to - cameras, form, face id, etc... Apple just taking it sweet time or they may just discontinue it! In any case; I have a brand new Mini 4 and I do not plan on doing any updates to iOS 13 since that would probably place it in the same position as the speed of my Mini 2 now or slower!
 
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HarryWild said:
Not sure why they just do not swapp out the SoC and the memory module and use the A11 and 4GB LPDDR4 and then give it a starting price of $600?
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They would have to completely redesign it and release it as a Pro in the same size case with smaller bezels and a larger screen to even get close to charging that much.

That's not what Apple is doing if the rumor is true about the imminent iPad Mini update, with a non-laminated screen like the 2018 iPad. I wouldn't be surprised if they add support to for Apple Pencil.
 
tromboneaholic said:
They would have to completely redesign it and release it as a Pro in the same size case with smaller bezels and a larger screen to even get close to charging that much.

That's not what Apple is doing if the rumor is true about the imminent iPad Mini update, with a non-laminated screen like the 2018 iPad. I wouldn't be surprised if they add support to for Apple Pencil.
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The Mini Pro would have a starting price of $800! I cannot image why Apple would release an iPad Mini budget version? People who buy them are not price sensitive! Sure there are kids parents who buy them for their kids use but most are sold to professionals like doctors and businesses who use them for sales and estimating stuff.
 
I have an iPad Mini 2 [16 GB, don't use it for much more than a few apps], and apart from the home button being a total pain at times, it works surprisingly well for a five year old device (it's on iOS 12). Heck, my original iPad [64 GB] works surprisingly well on 5.1.1 (even though you don't have much support on it) and my iPad 2018 [128GB] is still on iOS 11.4.1 (wanted to keep that on the legacy version to keep it smooth).

I think it depends on how well looked after your devices are too, how much battery capacity you have left, how often you update the device/how it's updated (i.e. through restore, wifi etc) and the storage but to answer your question, I have tried a Mini 4 and although it is faster than the Mini 2, I am just going to wait it out.

I see little point in buying it at the price it is set at when there are better iPads you can get for the price (yes, they're not Mini and as comfortable to use for bedtime reading, but two inches either way isn't such a big deal). If there are no more iPad Minis being released, then owning a 9.7 nich tablet isn't the end of the world for me. I mean, iPads are getting smaller and lighter, so I'm sure they'll get to the point where the binnger sizes will shrink down enough to be manageable for most people.
 
tromboneaholic said:
That's not what Apple is doing if the rumor is true about the imminent iPad Mini update, with a non-laminated screen like the 2018 iPad. I wouldn't be surprised if they add support to for Apple Pencil.
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I don't mind if Apple uses the exact same shell as the mini 2. Thicker means more room for larger battery. :)
Apple can sell an A10 2018 iPad with pencil support for $329. I'm sure they have enough margin to have an A10 mini. The question is, do they want to. I guess they have too many A8 around (being that it also powers the HomePod, the non-4K Apple TV, and the dying-but-not-dead iPod Touch).
 
VirtuallyInsane said:
I have an iPad Mini 2 [16 GB, don't use it for much more than a few apps], and apart from the home button being a total pain at times, it works surprisingly well for a five year old device (it's on iOS 12). Heck, my original iPad [64 GB] works surprisingly well on 5.1.1 (even though you don't have much support on it) and my iPad 2018 [128GB] is still on iOS 11.4.1 (wanted to keep that on the legacy version to keep it smooth).

I think it depends on how well looked after your devices are too, how much battery capacity you have left, how often you update the device/how it's updated (i.e. through restore, wifi etc) and the storage but to answer your question, I have tried a Mini 4 and although it is faster than the Mini 2, I am just going to wait it out.

I see little point in buying it at the price it is set at when there are better iPads you can get for the price (yes, they're not Mini and as comfortable to use for bedtime reading, but two inches either way isn't such a big deal). If there are no more iPad Minis being released, then owning a 9.7 nich tablet isn't the end of the world for me. I mean, iPads are getting smaller and lighter, so I'm sure they'll get to the point where the binnger sizes will shrink down enough to be manageable for most people.
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In 5 years or sooner; Apple will have a folding Mini iPad even if it is the size of the current iPhone XS Max folded up!
 
tromboneaholic said:
Maybe. Maybe not.
Just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should or will be done.
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Apple has to sell something new after all... and Samsung will probably have a folded mobile device on the market at least three years before Apple does their product release.
 
HarryWild said:
Apple has to sell something new after all... and Samsung will probably have a folded mobile device on the market at least three years before Apple does their product release.
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We haven't seen if a folding tablet is anything more than a gimmick yet.

There are other categories for wearables that seem more likely based on rumors, like glasses for AR.

I'm not ruling anything out, though.
 
The next step would be a rollable mobile device! Just roll it in and stick in your pocket! Super thin and easy to carry around too!
 
HarryWild said:
The next step would be a rollable mobile device! Just roll it in and stick in your pocket! Super thin and easy to carry around too!
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Well, the battery still has to go somewhere. :D

It reminds me of the days of portable CD players where companies are trying to make them so thin that they had to attach the AA batteries externally, which makes them look silly.
TB2ICBrseuSBuNjSsplXXbe8pXa_!!1676072760.jpg_210x210.jpg
 
pika2000 said:
I don't mind if Apple uses the exact same shell as the mini 2. Thicker means more room for larger battery. :)
Apple can sell an A10 2018 iPad with pencil support for $329. I'm sure they have enough margin to have an A10 mini. The question is, do they want to. I guess they have too many A8 around (being that it also powers the HomePod, the non-4K Apple TV, and the dying-but-not-dead iPod Touch).
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Why would Apple lower the price of a redesign Mini to $329? The 2018 iPad was aim at the educational market place. The new Mini should be aim at the existing user base - the ultra Pro crowd who are involved in traveling and business functions. They usually are not price sensitive since it an expense item. If they can use the Mini to make more money in their task, they will buy it!
 
The Mini 4 would be a good tablet to buy for a teenager. If you can get a used one at a great price, I’d recommend that over paying full price.
 
Freakonomics101 said:
The Mini 4 would be a good tablet to buy for a teenager. If you can get a used one at a great price, I’d recommend that over paying full price.
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Only problem is the battery could be used up in short order. Cost of a replacement is $100 at Apple store. Where would that bargain be if it need that or even say the lightning input does not work and needs to be replaced?
 
Sometimes you just like what you like and don't mind paying more for it. In addition to my Apple devices I have a Kindle Voyage just for reading. Amazon recently discontinued the Voyage (after 4 years) and I bought a new one in case my original dies. Amazon has released 3 new Kindles since the Voyage and all, in my opinion, are inferior to the Voyage. So I just bought a brand new 4 year old Kindle and am very happy with it. Let the OP enjoy his preferred device. I'm not a mini fan but I hope Apple releases a new one soon as a lot of people love the form factor and would be happy.
 
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Been using my iPad Mini 4 and it been very responsive when compare to my Mini 2. I think the doubling of RAM really helps with the loading. It almost as fast as my iPhone X’s Max but delay by a good second or two if the webpage has a lot of photos or embedded video links on it and is of length content. Battery live is 7-8 hours of active/continuous use too. It is very impressive overall. Very happy I purchase two of the Mini 4s.
 
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sracer said:
The Mini 4 is still "viable" today, but it definitely shows its age when compared to even the "lowly" 2018 iPad. (I own both) Black Friday sales:
128 GB iPad Mini 4 = $250
32 GB 2018 iPad = $250

If you must absolutely have a smaller form-factor, now is a good time to buy a Mini 4... it most likely won't go cheaper than this. You might be able to find the 128 GB 2018 iPad for $300.
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Where did you see a 128 GB iPad Mini 4 = $250?
 
UnLiMiTeD558 said:
Black Friday at Best Buy had it for that low
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I have two @ $250! Not sure if I going to return the other one since I first purchase at the Apple Store for $399.99! For $100 more, I get a second brand new Mini 4!
 
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