All iPads So why is the Air 10.9” instead of 11”?

[joeblow7777]

The other thing to consider is that some people prefer the slightly larger bezels because on a tablet you need something to actually hold onto without covering part of the display. For me at least, the bezels on the Air 4 are only just thick enough to allow for that.

 

[Wackery]

Apple purposely shaved off 0.1" off the screen size on the Air 4, to make the Ipad Pro 11 look superior and to not cannibilise its sales. Like you said it would have been easier to just use the same 11" panel.

Those shavings are collected and used for the base ipad and ipad mini

 

[kristalsoldier]

Nothing. One could even argue that there havent been any software restrictions on ANY iPad from the last 5 years. There isnt a single thing I can do on my Pro11 (2020) that I can't do on my Pro9.7 (2015). I like Pro11 better but an iPad is an iPad is an iPad. As much as people nitpick and gloat over benchmarks, the iPad as a platform has been pretty stagnant and ignored for years.

Well said!!

 

[Tsepz]

Maybe Cook saved 5 cents on each Air, by shaving off 0.1".

The day I become CEO at Apple I am making you COO *in my dreams* ?

 

[Icaras]

Why make the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro identical in size then?

 

[ericwn]

Why make the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro identical in size then?

Neither can do 120 Hz.

 

[Icaras]

Neither can do 120 Hz.

So if Apple were to bring 120 Hz to iPhone Pros only, do you think sizes would change between the two models?

 

[ericwn]

So if Apple were to bring 120 Hz to iPhone Pros only, do you think sizes would change between the two models?

I have no idea but I can certainly imagine that in future lines the Pro models use more screen specs to differentiate from the normal model.

 

[makzr]

So if Apple were to bring 120 Hz to iPhone Pros only, do you think sizes would change between the two models?

No.
But personally, I do not recognize the difference (60vs120) on small screens that much. On larger screen it‘s way more obvious to me.

I also have the impression that 60hz OLED seems to be more fluid to me than 60hz LCD.

 

[itsmilo]

MacRumors seems to have one of the most OCD people. Complaining about 0.1? Seriously? And how many people have both iPads to even notice outside of here.

I personally cannot even tell the lack of ProMotion and I used an iPad Pro for 3 years beforehand

 

[kristalsoldier]

MacRumors seems to have one of the most OCD people. Complaining about 0.1? Seriously? And how many people have both iPads to even notice outside of here.

I personally cannot even tell the lack of ProMotion and I used an iPad Pro for 3 years beforehand

I dont mean to be harsh and I apologise for perhaps coming across as so, but it’s never a good idea to project one’s own limitations on to others.

 

[macdogpro]

MacRumors seems to have one of the most OCD people. Complaining about 0.1? Seriously? And how many people have both iPads to even notice outside of here.

I personally cannot even tell the lack of ProMotion and I used an iPad Pro for 3 years beforehand

I don’t consider my self to be OCD just because I notice something that bothers me aesthetically.
I can tell from the beginning, even from just watching the online launch event. Without side by side comparison With the Pro model.
Also can tell the Air 4 is slightly thicker from the video launch.

I don’t expect people to understand what I don’t prefer, but yes I think the thinner bezel on the Pro is more pleasing to me.

On the other hand, I also can not tell the difference between 60hz vs 120 hz on the iPad Pro. Tried turning it off and on and play a bit on the home screen and notification center. Can’t see the difference.

Bottom line, you don’t need to question people’s preference, differences is life.

 

[joeblow7777]

Also can tell the Air 4 is slightly thicker from the video launch.

Nope. You could not tell that the Air is 0.2mm thicker from seeing it in a video. That's not humanly possible, not even in person, let alone from a video. It's literally the thickness of 2 hairs. If you think that you are able to see a 0.2mm difference, it's in your head.

 

[JPack]

The answer is marketing, of course. Everybody reacts to the spec sheet. You can’t have an 11” iPad Pro and 11” iPad Air 4, both with LCD. Unlike iPhone, iPad buyers don’t care enough about the camera. Apple has to pull additional levers to differentiate between a $599 and $799 product.

The Touch ID sensor sits in the chassis of the iPad Air 4, so it has no effect on the display size of the device. The display assembly is separate from the chassis.

Besides, we’ve all seen teardowns of the iPad Air 4 and the fingerprint sensor is tiny.

 

[satchmo]

The answer is marketing, of course. Everybody reacts to the spec sheet. You can’t have an 11” iPad Pro and 11” iPad Air 4, both with LCD. Unlike iPhone, iPad buyers don’t care enough about the camera. Apple has to pull additional levers to differentiate between a $599 and $799 product.

I'm torn. I get marketing. It's a business and there needs to be differentiation in a product line. Options for consumers to choose based on price and feature set.

But I suppose it's the petty manner in which Apple is going about it.
I've never been a proponent of artificially 'uglifying' a product for marketing reasons. Sure, it it's engineering or functional reason (notably the iPhone notch), then I get it.

Making bezels thicker for the sake of making look less premium seem to go against the Apple ethos of making the best product possible.

 

[macdogpro]

Nope. You could not tell that the Air is 0.2mm thicker from seeing it in a video. That's not humanly possible, not even in person, let alone from a video. It's literally the thickness of 2 hairs. If you think that you are able to see a 0.2mm difference, it's in your head.

You’re probably right. But I (think) can tell by the proportions of overall dimension especially when attached to the MKB. I don’t know how to explain this better.
Again, I could be wrong.

 

[snipr125]

I'm torn. I get marketing. It's a business and there needs to be differentiation in a product line. Options for consumers to choose based on price and feature set.

But I suppose it's the petty manner in which Apple is going about it.
I've never been a proponent of artificially 'uglifying' a product for marketing reasons. Sure, it it's engineering or functional reason (notably the iPhone notch), then I get it.

Making bezels thicker for the sake of making look less premium seem to go against the Apple ethos of making the best product possible.

I know what you mean as Apple used the exact same chassis/screen of the ipad pro 2017 10.5 to make the ipad air 3.

 

[KittyKatta]

Making bezels thicker for the sake of making look less premium seem to go against the Apple ethos of making the best product possible.

Not slamming you, but ... “the Apple ethos of making the best product possible”?

720p Webcam. Butterfly Keyboard. Tablets running a PhoneOS. Outdated 1st party apps. Crooked storage pricing. Recycling old parts for “budget” products. Lightning Port in 2020. Removing USB-C power brick in $1000 phones...

Today’s Apple has no guilt in hurting the user experience in order to make a buck so a .1mm screen reduction in a well priced and overpowered iPad is probably the most ethical thing they’ve done in a while.

 

[satchmo]

Not slamming you, but ... “the Apple ethos of making the best product possible”?

720p Webcam. Butterfly Keyboard. Tablets running a PhoneOS. Outdated 1st party apps. Crooked storage pricing. Recycling old parts for “budget” products. Lightning Port in 2020. Removing USB-C power brick in $1000 phones...

Today’s Apple has no guilt in hurting the user experience in order to make a buck so a .1mm screen reduction in a well priced and overpowered iPad is probably the most ethical thing they’ve done in a while.

It's marketing spin, but Tim has alluded to this a couple of times:

“There’s a lot of companies that have much higher margins. We price for the value of our products,” Cook said. “And we try to make the very best products. And that means we don’t make commodity kind of products.”

"Stock price is a result, not an achievement by itself. For me, it’s about products and people. Did we make the best product, and did we enrich people’s lives? If you’re doing both of those things–and obviously those things are incredibly connected because one leads to the other—then you have a good year."

 

[JPack]

It's marketing spin, but Tim has alluded to this a couple of times:

“There’s a lot of companies that have much higher margins. We price for the value of our products,” Cook said. “And we try to make the very best products. And that means we don’t make commodity kind of products.”

"Stock price is a result, not an achievement by itself. For me, it’s about products and people. Did we make the best product, and did we enrich people’s lives? If you’re doing both of those things–and obviously those things are incredibly connected because one leads to the other—then you have a good year."

Heck, last year, Tim Cook repeated Steve Jobs' pharse "it just works." I don't think anyone would consider leaving out the USB power adapter and EarPods as "it just works."

Fingerprint sensor on power button is a commodity feature on Android. To me, it's strange a $499 iPhone XR has Face ID, but a $599 iPad Air doesn't.

 

[kristalsoldier]

It's marketing spin, but Tim has alluded to this a couple of times:

“There’s a lot of companies that have much higher margins. We price for the value of our products,” Cook said. “And we try to make the very best products. And that means we don’t make commodity kind of products.”

"Stock price is a result, not an achievement by itself. For me, it’s about products and people. Did we make the best product, and did we enrich people’s lives? If you’re doing both of those things–and obviously those things are incredibly connected because one leads to the other—then you have a good year."

Yeah, that indeed is the marketing pitch.