Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

When to Expect the Next iPad Mini and Low-End iPad Models to Launch

sos47 said:
i own an 11“ Ipad pro and an Ipad mini.
if i had to choose, i would take the mini instantly. (same for iphone btw). much more versatile form factor.
Click to expand...
I've had the 11" and have the 12.9". I'd agree that something the size, heft, and weight of the Mini would be great. The current UK price of the mini doesn't really justify the spec it has at the moment but then I've said if it was a mini Pro it would be a much more interesting device.
 
dampfnudel said:
I think a A18 or at least rebranded A17 (using the new N3E process) is more likely. The last iPad mini CPU jump was from the A12 in the iPad mini 5 to the A15 in the iPad mini 6. I expect a similar jump given the price of the mini.
Click to expand...
Well, Apple could go with the version of the A16 that has the extra GPU but at that size why would they bother? Fewer pixels to drive and smaller battery doesn't lend itself to higher performance CPUs. Efficiency has to be the name of the game and the smaller process seems to be the obvious thing.

But I'd also say that a Mini is more likely to be taken out and about so why wouldn't they upgrade the cameras to match iPhones? The jump to v4 to v5 mini was just due to years of assumed abandonware by Apple - just like the infamous gap between the Mac minis - so I don't really look too deeply into CPU choice except to assume that Apple might not want to keep an old CPU in a product that doesn't get many updates.

It's that argument that would see Apple dropping the latest CPU into the Mini 7 - and a non Pro A17 would be a welcome upgrade for process shrink efficiency reasons.

If Apple aren't going to see fit to improve other features of the Mini then they could at least put decent cameras into it for the people who take them out on their travels. Or would that be cannibalising an iPhone 15 Plus?
 
  • Like
Reactions: _Mitchan1999
turbineseaplane said:
Man this is painful 😣

My iPad Mini 5 battery is really starting to show some signs of age
Click to expand...
I’m unfortunately in the same boat holding out for a 7th gen. I usually do every-other upgrades or longer for Apple products, and I’d really like a brighter screen.

These things sell like hotcakes for pilots using them with ForeFlight (normal iPads are too big for a cramped cockpit), and a brightness increase would be welcome for direct sunlight.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Saturn1217, turbineseaplane and _Mitchan1999
What a shame about the Mac Mini and being dragged for so long before an "upgrade" which seems more like a speedbump and some "fixes." I never quite understood why Apple doesn't do more for its eco system by allowing the iPad to serve as a center for lots of home items. I would like to see maybe a homepod with a slot to fit a Mac Mini in so it becomes a great center for controls and perhaps another Mini as a master for home entertainment control etc. - Not third party apps but an "eco design" choice by Apple. Lots of ways a Mini can be used other than a typical small version of an iPad. Artists may use it along with their regular screens as a graphic tablet or an extension of their screen with full stylus and pressure sensitive actions ...list goes on. There is no campaign out there to take the home over in a way that really does have happy customers.
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: drrich2, Mr Todhunter and _Mitchan1999
DavidSchaub said:
I'm confused:

Gurman says:


... and Macrumors then says:


which is nothing like what Gurman said.

Though really, Gurman's rumour is sad and makes less sense:
  • 10th gen iPad remains unchanged, no 11th gen iPad this year?
  • 9th gen iPad is replaced an upgraded model, but doesn't catch up to the to the 10th gen iPad
  • but beyond how sad that sounds: What would it even be called??!!? 9.5th gen? Apple might as well just rebrand the cheaper iPad the iPad SE.
Macrumors rumour seems far more appealing:
  • 11th gen iPad comes out, replacing both the 9th gen and 10th gen iPad in the lineup, priced between the two.
Neither rumour are what I would expect as "normal":
  • eventually the 11th gen iPad comes out, and the 10th gen replaces and takes the 9th gen's price point.
Click to expand...
No idea what you’re reading. They’re both saying that it’s likely just a processor upgrade for the iPad 11 and they will drop the older iPad. That’s more than good enough.
 
klasma said:
Why would Apple cannibalize its upmarket models and also lose money on a higher-cost chip?
Click to expand...

The iPad mini isn't cannibalizing anything, there's nothing like it above it in the range. People get an iPad mini specifically for its size.

OS development efficiency saves money. The A class chips can't run the same iPadOS as the M class so a separate stream needs to be updated each year, tested, debugged and supported. Consolidating iPadOS development moves that burden to the more expensive models that support software development for the lower margin SKUs.

And finally, the M1 has been in production for a few years now, its yields are optimized and R&D amortization long paid for, lowering its cost.

As for the entry iPad vs iPad Air, honestly these two should not co-exist. Apple needs to pick one and run with it. They got rid of the MacBook for the MacBookAir so they've already made that choice in their laptop line.
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: Account25476, phrehdd, gusmula and 1 other person
An iPad mini 7 with an even marginally improved display (60hz is fine but please be of the same quality as the lcd iPad Air display) with no jelly scroll, a processor upgrade that optimizes for battery life over performance (no M chip please!) and a bump in base storage to 128gb would be an entirely reasonable upgrade that I would be very happy to wait for.

And yet I still think I’ll probably be disappointed. 😔
 
  • Like
Reactions: makingmark, Mr Todhunter and turbineseaplane
There's not that much difference in the performance of the A15 Bionic and the M1 in single-core operations. It's in Multicore and GPU that the M1 picks up the lead.

The A16 Bionic beats the M1 handily in single-core as well and the A17 Pro is 25% faster than the M1 in single core. But I guess the A Series suits the iPhone as it's much more of a single tasking machine.
 
I got the mini 6 very late in its cycle; just in August of last year when it was nearing 2 years old. Given how much I've used it, and how long more it seems to have before being replaced, it looks like it was a great purchase. It replaced my 2018 11" iPad Pro and is infinitely more usable by virtue of its size alone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dopestar
Yu
coplt said:
I’m unfortunately in the same boat holding out for a 7th gen. I usually do every-other upgrades or longer for Apple products, and I’d really like a brighter screen.

These things sell like hotcakes for pilots using them with ForeFlight (normal iPads are too big for a cramped cockpit), and a brightness increase would be welcome for direct sunlight.
Click to expand...

Yup. I use my iPad mini exclusively in aviation with ForeFlight.
 
  • Like
Reactions: coplt
sracer said:
Depending upon what you are currently using for taking hand-written notes, the Mini may prove to be challenging for that task.

Among my digital notes, I take handwritten notes in a notebook that is 1/2 US letter size. (approx. 8.5" x 5.5"). I can easily take notes on my 9th gen iPad. I also take notes on my Mini 5. But... the pen on screen experience is too "slippery" to be able to write as small on the Mini as I can in that notebook.

Using a "paper-like" screen protector doesn't reduce the slipperiness enough to make it comfortable to write small and neat. It does improve things, but not enough to be comfortable (but I might be spoiled by the writing experience on the Kindle Scribe)

I recommend finding a friend or acquaintance that has a Mini and uses it for notes to try it yourself to see how well it will work for you.
Click to expand...
Great suggestion!
So you'd say a bigger version (like the air) would prove better to use?
 
Face recognition would be a very nice upgrade; it's a key reason I have an 11" 2022 iPad Pro instead of an Air. iPhones have relied on it for years. More intensive users benefit from not having to mess with finger print I.D. or re-entering a code repeatedly. As much as Apple allegedly focuses on the fine details of the user experience, the omission seems odd after all this time.

The iPad Mini form factor is good for kids; our 5th grader loves her 5th gen. iPad Mini, I've had a Mini before, and in the hands of a kid a regular size iPad looks huge (like the largest Pro for an adult). Tucking it in the back pocket of a car seat, it's fairly easy to haul around, and the cellular version keeps her entertained in the back seat during car trips.

Speed bumps are always nice. Compatibility with all available Apple Pencil versions and a good display by current standards would round it out. Wifi 7 would be very nice, since some people use these things for several years.
 
JippaLippa said:
Great suggestion!
So you'd say a bigger version (like the air) would prove better to use?
Click to expand...
IMO, yes.

I love my Mini 5. With a matte screen protector, it is my color "e-reader". I have a Zagg keyboard case for it for those times that I want an EeePC type experience. :oops:😂 While I CAN take handwritten notes on it,the experience isn't as pleasant as on the 9th gen iPad.

Taking handwritten notes on a 10+" iPad is a much better (relatively-speaking) experience. As for whether a 10th gen iPad or iPad Air would be preferrable, I have a bit of an unconventional perspective.

The price of accessories should be factored in to the final cost of the choice.

the 10th gen iPad has the Magic Keyboard Folio = $250
the iPad Air (5th gen) has the Magic Keyboard - $300

In general, accessories for the 10th gen iPad will be less expensive than those for the 5th gen Air.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back