iPad mini Why iPad Mini?!

[Tsepz]

Yep that makes sense. I’ve got a 11" and a 9.7" older model and both of them are fine for me.

I also use a kindle, almost iPad mini size, for long flights. Reading books is fine on the kindle but with that screen size doing anything else feels a bit cramped and I feel if you’ve already got an iPhone then it’s probably better to go with a bigger iPad for vastly different use cases. I mean you can potentially do everything on just the phone that you’d do on a mini?!

I get you and my thinking is the same. But in the example of my grandma she doesn’t use large phones, she has the standard Samsung Galaxy S9, so to her the iPad Mini is a nice size, she likes smaller phones.

I think a lot of the iPad Mini owners typically would own a smaller phone, at least thats what I have seen in this example, but I guess not everyone is the same.

In my mind an iPad Mini would be a great device for children and teens who you would like to have a nice little device for gaming while they have a basic phone for communication, at least that would be the setup if I had kids 🤣

 

[subjonas]

I get you and my thinking is the same. But in the example of my grandma she doesn’t use large phones, she has the standard Samsung Galaxy S9, so to her the iPad Mini is a nice size, she likes smaller phones.

I think a lot of the iPad Mini owners typically would own a smaller phone, at least thats what I have seen in this example, but I guess not everyone is the same.

That’s true in my case. I prefer the smallest phone possible when I’m out, and the largest phone-like consumption device possible (iPad mini) when I’m home.

That said, even if I preferred a big phone, I’ve never found any of the larger iPads light enough to comfortably hold for long periods, so I don’t find them ideal for casual consumption. I feel like I can hold a mini (with the help of a pop socket) in any position forever and not get tired. I don’t find the smaller screen to be a hindrance for casual consumption (serious video viewing I’d rather do on my tv anyway). Also it’s small enough that I don’t really mind carrying it around the house with me, and there is space to lay it down almost anywhere, which can be very convenient.

 

[Vivian125]

Because iPad Mini 5 is almost as light as iPhone XS Max.. despite of that it is still 112% bigger than XS Max in overall screen, and you can still use your iPad Mini as an Arm Rest when its laying on the Table.

 

[MDePew24]

A question has been bothering me for some time, what’s the major use case for an iPad mini? Especially, when the basic iPad is cheaper than the mini.

Definitely the portability of it. I have a mini, a Pro 11inch and Pro 12.9. They each serve different uses for me but I am excited to see a smaller Pro model (Pro Mini for lack of better words) but definitely the portability is great.

 

[aajeevlin]

Is this still a good time to purchase the iPad mini 5? I'm very confident that it is still just as powerful to do everything else. But just imaging if they strip away the top/bottom bezels, it would be sooooo slick and much smaller as well. I mean if they comes out with a new one with even smaller form factor, I would really kick myself for making the purchase now...haha

 

[HandsomeDanNZ]

Is this still a good time to purchase the iPad mini 5? I'm very confident that it is still just as powerful to do everything else. But just imaging if they strip away the top/bottom bezels, it would be sooooo slick and much smaller as well. I mean if they comes out with a new one with even smaller form factor, I would really kick myself for making the purchase now...haha

Can't see them coming out with a smaller iPad Mini, but maybe one that uses a similar sized chassis with a full screen design like the Pro.

 

[aajeevlin]

Can't see them coming out with a smaller iPad Mini, but maybe one that uses a similar sized chassis with a full screen design like the Pro.

That’s exactly what I was thinking.

 

[catean]

Protruding camera lens will be horrible on an ipad mini, so hopefully they will not import that from the PRO's.

 

[ericwn]

Because iPad Mini 5 is almost as light as iPhone XS Max.. despite of that it is still 112% bigger than XS Max in overall screen, and you can still use your iPad Mini as an Arm Rest when its laying on the Table.

I strongly doubt that iPad mini and iPhone flagships share many customers.

 

[ericwn]

Protruding camera lens will be horrible on an ipad mini, so hopefully they will not import that from the PRO's.

Agree, protruding camera bumps are ugly to say the least.
On the other hand the Pro line has been blessed with those already so one day this stuff may be passed down the line.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I strongly doubt that iPad mini and iPhone flagships share many customers.

I have an ipad mini 5 and iPhone 11 pro max.

 

[ericwn]

I have an ipad mini 5 and iPhone 11 pro max.

Oh, an opposing anecdotal data point!

There are tons of posts out there from members of this forum who stated the opposite over the years as having the biggest iPhone and the smallest iPad isn’t necessarily a use case for many.

I see the mini often as a mini kiosk, a customer terminal, portable book reader, education purposes.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Oh, an opposing anecdotal data point!

There are tons of posts out there from members of this forum who stated the opposite over the years as having the biggest iPhone and the smallest iPad isn’t necessarily a use case for many.

I see the mini often as a mini kiosk, a customer terminal, portable book reader, education purposes.

Oh yes I’m aware that my set up is different to most.

But the size difference is enough for me

 

[Shanghaichica]

Went out today. An hours drive to our destination. I took my iPad mini for the car ride and it was perfect. Couldn’t imagine taking my 11 pro Would have been much too cumbersome. Even when iPads were 9.7 inches I always struggled to take them out. I‘ve had every generation of iPad mini for the portability.

 

[MiniApple]

I've had the 1st, 2nd and now 5th Gen.

• light and small enough (to hold with one hand while reading in bed for example)
• very good size for a device on the go
• fits even in regular sports shorts or vest pockets
• larger screen and better eye comfort (reading/watching) vs phablets
• less than half the price of most iPhones

 

[MyopicPaideia]

I've had the 1st, 2nd and now 5th Gen.

• light and small enough (to hold with one hand while reading in bed for example)
• very good size for a device on the go
• fits even in regular sports shorts or vest pockets
• larger screen and better eye comfort (reading/watching) vs phablets
• less than half the price of most iPhones

All of this. If the iPad mini comes with mini LED, a makeover design to the Pro language and releases in Spring 2021 with an A14 (even A13 maybe) then it is insta-bye 11” Pro, hello mini 6. For the type of pro office productivity I do it will be the perfect all around device to have with me on the go, replacing my 11” Pro for everything it does. Fired up my mini 4 this past week, restored it from my Pro, and it just couldn’t quite keep up, gasping for breath constantly. Needs more RAM, and the old A8 gives it a valiant go, but can’t quite handle the spreadsheet load in Safari, timing out on JS code scripts, API calls, etc that the Pro handles with aplomb.

Made me a little bit sad, because it has been my longest serving, longest owned, and most favorite Apple device to date. A new killer mini would be awesome.