Next iPad Mini Still Not Expected Before Late 2024 at the Earliest

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I am 💯 satisfied with my mini, however, I wish it had Face ID because my skin is very dry rendering touch login unusable.

While I think the bezel may be wide enough to fit it in there, I'd be much less interested in Face ID if it required adopting either the notch or the island myself. Fit it in the bezel? OK. Else... I'd rather buy you hand moisturizer.

For me, I'm quite happy with touchid in the on/off button. Works every time and avoids the dreaded notch/island.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I don't care a LICK about Face ID on an iPad Mini

In fact I prefer they don't put it in there as I think it will bump up the cost even more from what is already in the "overpriced" category IMO

 

[Realityck]

Now that the iPad Pro is lighter than the Air, what's the point of the Air? No mention of iPad mini yet in this recent interview. But why talk up distractions from their new iPad products?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1789286200412352576

 

[thejoshuabradshaw]

I just really do not understand why this one is so hard for them to keep a production cycle on. It's really everything an iPad is suppose to be fun, entertaining, and extremely useful for travel, work, general portability. The current lineup is bonkers thinking I will pay the same cost of a MBA and get a substandard IOS to go with it. Artist I get the iPads, everyone else I just cannot find a reason to buy one other than the mini now. Just boggling.

 

[Blackstick]

I don’t disagree. But keep that device to institutional only.

I like that idea, very eMac ~2004. But I suspect Apple would want to be at (or below) the $499 psychological price point on the entry-level 128GB iPad Air before considering that.

 

[paradox00]

Fall makes sense as it will likely be based on a new A series chip, so it will be released after the chip is announced with the new iPhones or slightly after (probably a non-pro A17 or A18). The multi-year gap between refreshes makes less sense, but it is a "mini" so not all too surprising.

 

[Realityck]

I just really do not understand why this one is so hard for them to keep a production cycle on. It's really everything an iPad is suppose to be fun, entertaining, and extremely useful for travel, work, general portability. The current lineup is bonkers thinking I will pay the same cost of a MBA and get a substandard IOS to go with it. Artist I get the iPads, everyone else I just cannot find a reason to buy one other than the mini now. Just boggling.

It appears that Apple is more inclined to seek higher revenues than fun products. There is also confusion with the naming of iPad Airs that are heavier and thicker then the new iPad Pro models. I do wonder how much the M4 iPad Pro 11" will tempt people, but its a lot more then an updated "fun" iPad mini would be.

Fall makes sense as it will likely be based on a new A series chip, so it will be released after the chip is announced with the new iPhones or slightly after (probably a non-pro A17 or A18). The multi-year gap between refreshes makes less sense, but it is a "mini" so not all too surprising.

Thats an excellent observation that the iPad mini is likely to continue using a A17 or A18 by the time the iPhone 16 arrives. A A16 would be too old, possibly it could be M2 based as the Mac Book Air if a suitable A series is not cost effective because of iPhone demand. But that also factor with the A15 based ATV4K where it also using a A15 as the current iPad mini 6.

 

[lezmace]

I hope they will not do the same mistake, they did with the "thinner and lighter" MacBok Pro with the Touch Bar.
Back then, their "Pro" Macs get lighter and thinner, but with it came problems with cooling, battery life and power itself.

So I think the actual Mac Lineup is pretty solid in terms of "Pro" and "Air".

 

[Realityck]

I hope they will not do the same mistake, they did with the "thinner and lighter" MacBok Pro with the Touch Bar.
Back then, their "Pro" Macs get lighter and thinner, but with it came problems with cooling, battery life and power itself.

So I think the actual Mac Lineup is pretty solid in terms of "Pro" and "Air".

If Apple wants to do that then they can apply that to the fan-less MBA models. MBP's have more ports and significantly more capable processors that need heat dissipation unlike the iPad Pros where weight vs battery capacity is a concern.

 

[Pezimak]

I said “CONSUMER” product, not “Pro” products.

Although iPhones during first few years are exception but afterwards, no consumer products, just pro products aimed at professionals.

Well if you want to choose to ignore the facts. Then your argument fits.

 

[livmatus]

picked up today a new 256GB unit in Pink for 540€ with Apple polishing cloth included ... hope it will last many years at home

 

[FriendlyMackle]

I'm with you. Last hop was from Mini 2 to Mini 6. Next hop is likely to Mini 9 or 10 unless something incredible rolls out before then. iPads tend to have much longer "legs" than iPhone. And curiously enough, both 2 and 6 are cellular models so I have my Mini standing in for iPhone too (buds + VOIP app)... so no iPhone at all. Fully good enough for my mobile telephony & texting needs and- IMO- ALL other apps are better on the bigger screen.

That said, the wait for 9 or 10 would be easily sped up for the hypothetical Mini PRO. I do envy those PRO MAX cameras.

The best would be to have to iPad Lines, basically along the lines of iPhone and MacBook: an entry-level lines that is light yet still powerful and a «pro» line that costs quite a a bit more but delivers on the newest and latest tech that will trickle down to the consumer line a year or so later. I could do without the absurd «Air» moniker now that the «Pro» is the thinner and lighter model. Basically it would be iPad / iPad Pro, MacBook / MacBook Pro and so on, from AW to the Desktop Clients (you can do that with Studio «Mac» and «MacPro» = Studio with more features (but please keep the Ultra on the Studio ;-)).

That would finally mean, that the small form factor of the Mini does not equal yesterday's tech but feature paritiy, as far as possible, with the 11 and 13. Just imagine that thin OLED form factor in 6"....

But "Air" could also signify 'light on features' compared to the Pro! 😆
So it still applies to the larger sized iPad 'Air' models.
As to the mini, it's too small for me to want to browse the web on it, but I could see it as an ereader if it had better/longer battery life and a better screen (just because they are charging a premium for it, it really should have a better display). If not OLED, then mini-LED.

 

[FriendlyMackle]

Now that the iPad Pro is lighter than the Air, what's the point of the Air? No mention of iPad mini yet in this recent interview. But why talk up distractions from their new iPad products?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1789286200412352576

I think the entire reason for the Air is so that Apple can have three price-points in their iPad lineup: inexpensive (standard iPad), middling (Air), and expensive (Pro). The Mini fits into the 'middling' Air category based on it's feature-set (though I do think it's overpriced for what it is and the quality of the display).

 

[andreasfcb]

I would pay for an iPad Pro Mini

 

[bodonnell202]

can't wait for it to be more expensive than a standard ipad.

why is a mini starting at £499 when the standard ipad is £350?

the mini should be the cheapest in the line up.

It has better specs than the base iPad, why would it be cheaper?

 

[bodonnell202]

Makes sense. A16 isn’t a big enough jump and A17 (and really anything built on N3B) is going to be retired in favour of more cost effective chips built on N3E, so they wouldn’t want to drop the A17 Pro into anything they still plan to be selling longer term, and they’ll want to be able to sell a new Mini 7 for around 3 years before its next update. I suspect it will get a (version of) the A18 and will be released at the same time as the iPhone 16 series, or a few weeks later (October with availability in time for holiday shopping). Aside from the CPU bump other likely changes are a landscape front camera, support for Apple Pencil Pro. Slight chance it will get a rotated display-controller to better hide the jelly scrolling effect. I can’t see many other changes aside from new colors.

 

[ZZ9pluralZalpha]

If an Apple product has Pro in the name you get their latest

If it has Mini in the name you get to wait the longest

Air in the name anything goes

I get the sentiment, but there are lots of Mac Pro customers ("dozens!") who wish this wasn't clearly not the case for much of its history

 

[turbineseaplane]

I get the sentiment, but there are lots of Mac Pro customers ("dozens!") who wish this wasn't clearly not the case for much of its history

It's sort of "every other thing with Pro in the name...that isn't a Mac" - lol

 

[svish]

Hopefully it will be launched in 2024 and not be pushed to March/April 2025

 

[livmatus]

Makes sense. A16 isn’t a big enough jump and A17 (and really anything built on N3B) is going to be retired in favour of more cost effective chips built on N3E, so they wouldn’t want to drop the A17 Pro into anything they still plan to be selling longer term, and they’ll want to be able to sell a new Mini 7 for around 3 years before its next update. I suspect it will get a (version of) the A18 and will be released at the same time as the iPhone 16 series, or a few weeks later (October with availability in time for holiday shopping). Aside from the CPU bump other likely changes are a landscape front camera, support for Apple Pencil Pro. Slight chance it will get a rotated display-controller to better hide the jelly scrolling effect. I can’t see many other changes aside from new colors.

this + 128GB base storage treatment like the Air

 

[k1ckdapro]

Just don't get why they couldn't just release it with the last keynote.

 

[bodonnell202]

this + 128GB base storage treatment like the Air

Yes I agree. I forgot about this one, but 128 GB base storage is likely.

 

[iBuff]

If an Apple product has Pro in the name you get their latest

If it has Mini in the name you get to wait the longest

Air in the name anything goes

You could say ‘it’s up in the Air’

 

[MacFarmer]

as long as it is coming - I'm happy!

 

[BigRAM]

Here‘s a good opportunity for apple to offer an Ipad mini and Ipad mini pro. I’d love MagSafe on the iPad mini. I’m downsizing from 12.9 m1 pro - Really looking forward to the smaller form factor.