Source: Apple to discontinue iPad mini | Hacker News Reader

Source: Apple to discontinue iPad mini

bgr.com

44 pointsartsandsci57 comments

This is sad. The iPad mini was the one iPad that I really liked. It's incredibly light weight and about the right size to have as a useful hole in space that connects to the Internet.

Same! I was hoping to buy the new update to it next month! The 9.7" iPad feels too big for most of what I want to do with it.

I agree too.

Yeah, I've been waiting for an update so I can replace my Mini 2 (16 GB).

I bought the original iPad and the iPad 2 and never found a use for them, so when I needed a new iPad for work I went with the cheapest one. I actually found with the Mini form-factor I started using the thing, and now the 16 GB storage makes it a massive pain in the ass because the features that make the iOS ecosystem really seamless (iCloud) don't work with 16 GB.

Now I'm left wondering if I should get the mini 4 on this rumor...

I'm in the same boat. Limping along with a slightly broken mini 2 until the new one came out.

Yea, these things are absolutely loved in the general aviation industry. Big enough to run Foreflight but small enough to fit in a C172

Does the iPad require any sort of FAA approval to be used in that manner? I know that anything that physically connects to the plane usually has some stringent regulations but I haven't heard about pilots using iPads before. Can you mount the iPad on the instrument panel?

The FAA issued a blanket approval for all EFBs that are not permanently mounted to the aircraft:

https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/advisory_circular/...

Most people either use them an kneeboards or use a ram-style mount to attach them to the yoke.

Well, it's just an unsourced rumor at this point. My guess is it's not accurate.

These rumors are likely used to gauge the community reaction before decisions like this.

OK, then listen up any Apple folks lurking here: this would be a huge mistake. The iPhone 7 plus is too small. The regular iPad is too big. The iPad mini is Just Right for a lot of applications. Don't discontinue it.

I agree with every point, and I'll even emphasize the "iPhone 7 plus is too small" claim. Reading a book on the iPhone [67]+ is not a good experience. It's also too oddly sized for browsing most of the web; mobile sites make everything too large, and switching to desktop versions makes everything too small. Videos also tend to lack a lot of detail.

The mini, in comparison, is much like a Kindle for reading books (that is it's comfortable to read, especially the retina displays), and I can read just about any web site without special handling when in portrait mode.

I've bought 3, and the only reason I haven't bought more is because they still work perfectly.

Riffing on the "Apple trial balloon" feedback:

My best experience was with the iPhone 4, iPad mini and MacBook Air. Phone was small enough to be unobtrusive, iPad mini was good enough for reading, MBA was just about perfect for casual computing (though I would love a SD or micro-SD slot). My uses were Django programming & photography.

The iPhone 6 & 7 are awkwardly sized: too large to be unobtrusive too small for easy reading.

What the heck Apple? Do they not get that even the 9.7" size is too big for a lot of users (elderly, children). Its the perfect size, and the price difference between a iPhone 7 plus and the iPad mini is huge. I am hoping this another BGR rumor fail, but considering the lack of love Apple displayed in updates, it seems uncomfortably close to home.

i agree that it's a great size, but i don't know how much that matters if hardly anyone wants one. It's a lot of cost to keep making them.

The problem is that I, and I suspect a lot of other people, have been waiting on the "next" generation iPad mini. The place I work for wants to do an order and was ready, but no new iPad mini was announced. Plus only selling a 128gb model is definitely discouraging.

Its the Mac Pro argument, people aren't buying it because it hasn't been updated.

Why would eldery users prefer smaller size screens?

Weight of device and easier to handle

So it has nothing to do with size, right?

Easier to handle is size based[1]. The smaller size generally means less weight than a bigger iPad of the same generation.

I am a bit worried about Apple's desire to remove the bezel since that will cause some problem and iBooks likes to flip a lot of pages if your thumb strays.

1) [edit] the iPad pro is just a no go because of its size, and the iPad 9.7 is too big for a lot of children and some adults. Remember, a lot of activities are hold it up with one hand for long periods of time while tapping with the other.

The handling issues has mostly to do with weight rather then size. If someday the iPad 9.7 has much less bezel, half as thick, and much lighter. Would that still be a problem?

I think that is where iPad is heading. Some argue Apple is obsess with thinness, personally I think both iPhone and especially the iPad has a long way to go before it is Too Thin.

Nope, the size is the big thing. Weight is a factor but the mini is a good size for holding. The 9.7 will always be more awkward than the mini. So, yes, a lighter 9.7 does not replace the mini. That argument is the same as saying a lighter 12" could replace the 9.7 which doesn't work because the 12 is painfully awkward to use.

So every dynamic point of purchase, a ton of specialty medical equipment, as well as hardware for children and elderly would be forced to use the ipad air(which is too big and too expensive)

There is no iPad Air anymore. There's just "iPad" (which is essentially the old Air 2), and they discontinued iPad minis with less than 128 GB storage, so right now the cheapest iPad is the "iPad" (ex-Air 2).

Which is only $329.

That's not entirely true. The iPad (9.7 inch non-pro) is $70 cheaper.

Or move to Android.

iPod Touch might be an option

The article does not look credible. It has no source, no evidence whatsoever. Am I supposed to take the author's word as gospel?

Yes, that's how reporting works. If the source is anonymous (as it is here), you ascribe credibility based on the author and news outlet.

No, this is pretty unusual. It's not clear from the article if there even is any source at all.

Is it based on guess work? Close reading of public statements and financials? An ex-employee with an axe to grind? No clue.

It's fairly hidden inside the article but they do say "and that’s why we have heard from a source close to Apple that the iPad mini is being phased out."

Well, obviously they can't name their source. BGR isn't some random dude's blog, though; they have a solid (if imperfect) record of publishing accurate Apple leaks.

The thing is, if you read the full article, they don't even mention they have a source. They're just publishing their best guesses IMHO.

"and that’s why we have heard from a source close to Apple that the iPad mini is being phased out."

As someone with an 11" MBA, it makes no sense for me to buy a full-sized iPad. I love the mini and use it for personal use and to demo my apps at conferences.

Now it looks like the 11" MBA is being phased out, and the mini also. My hope is that the bezel on the 13" laptops will continue to shrink so that the footprint ends up about the same as the old 11", and then maybe I can upgrade to a 13" laptop and a full-sized iPad. Until then, I'm in a holding pattern.

What about the 12" Macbook? It's the same size as the 11" MBA.

Insufficient ports.

How often do you need more than 1 port?

So, this isn't official, and should be taken with a grain of salt. But if it is true... well, to everyone asking how Apple could do this, "they're not selling as many of them as they would need to to get the margins they want" is probably the answer.

That would suck. I've tried all three sizes and, for me, the mini one is the best. The others are far too large for me. I have the iphone 7 plus, but the mini's bigger size makes it worth carrying both around.

I use a Zagg Rugged Book keyboard case to turn my iPad Mini 4 into a 'netbook' which fits into the hip pocket of the 'business BDUs' I routinely wear.

My iPhone 7 Plus is great, but my iPad Mini with the Zagg keyboard case is fabulous as a portable device for writing, remote access, etc. I'll really be disappointed if Apple cancel it.

The 9.7 iPad is too big for me, I mostly use my iPad mini for reading. The 7.9 4:3 screen size is perfect for that. Android tablets have AWFUL standby battery efficiency, I use my iPad mini for a full week with a single charge!

We love our iPad minis! I say this shows how out of touch Apple has become up in their ivory towers. Ultimately the market will decide their fate, but that's $499 they're not getting from us this year.

Just a week after I considered buying my first Apple product, iPad Mini specifically. But to be honest, I was going to use it instead of my phone.

How is the iPad mini in the same market as a plus-model iPhone? iPad mini's are mostly for kids and grandmothers.

Maybe if they had an iPod Touch Plus, but that's not happening...

The iPad Mini size is perfect for watching video in bed in the evening/morning for me. iPhone Plus could probably be doable, but I don't want to carry that huge thing in my pocket all day.

I have both a 7+ and an iPad mini, the iPad is mostly used for reading in the Kindle app. It's the perfect size for that and it fits in the outer pocket of my lunch box.

It's also convenient to use for the DJI Go app for my drone, which absolutely demolishes any device battery. It's light enough so your arms won't get tired, and it spares my phone's battery.

I find it perfect to read on

Makes sense. The difference between the iPad Mini's 7.9″ screen, and the iPhone 7+'s 5.5″ screen makes it hard to differentiate the two.

Sure, but the 5.5" iPhone 7+ costs nearly $1,000 and the iPad mini starts at $300.

The iPhone is something you keep in a pocket all the time, and the iPad is something you keep in a backpack or on a desk. I wouldn't want to carry around a huge iPhone all day just so that when I'm in bed in the evening I can watch videos on a decent-sized screen.

No it doesn't. The iPad Mini is much larger than the iPhone+ size. It'd make more sense (but still be wrong) to say that an iPhone+ and a regular-sized iPhone are undifferentiable.

One of them is 30% larger...

That 7.9" screen is twice the size of my Nexus 6P which is bigger than the biggest iphone. Its not "hard" to differentiate, its practically night and day.

iphone 6 9.4 sq inches.

iphone 6 plus 12.9 sq inches.

ipad mini 29.6 square inches

> The difference between the iPad Mini's 7.9″ screen, and the iPhone 7+'s 5.5″ screen makes it hard to differentiate the two.

Have...have you ever used the two? I own a bigger iPhone and an iPad Mini. If you put one on top of the other the size is significant. Yes the mini isn't, say, twice the size but it's not insignificant either.

This makes the iPad Mini not really "pocketable" but the iPhone still is.

Flagging this for being a dubiously sourced rumor. Perhaps a title change at least.

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