So a discounter is lowering their prices during the Christmas season. Call me shocked. Let me know when AT&T, Verizon and the Apple Store dropped their prices.
Very true; it would be great to see the ratio of people buying this mini who already have the 9.7" and those who don't. But I guess we'll never have Apple show us that number...
This is subjective, but myself and the two people I know that got minis recently, were (all three) owners of a Retina iPad 3, and after getting the mini I don't think I've even picked the Retina iPad up, except a few times to demonstrate to people how heavy it is. I'm pretty sure my two friends feel the same way.
As far as I'm concerned, the regular sized iPad is now "shit" (to use the Jobsian term). iPad mini FTW!
Let me see if I've got this right... The iPad mini which would flop due to it's high price and no retina has it's orders doubled, while the Surface RT which was supposed to give apple a big slap and show them how to make a refrigeroaster™, has its orders halved.
After using the iPad mini for three weeks now, I could never go back to the 10" versions. They just feel like bricks.
Here are my thoughts on the two models.
Typing:
I find that typing on the mini using the smart cover to be as to be as easy as typing on my older iPad with a smart cover. I can types as fast and as accurate. The limitation in typing speed with ALL ipads is having to switch between the letter, numbers and symbol keyboards. The difference in size DOES NOT affect this, period. I just do NOT see and issue here. When holding the two devices and trying to type, the mini is the better of the two. It is Small enough for me to hold in one hand at type with the other. in Addition, It is so easy to thumb type in portrait mode with the mini. My hands are big enough that I can thumb type in landscape mode with the mini, but it is a bit of a stretch. So if you type on a table or desk it is about the same to me. If you type while trying to hold the device (what it is intended for) the mini Wins period....
Screen:
I find the screen quality of the mini to be great. Sure a retina display would be nice, but I would NOT want it if it adds any weight or thickness. I am 48 and do not have that great of eye site. My only worry with the mini was being able to read the screen. To my relief, it just has not been an issue. I can see all of the text just fine without glasses or contacts. I can still read it fine with my Bi-Focal contacts or my Transition glasses. My biggest worry turned out to be a no-issue.
Watching videos:
The mini wins hands down here. It looks great and is so much more comfortable to hold in all situations.
Web browsing and reading:
The mini wins because it is so much more comfortable to hold.... If I can easily read the text and the pictures and video look great, then I have to ask why would a larger iPad be any better at this?
Speed:
I am sure that the A6 is faster, but I have not felt like I was missing anything. All apps seem to run smooth with little is any lag. Maybe it will not work with the next iOS update, but it works great with iOS 6...
Portability:
The entire point of the iPad is to be a portable device. In my opinion, this is why the Mini is so much better than the iPad. I find my self carrying it to places where I would not have bothered to carry the iPad. I find that if the Mini is not up to the task I need, I pull out my 13" macbook pro. Since the mini will doe anything that the iPad will do, I do not think I would have reached for the larger iPad if the mini was not up to the task...
Conclusion:
iPads are meant to be portable devices. The Mini is far more portable and will do anything that the larger iPads will do (at this time). I just do not see any good reason to chose the iPad over the mini IPad at this time. The fact that the mini cost less is just a nice bonus for me. If they were the same price, I would still pick the mini....
I've owned the 1st & 3rd Gen iPad, and when the mini came out..... I really had no interest. But after holding one, I was hooked.... it's just the right size, at least for me. I travel 12-15 days a month for work, so I opted for the AT&T LTE mini.... and in LTE markets it is so stinking fast, I never bother with hotel WiFi anymore. It was one of the products I thought I'd never own... and do.
I think Apple hasn't yet uite grasped the fact how succesful they hav become. 6M? They ought to know it would be more than that. First iPad? The figured they'd sell1M (first batch? Can't recall)
Or pundits are wrong about what number Apple predicted? Or perhaps, regardless of prediction, the real constraint is capacity?
Regardless, this is all good because, once again, Apple got the pricing right. Will pundits stop doubting Tim Cook and Phil Schiller?
But Walmart has a habit of discounting a popular item to bring in customers who will buy many other items. I don't think this is indicative of their ability to sell the 9.7" device.
When Apple introduced iPad4, iPad3 was immediately discontinued. Does anyone know what Apple did with the inventory? Are they kept as replacement units?
Let me see if I've got this right... The iPad mini which would flop due to it's high price and no retina has it's orders doubled, while the Surface RT which was supposed to give apple a big slap and show them how to make a refrigeroaster™, has its orders halved.
But Walmart has a habit of discounting a popular item to bring in customers who will buy many other items. I don't think this is indicative of their ability to sell the 9.7" device.
Absolutely possible it's not a permanent markdown. But they aren't saying it's a holiday sale, instead calling it a price roll-back. Only a couple weeks more and we'll know which it is.
In the meantime if you're willing to pay just $50 more than you would for a mini, the next-gen full-size iPad4 looks like a pretty darn good deal.
Unfortunately, it's not the first time one of Steve's strongest beliefs (or at least public statement, if not personal belief) turned out to be wrong. See the one-button mouse. Fortunately, in the past decade, him being wrong has been mercifully rare.
Actually, that appears to mis-state Steve's view on the smaller iPad.
He said that existing 7" tablets were crap. There was a report from at least one of the senior execs that he was not adamantly opposed to a smaller iPad if it was done right. In fact, it is almost certain that the iPad Mini was under development while Jobs was still in charge.
Let me see if I've got this right... The iPad mini which would flop due to it's high price and no retina has it's orders doubled, while the Surface RT which was supposed to give apple a big slap and show them how to make a refrigeroaster™, has its orders halved.
You've got it partially right. You left off the part where Apple's stock is down almost 4% while MSFT is flat.
I don't own Apple shares. I don't care about Apple's profit margin.
There are companies with much lower profit margin and higher PE than Apple share prices.
Apple will still be a highly profitable company even if the average profit margin drops from the current 40% level.
How many hardware makers/sellers can even claim to have a profit margin of 20%?
I care about the quality of Apple tablets and phone design and build.
I care about the total sales number of all Apple's tablets and phone because this determines the number/quality of developers and the quality of apps availabe.
Quality of hardware and app is the reason why Apple will continue to do well and stay profitable.
After using the iPad mini for three weeks now, I could never go back to the 10" versions. They just feel like bricks.
Here are my thoughts on the two models.
Typing:
I find that typing on the mini using the smart cover to be as to be as easy as typing on my older iPad with a smart cover. I can types as fast and as accurate. The limitation in typing speed with ALL ipads is having to switch between the letter, numbers and symbol keyboards. The difference in size DOES NOT affect this, period. I just do NOT see and issue here. When holding the two devices and trying to type, the mini is the better of the two. It is Small enough for me to hold in one hand at type with the other. in Addition, It is so easy to thumb type in portrait mode with the mini. My hands are big enough that I can thumb type in landscape mode with the mini, but it is a bit of a stretch. So if you type on a table or desk it is about the same to me. If you type while trying to hold the device (what it is intended for) the mini Wins period....
Screen:
I find the screen quality of the mini to be great. Sure a retina display would be nice, but I would NOT want it if it adds any weight or thickness. I am 48 and do not have that great of eye site. My only worry with the mini was being able to read the screen. To my relief, it just has not been an issue. I can see all of the text just fine without glasses or contacts. I can still read it fine with my Bi-Focal contacts or my Transition glasses. My biggest worry turned out to be a no-issue.
Watching videos:
The mini wins hands down here. It looks great and is so much more comfortable to hold in all situations.
Web browsing and reading:
The mini wins because it is so much more comfortable to hold.... If I can easily read the text and the pictures and video look great, then I have to ask why would a larger iPad be any better at this?
Speed:
I am sure that the A6 is faster, but I have not felt like I was missing anything. All apps seem to run smooth with little is any lag. Maybe it will not work with the next iOS update, but it works great with iOS 6...
Portability:
The entire point of the iPad is to be a portable device. In my opinion, this is why the Mini is so much better than the iPad. I find my self carrying it to places where I would not have bothered to carry the iPad. I find that if the Mini is not up to the task I need, I pull out my 13" macbook pro. Since the mini will doe anything that the iPad will do, I do not think I would have reached for the larger iPad if the mini was not up to the task...
Conclusion:
iPads are meant to be portable devices. The Mini is far more portable and will do anything that the larger iPads will do (at this time). I just do not see any good reason to chose the iPad over the mini IPad at this time. The fact that the mini cost less is just a nice bonus for me. If they were the same price, I would still pick the mini....
Nice breakdown. I am holding out on upgrading from the iPad 3 to either Mini retina or iPad 5 next year. You make great points.
Actually, that appears to mis-state Steve's view on the smaller iPad.
He said that existing 7" tablets were crap. There was a report from at least one of the senior execs that he was not adamantly opposed to a smaller iPad if it was done right. In fact, it is almost certain that the iPad Mini was under development while Jobs was still in charge.
You've got it partially right. You left off the part where Apple's stock is down almost 4% while MSFT is flat.
I still think 7" 16:9 tablets are crap. And I think iPad sales for this quarter will bear that out. Even if Apple doesn't break out sales between iPad and mini we'll be able to get a good estimate based on margins.
I still think the reason we got 7" tablets from Amazon and Google is because they knew the only way they could compete with iPad was on price. But if people are buying their tablets (because they're so cheap) and not really using them are they really competing?
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogifan
Who's dropping their price on the iPhone? A dying Best Buy? Certainly not AT&T or Verizon.
Walmart.
Originally Posted by Rogifan
Who's dropping their price on the iPhone? A dying Best Buy? Certainly not AT&T or Verizon.
I don't think we have anything to "worry" about unless Apple lowers the price of their iDevices on the Online Store.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilBoogie
Very true; it would be great to see the ratio of people buying this mini who already have the 9.7" and those who don't. But I guess we'll never have Apple show us that number...
This is subjective, but myself and the two people I know that got minis recently, were (all three) owners of a Retina iPad 3, and after getting the mini I don't think I've even picked the Retina iPad up, except a few times to demonstrate to people how heavy it is. I'm pretty sure my two friends feel the same way.
As far as I'm concerned, the regular sized iPad is now "shit" (to use the Jobsian term). iPad mini FTW!
Let me see if I've got this right... The iPad mini which would flop due to it's high price and no retina has it's orders doubled, while the Surface RT which was supposed to give apple a big slap and show them how to make a refrigeroaster™, has its orders halved.
After using the iPad mini for three weeks now, I could never go back to the 10" versions. They just feel like bricks.
Here are my thoughts on the two models.
Typing:
I find that typing on the mini using the smart cover to be as to be as easy as typing on my older iPad with a smart cover. I can types as fast and as accurate. The limitation in typing speed with ALL ipads is having to switch between the letter, numbers and symbol keyboards. The difference in size DOES NOT affect this, period. I just do NOT see and issue here. When holding the two devices and trying to type, the mini is the better of the two. It is Small enough for me to hold in one hand at type with the other. in Addition, It is so easy to thumb type in portrait mode with the mini. My hands are big enough that I can thumb type in landscape mode with the mini, but it is a bit of a stretch. So if you type on a table or desk it is about the same to me. If you type while trying to hold the device (what it is intended for) the mini Wins period....
Screen:
I find the screen quality of the mini to be great. Sure a retina display would be nice, but I would NOT want it if it adds any weight or thickness. I am 48 and do not have that great of eye site. My only worry with the mini was being able to read the screen. To my relief, it just has not been an issue. I can see all of the text just fine without glasses or contacts. I can still read it fine with my Bi-Focal contacts or my Transition glasses. My biggest worry turned out to be a no-issue.
Watching videos:
The mini wins hands down here. It looks great and is so much more comfortable to hold in all situations.
Web browsing and reading:
The mini wins because it is so much more comfortable to hold.... If I can easily read the text and the pictures and video look great, then I have to ask why would a larger iPad be any better at this?
Speed:
I am sure that the A6 is faster, but I have not felt like I was missing anything. All apps seem to run smooth with little is any lag. Maybe it will not work with the next iOS update, but it works great with iOS 6...
Portability:
The entire point of the iPad is to be a portable device. In my opinion, this is why the Mini is so much better than the iPad. I find my self carrying it to places where I would not have bothered to carry the iPad. I find that if the Mini is not up to the task I need, I pull out my 13" macbook pro. Since the mini will doe anything that the iPad will do, I do not think I would have reached for the larger iPad if the mini was not up to the task...
Conclusion:
iPads are meant to be portable devices. The Mini is far more portable and will do anything that the larger iPads will do (at this time). I just do not see any good reason to chose the iPad over the mini IPad at this time. The fact that the mini cost less is just a nice bonus for me. If they were the same price, I would still pick the mini....
Quote:
Originally Posted by patsu
The iPad mini has become a permanent fixture on my left hand..
It's the electronic version of one handed reading material ;¬)
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilBoogie
I think Apple hasn't yet uite grasped the fact how succesful they hav become. 6M? They ought to know it would be more than that. First iPad? The figured they'd sell1M (first batch? Can't recall)
Or pundits are wrong about what number Apple predicted? Or perhaps, regardless of prediction, the real constraint is capacity?
Regardless, this is all good because, once again, Apple got the pricing right. Will pundits stop doubting Tim Cook and Phil Schiller?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatorguy
Walmart.
But Walmart has a habit of discounting a popular item to bring in customers who will buy many other items. I don't think this is indicative of their ability to sell the 9.7" device.
When Apple introduced iPad4, iPad3 was immediately discontinued. Does anyone know what Apple did with the inventory? Are they kept as replacement units?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ankleskater
But Walmart has a habit of discounting a popular item to bring in customers who will buy many other items. I don't think this is indicative of their ability to sell the 9.7" device.
Absolutely possible it's not a permanent markdown. But they aren't saying it's a holiday sale, instead calling it a price roll-back. Only a couple weeks more and we'll know which it is.
In the meantime if you're willing to pay just $50 more than you would for a mini, the next-gen full-size iPad4 looks like a pretty darn good deal.
Actually, that appears to mis-state Steve's view on the smaller iPad.
He said that existing 7" tablets were crap. There was a report from at least one of the senior execs that he was not adamantly opposed to a smaller iPad if it was done right. In fact, it is almost certain that the iPad Mini was under development while Jobs was still in charge.
You've got it partially right. You left off the part where Apple's stock is down almost 4% while MSFT is flat.
I don't own Apple shares. I don't care about Apple's profit margin.
There are companies with much lower profit margin and higher PE than Apple share prices.
Apple will still be a highly profitable company even if the average profit margin drops from the current 40% level.
How many hardware makers/sellers can even claim to have a profit margin of 20%?
I care about the quality of Apple tablets and phone design and build.
I care about the total sales number of all Apple's tablets and phone because this determines the number/quality of developers and the quality of apps availabe.
Quality of hardware and app is the reason why Apple will continue to do well and stay profitable.
Ok. Good.
Not much else to say.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sranger
After using the iPad mini for three weeks now, I could never go back to the 10" versions. They just feel like bricks.
Here are my thoughts on the two models.
Typing:
I find that typing on the mini using the smart cover to be as to be as easy as typing on my older iPad with a smart cover. I can types as fast and as accurate. The limitation in typing speed with ALL ipads is having to switch between the letter, numbers and symbol keyboards. The difference in size DOES NOT affect this, period. I just do NOT see and issue here. When holding the two devices and trying to type, the mini is the better of the two. It is Small enough for me to hold in one hand at type with the other. in Addition, It is so easy to thumb type in portrait mode with the mini. My hands are big enough that I can thumb type in landscape mode with the mini, but it is a bit of a stretch. So if you type on a table or desk it is about the same to me. If you type while trying to hold the device (what it is intended for) the mini Wins period....
Screen:
I find the screen quality of the mini to be great. Sure a retina display would be nice, but I would NOT want it if it adds any weight or thickness. I am 48 and do not have that great of eye site. My only worry with the mini was being able to read the screen. To my relief, it just has not been an issue. I can see all of the text just fine without glasses or contacts. I can still read it fine with my Bi-Focal contacts or my Transition glasses. My biggest worry turned out to be a no-issue.
Watching videos:
The mini wins hands down here. It looks great and is so much more comfortable to hold in all situations.
Web browsing and reading:
The mini wins because it is so much more comfortable to hold.... If I can easily read the text and the pictures and video look great, then I have to ask why would a larger iPad be any better at this?
Speed:
I am sure that the A6 is faster, but I have not felt like I was missing anything. All apps seem to run smooth with little is any lag. Maybe it will not work with the next iOS update, but it works great with iOS 6...
Portability:
The entire point of the iPad is to be a portable device. In my opinion, this is why the Mini is so much better than the iPad. I find my self carrying it to places where I would not have bothered to carry the iPad. I find that if the Mini is not up to the task I need, I pull out my 13" macbook pro. Since the mini will doe anything that the iPad will do, I do not think I would have reached for the larger iPad if the mini was not up to the task...
Conclusion:
iPads are meant to be portable devices. The Mini is far more portable and will do anything that the larger iPads will do (at this time). I just do not see any good reason to chose the iPad over the mini IPad at this time. The fact that the mini cost less is just a nice bonus for me. If they were the same price, I would still pick the mini....
Nice breakdown. I am holding out on upgrading from the iPad 3 to either Mini retina or iPad 5 next year. You make great points.
I still think the reason we got 7" tablets from Amazon and Google is because they knew the only way they could compete with iPad was on price. But if people are buying their tablets (because they're so cheap) and not really using them are they really competing?
12/14/12:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
I knew the small one would sell better than the big one if they made one. Doesn't mean making one was a good idea.
9/11/12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
How can a gimped product kill off a proper one? An even larger iPad would sell better than a 7" one.
5/17/12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
None. In fact, the market for a 7" is multiple times smaller than the iPad's market now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Apple has over 70% of the shipped market and 95% of the being-used market. A 7" iPad would be filling in cracks, not a catalyst for gross expansion.
You knew what?
Originally Posted by nht
You knew what?
Exactly what I said. I stand by the last statement you quoted.
I apologize; you're right in catching my error in the most recent post.