After reading reviews and seeing so many reviewers lamented about the mute switch, I couldn't help but think that many people didn't know you just need to press on the "lower volume' switch a bit longer and the IPAD will be muted?
The mute switch has always been an unnecessary button for the purpose of silencing the ipad. I have been using it to lock 'orientation' for the past few years.
After reading reviews and seeing so many reviewers lamented about the mute switch, I couldn't help but think that many people didn't know you just need to press on the "lower volume' switch a bit longer and the IPAD will be muted?
The mute switch has always been an unnecessary button for the purpose of silencing the ipad. I have been using it to lock 'orientation' for the past few years.
Sure, you can lower the volume that way, but not raise it. That requires you to hold the up button. A switch is very convenient, I don't even have to unlock the iPad to mute it. Or take it out of its case.
One theory I have is then mini 3 is a placeholder right now and will get A8 once 6/6 Plus demand isn't so high, perhaps next spring. Otherwise there is zero reason for the mini 3 to exist. No way is Touch ID worth $100.
If that's the case there's going to be a lot of very angry people who will have bought the Mini 3 before this mid stream update. If this is a place holder they should have added the finger print scanner and either held the price or upped it $25 till the A8 version was ready.
The other major issue IMHO is that Apple seems really stuck on thinner which is really dumb. For the Air 2 to have significantly less battery life than the Air just to make it thinner is a bad choice. Same with the iPhone 6. Maker it as thick as the 6+ and improve the battery life. Thinner is not always better.
That was a mistake by Apple. No way the iPadmini cost $100 less to make. In other words they were making very little profit selling the ipadmini last year.
Yeah because Apple had problem making profits last year. Shouldn't Apple be about making the best products, not designing things based on what will give them the biggest margins? Anybody that buys a mini 3 is stupid IMO.
If that's the case there's going to be a lot of very angry people who will have bought the Mini 3 before this mid stream update. If this is a place holder they should have added the finger print scanner and either held the price or upped it $25 till the A8 version was ready.
I'm just throwing that out there because otherwise there is zero reason for the mini 3 to exist. Touch ID is not worth a $100 premium. My guess is the mini 3 won't be a big seller and those buying it have a specific reason and are well aware of what they're getting.
The other major issue IMHO is that Apple seems really stuck on thinner which is really dumb. For the Air 2 to have significantly less battery life than the Air just to make it thinner is a bad choice. Same with the iPhone 6. Maker it as thick as the 6+ and improve the battery life. Thinner is not always better.
Significantly less battery life? Where are you getting that from?
Here we go with the 1% trying to force the 99% to accept their preferences!
For 99% the battery life of the Air2 and iPhone6 is great. We also LOVE the thinnest and light weight!
If you need more battery life just get a battery case! Why should the 99% suffer with heavy and fat phones because the 1% watch Netflix 15 hours a day?
Not at all. I'm not advocating fat phones and tablets. We've never had an update that lowered battery life over the previous iteration. Now for the first time we do. The Air was very thin and an awesome form factor. There was no need to make the Air 2 even thinner at the cost of two hours of battery life.
Same with the iPhone 6. No need to make it thinner than the 6+. Keep them both the same and give them equivalent our close to equivalent battery life.
At least one of the reviews shows a two hour decrease in the Air 2 vs the Air.
And other reviews have it about the same, which is as advertised. Certainly the products are just getting into "real users" hands, so as always, of course people need to watch and get some real-world values to make an informed decision. A little early to jump to the worst possible conclusion though, don't you think?
I agree that "significantly less" battery life would be a poor trade-off. However, if the battery life is the same, as claimed and some reviewers are indicating, then indeed thinner and lighter are extremely important attributes for a device which is meant to be held for extended periods of time.
Personally I would have paid $100 if I could add touchID on my Air1.
You're the exception not the norm. If Touch ID is worth a $100 premium, why isn't the Air 2 $100 more expensive? Why wasn't the iPhone 5S $100 more expensive? Apple's cash pile is now over $150B. Apple isn't struggling to find the $$ to invest in R&D. The last thing Apple needs is people thinking they're not getting the best bang for their buck.
At least one of the reviews shows a two hour decrease in the Air 2 vs the Air.
Do you have a link to that review? During the keynote Phil Schiller said the Air 2 gets the same battery life as the Air. I'll wait for real world usage stats.
Do you have a link to that review? During the keynote Phil Schiller said the Air 2 gets the same battery life as the Air. I'll wait for real world usage stats.
The Engadget review benchmarks show a two hour drop. Here is the link
You're the exception not the norm. If Touch ID is worth a $100 premium, why isn't the Air 2 $100 more expensive? Why wasn't the iPhone 5S $100 more expensive? Apple's cash pile is now over $150B. Apple isn't struggling to find the $$ to invest in R&D. The last thing Apple needs is people thinking they're not getting the best bang for their buck.
IMO, I also believe that the Mini 3 update was odd, in both what it had, and how Apple approached it at the keynote. While I believe that some differentiation is warranted vs. the larger (more expensive) Air 2 unit, it could have been managed by having say the A8 vs. the A8X, and perhaps not having the same screen updates as Air 2.
Perhaps the thinking that there was not enough A8's to be had was the reason. Certainly could be when we hear about the supply/demand imbalance of iPhone 6's.
As to why not have a lower price for this one update then - well Apple rarely does that. When they move a price downward, that is usually it. Very hard to raise back up again. You can imagine that if the Mini 3 was $350 as it had less, but then tried to move back to $399 for a better Mini 4, the feedback would be horrendous.
Hoping this Mini 3 is just one of those few times when Apple underwhelms in an update (for price), because they had some component issues, and not a trend. Given the performance of the A7, I doubt most purchasers would know about it. They would just see that has TouchID, can be used for secure shopping, and is the best of the "Mini line", and go with the model. Few of the buying public know what is in the machine.
Most will shop on price, and expect a lot more Mini 2's than Mini 3's sold though.
IMO, I also believe that the Mini 3 update was odd, in both what it had, and how Apple approached it at the keynote. While I believe that some differentiation is warranted vs. the larger (more expensive) Air 2 unit, it could have been managed by having say the A8 vs. the A8X, and perhaps not having the same screen updates as Air 2.
Perhaps the thinking that there was not enough A8's to be had was the reason. Certainly could be when we hear about the supply/demand imbalance of iPhone 6's.
As to why not have a lower price for this one update then - well Apple rarely does that. When they move a price downward, that is usually it. Very hard to raise back up again. You can imagine that if the Mini 3 was $350 as it had less, but then tried to move back to $399 for a better Mini 4, the feedback would be horrendous.
Hoping this Mini 3 is just one of those few times when Apple underwhelms in an update (for price), because they had some component issues, and not a trend. Given the performance of the A7, I doubt most purchasers would know about it. They would just see that has TouchID, can be used for secure shopping, and is the best of the "Mini line", and go with the model. Few of the buying public know what is in the machine.
Most will shop on price, and expect a lot more Mini 2's than Mini 3's sold though.
I still think either Apple is hedging it's bets because of the iPhone 6 Plus or the mini 3 will get A8 next spring when iPhone demand slows a bit. When Apple updated the mini to retina and A7 and increased the price to $399 they had to have some idea what the margins would be on this product. If they can't support that price point they should never have announced it in the first place. But since last years model got a $100 price reduction I have a hard time believing they can't swing A8 and Touch ID for $399.
Comments
After reading reviews and seeing so many reviewers lamented about the mute switch, I couldn't help but think that many people didn't know you just need to press on the "lower volume' switch a bit longer and the IPAD will be muted?
The mute switch has always been an unnecessary button for the purpose of silencing the ipad. I have been using it to lock 'orientation' for the past few years.
Sure, you can lower the volume that way, but not raise it. That requires you to hold the up button. A switch is very convenient, I don't even have to unlock the iPad to mute it. Or take it out of its case.
I highly recommend it. Don't try to save a few bucks to get a Linksys or other brand. The Airport is extremely easy to setup and extremely stable.
I can vouch for this, having owned one since February... well worth the premium price. I'm installing another one at a relative's this weekend.
If that's the case there's going to be a lot of very angry people who will have bought the Mini 3 before this mid stream update. If this is a place holder they should have added the finger print scanner and either held the price or upped it $25 till the A8 version was ready.
And why a wise consumer is better off buying a Mac.
I'm just throwing that out there because otherwise there is zero reason for the mini 3 to exist. Touch ID is not worth a $100 premium. My guess is the mini 3 won't be a big seller and those buying it have a specific reason and are well aware of what they're getting.
Not at all. I'm not advocating fat phones and tablets. We've never had an update that lowered battery life over the previous iteration. Now for the first time we do. The Air was very thin and an awesome form factor. There was no need to make the Air 2 even thinner at the cost of two hours of battery life.
Same with the iPhone 6. No need to make it thinner than the 6+. Keep them both the same and give them equivalent our close to equivalent battery life.
At least one of the reviews shows a two hour decrease in the Air 2 vs the Air.
At least one of the reviews shows a two hour decrease in the Air 2 vs the Air.
And other reviews have it about the same, which is as advertised. Certainly the products are just getting into "real users" hands, so as always, of course people need to watch and get some real-world values to make an informed decision. A little early to jump to the worst possible conclusion though, don't you think?
I agree that "significantly less" battery life would be a poor trade-off. However, if the battery life is the same, as claimed and some reviewers are indicating, then indeed thinner and lighter are extremely important attributes for a device which is meant to be held for extended periods of time.
The Engadget review benchmarks show a two hour drop. Here is the link
http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/21/ipad-air-2-mini-3-review/
You're the exception not the norm. If Touch ID is worth a $100 premium, why isn't the Air 2 $100 more expensive? Why wasn't the iPhone 5S $100 more expensive? Apple's cash pile is now over $150B. Apple isn't struggling to find the $$ to invest in R&D. The last thing Apple needs is people thinking they're not getting the best bang for their buck.
IMO, I also believe that the Mini 3 update was odd, in both what it had, and how Apple approached it at the keynote. While I believe that some differentiation is warranted vs. the larger (more expensive) Air 2 unit, it could have been managed by having say the A8 vs. the A8X, and perhaps not having the same screen updates as Air 2.
Perhaps the thinking that there was not enough A8's to be had was the reason. Certainly could be when we hear about the supply/demand imbalance of iPhone 6's.
As to why not have a lower price for this one update then - well Apple rarely does that. When they move a price downward, that is usually it. Very hard to raise back up again. You can imagine that if the Mini 3 was $350 as it had less, but then tried to move back to $399 for a better Mini 4, the feedback would be horrendous.
Hoping this Mini 3 is just one of those few times when Apple underwhelms in an update (for price), because they had some component issues, and not a trend. Given the performance of the A7, I doubt most purchasers would know about it. They would just see that has TouchID, can be used for secure shopping, and is the best of the "Mini line", and go with the model. Few of the buying public know what is in the machine.
Most will shop on price, and expect a lot more Mini 2's than Mini 3's sold though.
I still think either Apple is hedging it's bets because of the iPhone 6 Plus or the mini 3 will get A8 next spring when iPhone demand slows a bit. When Apple updated the mini to retina and A7 and increased the price to $399 they had to have some idea what the margins would be on this product. If they can't support that price point they should never have announced it in the first place. But since last years model got a $100 price reduction I have a hard time believing they can't swing A8 and Touch ID for $399.