Apple rumored to abandon iPad mini in 2015, move to 12-inch 'iPad Pro'
A dubious rumor out of East Asia on Monday claims Apple is looking to wind down iPad mini production in favor of a 12-inch tablet, a response to flagging sales and growing consumer interest in larger-screened devices.
Citing sources in Apple's supply chain, the Economic Daily News reports the company is looking to discontinue iPad mini sales when the tablet lineup is refreshed next year and will instead concentrate on production of a new 12-inch format being called "iPad Pro."
The shift in tablet strategy is said to be in reply to a shifting smartphone market, which has seen consumers gravitate toward devices with screens larger than 5 inches on the diagonal. Apple itself has seen unexpectedly high demand for the new 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, the company's first "phablet" handset.
Also cited as a catalyst for change is increasingly aggressive competition in the tablet sector, with competitors like Samsung slowly nibbling away at Apple's dominant marketshare. For the most recent fourth fiscal quarter of 2014, Apple moved 12.3 million iPads, down 17 percent from 14.1 million year-over-year.
When Apple released the latest flagship iPad Air 2 model in October, the iPad mini line was barely updated with Touch ID and new gold color option. Despite the relatively minor changes from last year's version, the iPad mini 3 commands the usual $399 price tag.
The report offered a few additional details on the iPad Pro, saying Foxconn will be responsible for building the large tablet, with internals and design both carried over from the iPad Air 2. Previous rumors have claimed the jumbo-size iPad will boast either a 12.9-inch or 12.2-inch display and feature two additional speakers located on the unit's top edge, likely for stereo sound when viewing videos in landscape mode.
Citing sources in Apple's supply chain, the Economic Daily News reports the company is looking to discontinue iPad mini sales when the tablet lineup is refreshed next year and will instead concentrate on production of a new 12-inch format being called "iPad Pro."
The shift in tablet strategy is said to be in reply to a shifting smartphone market, which has seen consumers gravitate toward devices with screens larger than 5 inches on the diagonal. Apple itself has seen unexpectedly high demand for the new 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, the company's first "phablet" handset.
Also cited as a catalyst for change is increasingly aggressive competition in the tablet sector, with competitors like Samsung slowly nibbling away at Apple's dominant marketshare. For the most recent fourth fiscal quarter of 2014, Apple moved 12.3 million iPads, down 17 percent from 14.1 million year-over-year.
When Apple released the latest flagship iPad Air 2 model in October, the iPad mini line was barely updated with Touch ID and new gold color option. Despite the relatively minor changes from last year's version, the iPad mini 3 commands the usual $399 price tag.
The report offered a few additional details on the iPad Pro, saying Foxconn will be responsible for building the large tablet, with internals and design both carried over from the iPad Air 2. Previous rumors have claimed the jumbo-size iPad will boast either a 12.9-inch or 12.2-inch display and feature two additional speakers located on the unit's top edge, likely for stereo sound when viewing videos in landscape mode.
Comments
HA!
Doubtful.
I wonder if the rumors about the 12 inch MacBook Air retina got started from parts for the 12 inch iPad. I find it hard to believe that Apple just so happens to be coming out with a 12 inch iPad and a 12 inch MBA.
Wonder who’s happy about this...
I doubt Apple would kill off the iPad mini at this point in time. They still are pretty popular, especially with children.
That would make the pricing simpler:
iPad mini 2 $249
iPad mini 3 $349
iPad Air $399
Ipad Air 2 $499
Well, fudge.
I really, truly hope this rumor is wrong. The only iPads I've ever owned have been Minis (original and Retina), and I would hate to have a larger iPad (no matter how thin and light they make it). The size is the perfect fit for my life, and even getting the iPhone 6 Plus hasn't made me stop using it on a daily or near-daily basis.
I can see me going another 2 years or more without needing to replace my Mini. If Apple isn't offering one when that time comes, they'll be losing me as an iPad customer without a doubt. Not that it matters to them, but ... I know I'll be disappointed.
They won't cancel the form factor/size, just the iPad mini (1).
Hahaha... No.
More proof it must go! Apple can't make people any happier!
Burn it all... burn it all down. Start over.
Apple discontinued the iPod mini at the height of its popularity, replacing it with the iPod nano.
People who wouldn't buy one unless it ran Windows 8 and required a mouse. You know the type.
I was gonna say me, but...
But then the bean counters told him gross margins aren't as good as the Air and 6 Plus....
Wonder who’s happy about this...
I am.
Since I got my iPhone 6+ 128, I've not used my iPad Mini much at all. The iPhone is big enough, now, and it fits in my pocket, and it's a phone, and it's a lot faster, and it has Touch ID.
'Nuff said.
Bottom line for Apple in any event, though, is that if it's not selling adequately, then it gets axed. That's nature. That's business.
Apple doesn't have to pander to minority fringes who'll always find SOMETHING to complain about.
Now I'm interested in a large iPad, as it seems like it might be the nail in the coffin for the Surface. Since Adobe announced that its desktop apps which run on the Surface will have touch interfaces, I'm thinking that the iPad Pro might very well be capable of running desktop apps, and that Adobe has been working with Apple, too. Bit of a stretch, admittedly. But that would get my interest. I'm curious to see how Adobe's pen and ruler will work with it.