Along with all of the other iPad true believers, I watched the "Let Loose“ event today. Even before it started, I didn’t expect to be the main target for this release cycle. After all, my current iPad Mini and iPad Pro more than serve my needs. And of the two, the Mini is the device my wants and desires are focused on.
This isn't to say I didn't watch with interest. There was a lot of spoken and unspoken news released today -- some of which has me thinking that an iPad Mini “Pro” may not be as impossible as I once believed.
But first the rundown of what I think is rather than what I think may yet be.
The iPad Pro
For those wondering why Tim Cook billed today as the biggest announcement for iPad since its introduction, let me offer this observation: The iPad Pro is now a device that you know you need or you know you want in the same way you know you want or need a MacBook Pro. It has pulled away from the iPad Air in that it has targeted uses and users.
Does this mean non-artists (artists being broadly defined), non-"creatives", and non-gamers should stay away? Of course not. If it makes you happy and have the money to buy into “the ultimate iPad experience”, knock yourself out. Have fun and don't let the cynics get to you when they feel the urge to say you don’t need all that power and that the apps don’t take full advantage of the power that’s there.
Smile and enjoy the ride.
The iPad Air
The iPad Air has now become a reasonable laptop replacement for most users. Keep in mind that if you were watching “Let Loose”, you are not likely to be one of these users. You are probably a tech aficionado of some sort or someone whose livelihood is defined by the specs of the machine in front of you.
The Air is a solid general use machine that does most of what general users need while offering the flexibility offered by an Apple Pencil. And it's a lovely device for them. It's the easy choice of the iPad range.
The iPad
This is the device for those who are highly price sensitive and/or just want a full size tablet and aren't looking for a full laptop replacement — perhaps because they don't need something like a laptop. It’s a good option for what it is and a fantastic option for those who know that they don’t want it to be what it isn’t.
The iPad Mini
First things first: I believe that this is the device for those who are (like me) aficionados of the form factor or for those who need ultra-portability -- people like doctors and nurses making rounds in a hospital and the pilots who so often appear in Mini ads.
But I promised my thoughts for the future of the Mini.
Now, I am under no illusions that Apple is listening or actively considering my wants and needs. I also concede that my thoughts are being driven by what I want and not by what is practical or possible. After all, I don't have sales numbers so I don't know how much of an outlier I am in terms of desired use cases. I'm also not an engineer so can't know if my guesses are actually logical rather than just things that have the appearance of logic.
That disclaimer offered, one of Apple's points of pride was how thin the new Pros are. They are thin and more powerful. Somehow, the thermals issue was addressed with the M4 and the way the iPads Pro were engineered. The presentation nodded to some of the materials they employed.
That makes me think that thermal constraints might not be as great a restriction for a future Mini as I had thought (although distance to the battery could still be an issue). But I do wonder: If an M4 can be made to fit in a .21 inch (5.3 mm) 11 inch case, could one be fit into the .25 inch (6.3 mm) chassis of the current iPad Mini? And if not the M4, how capable would an A-series equivalent be?
What makes me hopeful that such things are being at least considered is that the iPad Mini is more Apple Pencil-centric than any other iPad. I can't help but think (want) an iPad Mini Pro or Air (or both) that supports the Pencil Pro.