Roger Fingas
Apple is reportedly planning to phase the iPad mini out of its lineup, which may make the Mini 4 — released in 2015 — the last of its kind.
There's been "fierce cannibalism of our own products," and the Mini has been "sized out of its own category," an alleged Apple source told BGR. The device's weakening sales have been "very clear," the person noted.
Unmentioned, however, was whether Apple will keep selling the Mini 4 for a while or if it plans to axe the device entirely in the next few months.
In terms of cannibalized sales, the main culprits are thought to be the 5.5-inch Plus versions of the iPhone. While the Mini 4 has a bigger screen at 7.9 inches, it may not make much sense to get one given that a Plus can also serve as a phone.
Apple also recently launched a 9.7-inch "budget" iPad, which is not only cheaper than the Mini 4 at $329, but has a faster A9 processor. The Mini 4 is still equipped with an A8.
The company is expected to refresh the 12.9-inch iPad Pro sometime this year, and moreover launch a new 10.5-inch Pro with thinner bezels. The hardware could be announced as soon as Apple's WWDC 2017 keynote on June 5.
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102 Comments
That's disappointing. I like my goldilocks sized mini.
Sales are down not due to the plus size phone but due to the lack of updates to the mini.
I'd like an updated mini (and I have a plus size phone). An iPad mini is a much different device than a plus size phone.
So 10" was a better tablet size all along? And for those who say tablets are dying it's worth pointing out Apple's tablets are outselling their Macs 2-1. With some OS improvements for iPad and better pricing for the pro model, I think iPad sales numbers could pick up steam again. Further, Apple should take a much lower percent depending the total cost of the app or subscription to incentivise guys like Adobe to go all-in on iPad. Where apps that cost hundreds per year or up front, Apple would take perhaps 5 or 10% off the top—this is how you convince Adobe to bring the full version of PS to App Store. It's apps like this that give the device more power and give people the impression of iPad as a full computer.
I know I'm probably in the minority, but I think there's a place for both large iPhones and small iPads. I use both of mine all the time for different purposes. Sure my iPhone Plus size has a large screen, but I can't run full iPad apps on it. And I can't really use an iPad as a phone. Well you can link it to your account in ways, but not use as a sole phone. My mini iPad fits perfectly on the tank bag of my motorcycle, so I use it as my map when I ride. I also use it as my coffee table browser, and my recipe holder in the kitchen. I can't imagine using a larger iPad or an iPhone for those things. Maybe it's just me.