It is time for Apple to resolve what it needs the iPad mini to be

It is nearly robust to recollect now, however the unique iPad mini (launched in November 2012) was an answer to a recurring grievance with iPads: dimension and weight. Certainly, earlier that 12 months, Apple launched the third-generation 9.7-inch iPad, probably its heaviest pill ever.

I personally purchased the Wi-Fi + Mobile model, which was 1.46 kilos (0.66 kilograms). That is almost half a pound greater than 2024’s 11-inch iPad Pro — holding it in a single hand was not possible for greater than two or three minutes. The mini lacked a Retina show, however at not more than 0.69 kilos (312 grams), you could possibly plausibly deal with it like a high-powered Kindle. And with a 7.9-inch display screen, it was so much simpler to stash in a bag or backpack.

To at the present time, every new mini has constructed up a loyal fanbase. However even these individuals must admit that the lineup has been spinning its wheels for some time. I really feel like Apple is approaching a crossroads, and if it may’t assist the mini stay as much as its potential, we may see it fall by the wayside utterly, becoming a member of the iPhone mini within the tech graveyard.

What’s improper with the iPad mini?

Caught within the center

On a {hardware} stage, nearly nothing. The 2024 mannequin nonetheless lacks a Sensible Connector for a Magic Keyboard, in addition to USB 4/Thunderbolt assist, however these aren’t deal-killers for a tool that is not meant to be a (complete) laptop computer substitute. It is laborious to think about myself getting a lot work performed on an 8.3-inch display screen, by no means thoughts a keyboard sufficiently small to match it.

Its show is sharp and colourful. On the within, it has an A17 Professional chip, which is quick sufficient for Apple Intelligence, in addition to most apps you’d prefer to run. Its dimensions allow some distinctive potentialities, too. Pilots often carry a mini as an digital flight bag (EFB), making it simpler to go over charts and manuals in a cramped cockpit. Avid gamers can connect specialised controller mounts just like the Razer Kishi Extremely, turning it right into a high-powered Swap different. And a few auto fanatics have taken to mounting them on dashboards, making CarPlay really feel weak by comparability.

The actual challenge is iPadOS. It is practical on the mini — you’ll be able to open three or extra home windows utilizing iPadOS 26 — but additionally clearly optimized for greater units. The dock alone can take up a major quantity of homescreen house. I am unsure that I would need to use a mini in any respect if it weren’t for the Extra Area possibility, discovered beneath Settings > Show & Brightness > Show Zoom, which crams extra content material onscreen. Even with that lively, it generally seems like my spouse’s tiny outdated Home windows pill allowed for extra work room.

Media consumption is the product’s forte, however it’s more and more laborious to justify a $500-plus price ticket for that in mild of what you get with an iPhone. The iPhone 17 has a 6.3-inch show that is not solely ok for books and movies, however probably higher than what Apple has deliberate for the subsequent mini. That is as a result of it ought to have a 120Hz OLED panel, enabling smoother framerates and higher distinction than the 2024 mini’s 60Hz LCD. Some rumors have pointed to the mini 8 leaping to OLED as nicely — but I’ve my doubts, contemplating that the iPad Professional solely not too long ago made the leap.

As issues are, the mini is caught in an odd middleground. It isn’t as versatile as an iPhone — not to mention a foldable, just like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 — but it is not as succesful at productiveness duties as different iPads. The individuals who want a mini really want one. However plenty of iPhone 12 mini and 13 mini house owners probably felt the identical approach, and so they’ve been thrown beneath the bus in favor of Plus and Air units. To carry its personal, the mini could should be absolutely optimized, doing issues that no different iPad can do past simply being small and light-weight.

The answer to the mini conundrum

A troublesome nut to crack

I am going to admit, it is tough to provide you with a complete listing of modifications to make. I would in all probability be working at Apple if I had one, and it is not like different small pill makers have not struggled with the identical state of affairs. In North America, Samsung not sells any tablets beneath 10 inches. The closest to one thing purpose-built is Amazon’s Hearth HD 8, however that is an under-powered product, supposed to be an inexpensive window into Amazon providers and nothing extra.

One thing that may rapidly change the sport for the mini is a change to an M-series processor. That might let minis use exterior shows as an expanded workspace, making it attainable to get actual work performed at dwelling or the workplace, if not on the highway. Apple would want to pair that with a USB 4/Thunderbolt port, since most displays depend on some type of DisplayPort compatibility today.

In the long run, Apple could haven’t any alternative however to revamp iPadOS, or just fork the way it presents on the mini. It may begin by shrinking the dock additional on smaller screens, and eliminating some other instance of wasted house it may consider. Turning on Extra Area all the time helps slightly, however Apple is so decided to be pleasant to butterfingers and poor eyesight that its layouts proceed to intervene with onscreen actual property. Sooner or later, it needs to be acknowledged that folks with unhealthy eyes in all probability should not be shopping for a small pill. It is like shopping for a fixie bike and questioning why you’ll be able to’t trip the paths that nicely.

All of this might be unpalatable to Apple, which prefers to make evolutionary modifications to merchandise every time attainable. However clearly, the present path is not working — in November 2024, CIRP pegged the mini as accounting for simply 9% of iPad gross sales. Or possibly issues are buzzing alongside completely if the true aim is to nudge most buyers in the direction of the iPad Air and Professional.