iPad Apple Releases new IPad Air and iPad Mini with Apple Pencil Support

[OtinG]

Apple just released new IPad Air and iPad Mini. Nothing all that special with these other than Apple Pencil support and the usual spec bump. Mini looks like the previous models with updated processor. Probably should not have taken them that long to release a new Mini with such small improvements, but that is Apple. At least the Mini can live on for a few more years. Te new Air replaces the now discontinued Pro 10.2 model.

[Deskisamess]

1st gen Apple Pencil.

For travel and portability, I love the mini. But I can't see buying this new version. If it supported the newest pencil, maybe. For my use, the pencil isn't useful for the mini. I didn't read the specs yet, but given that is supports the first gen pencil, they didn't change the port to usb c on the new mini.

I have the new iPad Pro 12.9" and love how the new pencil works and charges.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

1st gen Apple Pencil.

For travel and portability, I love the mini. But I can't see buying this new version. If it supported the newest pencil, maybe. For my use, the pencil isn't useful for the mini. I didn't read the specs yet, but given that is supports the first gen pencil, they didn't change the port to usb c on the new mini.

I have the new iPad Pro 12.9" and love how the new pencil works and charges.

I agree. I have the older iPad Pro 9.7" which supports the AP gen 1. The AP 1 is okay, but a PITA to charge and keep up with. I still use my iPad Mini 2 for reading but not much else, and as old as it is it works very well as an eBook read (but not as a PDF reader). I found it interesting that Apple's intro page for the newest Mini claims the highest resolution ever for any iPad, but when you read the specs it has the same exact resolution as the Mini 2. So Apple thought it was necessary to act as though they improved the resolution although they didn't, but they didn't lie about it either, they were just bragging about something they added years ago to the much older Mini 2. Rather deceptive bit of wording IMO since it is true but not new to the newest Mini. And yes, it still uses the old and dated Lightning connector. This was indeed a minimal update.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by OtinG

I found it interesting that Apple's intro page for the newest Mini claims the highest resolution ever for any iPad, but when you read the specs it has the same exact resolution as the Mini 2. So Apple thought it was necessary to act as though they improved the resolution although they didn't, but they didn't lie about it either, they were just bragging about something they added years ago to the much older Mini 2. Rather deceptive bit of wording IMO since it is true but not new to the newest Mini.

I don't see where they say the retina Mini has the highest resolution. Mayhaps leftover copy/past that they already cleaned up? Besides, ever since 2015, that highest resolution claim is untrue (12.9" 2732*2048). Granted, the retina Mini still has highest pixel density on the iPad.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I don't see where they say the retina Mini has the highest resolution. Mayhaps leftover copy/past that they already cleaned up? Besides, ever since 2015, that highest resolution claim is untrue (12.9" 2732*2048). Granted, the retina Mini still has highest pixel density on the iPad.

It was there earlier, but they were referring to the pixel density. I think they actually used the word "resolution" by mistake or perhaps they don't use it like many here in this forum use it. The specs list "2048-by-1536 resolution at 326 pixels per inch (ppi)" but it doesn't use the term "pixel density". At any rate they have edited the original page some what...

At any rate the new Mini is a minimal spec jump from the Mini 4. There is no redesign of the physical device and the added AP 1 support is for their older AP. So this seems to me to be an update wherein Apple did the least they could in order to keep the Mini in the product line up.

Ok just read the mini tech specs, and I have to paraphrase Tony Stark from the first Iron Man: "Need it, want it." :-)

Until now I haven't wanted to complicate life by adding having to deal with iOS devices to my other stew of Windows, Android, e-ink, etc. But the hardware in that mini, the A12 chip, the retina screen, the light weight (10.5 oz for wifi), and best of all, the 8" form factor which is perfect for me...it's too good to pass up. The only thing that could better this IMHO is if Samsung were to come out with a Galaxy Tab S4 8", but I suspect they won't at this point, it seems they've abandoned the high res small tablet segment. But maybe they will in response to the mini; will wait another month or two to see if they respond. If not, I'll be a mini owner.

But man oh man, it's a big leap in price from the 64 to the 256GB version. $549 for 256. And no SD card. Ouch.

[AnemicOak]

My Mini 4 works great for everything still. Not seeing any reason to upgrade at this time.

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

My Mini 4 works great for everything still. Not seeing any reason to upgrade at this time.

Question for you, since you have a current Mini (I've never owned an Ipad device, so if I get one, might as well get the new one).

Can you run Mozilla Firefox browser efficiently on the Mini? I know Safari is native to it. But.....I use Firefox as my cross-device platform for syncing everything: bookmarks, saved web pages (via built-in Pocket support), open tabs, history, all of it. So, I'd only get an Apple device *if* I can efficiently run Firefox on it.

I see good reviews for it in the iOS app store. But like to hear feedback from an actual user.

[kyteflyer]

I have a Mini 4, and an Air2. I bought a 2017 pro (12.9") and was considering selling it because I find the screen too big (its also to do with aspect ratio, I think) Mini 4 is fine for couch surfing, and Air2 is a good size for some things. Might sell that off and buy the new one. I confess to preferring bezels, than not, so I havent been tempted by the new Pro models.

[edit] Firefox is fine on the Mini 4. I stick with Safari because Apple doesnt allow you to choose a different browser as the default, as it does on your Apple computers, so all links from email, messages etc will open in Safari by default. Web page links will open in Firefox. Mozilla continues to work on FF for iOS, its pretty good.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by maximus83

Question for you, since you have a current Mini (I've never owned an Ipad device, so if I get one, might as well get the new one).

Can you run Mozilla Firefox browser efficiently on the Mini? I know Safari is native to it. But.....I use Firefox as my cross-device platform for syncing everything: bookmarks, saved web pages (via built-in Pocket support), open tabs, history, all of it. So, I'd only get an Apple device *if* I can efficiently run Firefox on it.

I see good reviews for it in the iOS app store. But like to hear feedback from an actual user.

I will second the thought that Firefox for iPad works fine on iPads, even my old iPad mini 2. I used to use the Firefox browser on all of my devices whether iOS, Mac OS, Windows, or Android, but I've switched to using Safari on my Apple thingies since Safari has improved and Firefox kept breaking websites and as it churned out new versions seemingly every few weeks. Geez, it went from version 4 up to version 65 in less than eight years! That is way too many updates for me. That is about one new version every 1.5 months!

[pwalker8]

I've currently got a mini 4. 2 GB ram, A8 processor, 128 GB of on board memory.

The new mini - 256 GB with an A12. I don't see anything that explicitly says how much internal ram it has, but Apple support says that they think it's 4GB just like the iPad Pro, which has the same A12 chip. Apparently, it's not actually going to be released until next Monday, the 28th, or at least it won't be in the stores until then and delivery starts on the 29th.

If it's 4GB internal RAM and 256 GB external RAM, then combined with the A12 chip, that's going to be a pretty big jump for my usage, i.e. reading ebooks. CC uses the internal RAM when it syncs up with Calibre, so the more internal RAM, the faster the sync up. Plus, I'm right around 100 GB used on my iPad mini 4, so the 256 GB would give me plenty of room.

Once I get confirmation on that, I will likely go ahead and upgrade.

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Apple doesnt allow you to choose a different browser as the default, as it does on your Apple computers, so all links from email, messages etc will open in Safari by default. Web page links will open in Firefox. Mozilla continues to work on FF for iOS, its pretty good.

Hmmm, that would be pretty annoying (no way to change default browser). Is there any way that iOS power users have found a way to hack that? I would not want every link I ever click in email, or other apps, to be popping into Safari, then have to change browsers.

Originally Posted by pwalker8

If it's 4GB internal RAM and 256 GB external RAM, then combined with the A12 chip, that's going to be a pretty big jump for my usage, i.e. reading ebooks.

Exactly, that boost in actually processing capacity is what caught my eye, and that plus the nice form factor would actually make me seriously consider this over a non-existent high res Android alternative in the 8" category.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I've currently got a mini 4. 2 GB ram, A8 processor, 128 GB of on board memory.

The new mini - 256 GB with an A12. I don't see anything that explicitly says how much internal ram it has, but Apple support says that they think it's 4GB just like the iPad Pro, which has the same A12 chip. Apparently, it's not actually going to be released until next Monday, the 28th, or at least it won't be in the stores until then and delivery starts on the 29th.

If it's 4GB internal RAM and 256 GB external RAM, then combined with the A12 chip, that's going to be a pretty big jump for my usage, i.e. reading ebooks. CC uses the internal RAM when it syncs up with Calibre, so the more internal RAM, the faster the sync up. Plus, I'm right around 100 GB used on my iPad mini 4, so the 256 GB would give me plenty of room.

Once I get confirmation on that, I will likely go ahead and upgrade.

This Mac Rumors article indicates that the mini 5 might have 3 GB of RAM.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by maximus83

Hmmm, that would be pretty annoying (no way to change default browser). Is there any way that iOS power users have found a way to hack that? I would not want every link I ever click in email, or other apps, to be popping into Safari, then have to change browsers.

I felt that way when I was new to iDevices. But I love the Favorites bar option in Safari, and how it syncs from both my iPad Pro and my mini. On the Pro screen, there is room for 21 bookmarks / favorites across the top just under the url bar. I like the uniformity it gives me between 2 devices. I use abbreviations heavily to get that many to show.

My biggest complaint with Safari is the lack of font size control. There are some sites and forums that I use that I wish could have larger fonts.

I do have Chrome and Firefox installed, and use them on occasion. But they feel clumsy to me now, compared with Safari. I used to love Dolphin, but it wasn't being updated anymore so I stopped using it altogether.