iPad Air and iPad mini 2019 review: Apple’s tablets strike an ideal balance

These are clearly more appealing to most people than Apple's 2018 iPad or iPad Pro.

Read the whole story

 

[uhuznaa]

The new models strike –a– balance, but I do not agree that it is an –ideal– balance. IMHO, an IDEAL balance would have been for Apple to FINALLY show some longer-term chassis-design sense and make both "new" chassises the slightly-bit-thicker necessary to support a non-laminated display and digitizer. (Since neither chassis is new, I put new in quotes.)

With a mere .05 inches (1.25mm), Apple could have produced a lower-end non-laminated mini that would have been a significantly greater value for children/families/education markets, while increasing the value-proposition of the more expensive model with laminated display for those who want the quality and storage. (For bonus, make it so that a laminated model could be "downgraded" at repair time for a cheaper repair for a cracked screen.) No one would have decried a ~1mm increase in thickness.

And by incorporating the thickness for the non-laminated display into the Air chassis now, it would telegraph what is inevitable for the full-sized iPad models: a common chassis with common cases. The case differentiation has again made for a retail nightmare. Again again.

Also, I'd like to see the $329 iPad sharing the iPad mini motherboard. If we're talking "IDEAL balances".

The price does not reflect the cost and the cost difference between a laminated display and not laminated display probably is less than $1.

You also can be sure that the cost difference between the iPad mini and the Air 3 is much less than the price difference, which again is one reason for Apple not making the mini more attractive (everybody buying the mini instead of the Air takes a bite out of Apple's profits).

 

[uhuznaa]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

Except the bezel doesn't need to be as thick as the headphone plug is long. It only needs to be as thick as the headphone plug is wide.

If you have square corners and put the jack right at the edge, yes.

The bottom bezel is way more than wide enough because of the home button. They wouldn't need to square off the corners any more. All they would have to do is put the jack out the side. Which... Seems perfectly fine. What's wrong with that?

What? The iPad Pros with no headphone jack have no home button and all around bezels that are thinner than a headphone jack is long. These iPads here (with a home button) have a headphone jack.

 

[Crito]

The mini, on the other hand, looks quite dated—so dated that when I brought it out in front of someone who is far from a techie, she immediately commented on how "old" it looked. I know reviewers sometimes get flak for focusing more on bezels than is really necessary, and sometimes that might be fair. But in this case… it really does look like a design from the past.

Hot take: "Poor Ron."

Real take: "About time!"

 

[mattbg]

Fully agree with the assessment here - the new iPad Air fills a big gap. The cheapest current iPad was a downgrade from the Air 2, and the Pro was an upgrade but significantly more expensive and an unnecessary upgrade for many.

I have both an iPad Pro 11" and the new iPad Air. I get along fine with both, but to be honest the iPad Pro adds no value to me over the Air and I generally prefer the Air.

The Pro dropped the headphone jack for no good reason, and dropped Lightning so I couldn't even use the Lightning headphones I had started to use with my iPhone as a consolation. The Air lets me use both.

Joke on joke, I can use the Pencil that I use with my iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd gen on my new Air, while I can't use it with my Pro 2018.

On top of that, I have checked the specs of both multiple times because while the Pro and Air have very similar weight and dimensions on paper, the Pro feels thicker and heavier in my hands for some reason.

I used to really like the consistency across devices with Apple's stuff, but I really do now have to remember which device I'm on in order to use it properly - Face ID or Touch ID? Headphone jack or not? Lighting or USB-C? Pencil 1 or Pencil 2? Swipe up from the bottom or swipe down from top-right?

 

[ucla74]

But Apple's not giving them all of its best here.

I'd argue that Apple never has. Many of their products have been leading edge; none have been cutting edge (with the possible exception of Face ID). My wife uses her iPhone a lot more than I use mine; she has an SE, I have the X. She is so wedded to the smaller form factor that we recently purchased a second SE for her, for when her original phone inevitably bites the dust.

 

[mattbg]

If you're already bought into the Apple ecosystem, a switch to USB-C from Lightning is a major negative, because you already have a zillion Lightning cords and some accessories, and you'd have to re-buy all your charging cables. For most users that's a big additional expense for literally zero additional functionality.

On the other hand, I can charge my iPad Pro with the same AC adapter I use to charge my laptop (and it's not an Apple laptop).

To me, it was more of an issue that they removed the option of using 3.5mm headphone OR Lightning headphones and didn't include anything to bridge the gap in the box with the product.

I know they want me to buy AirPods, but I don't want to!

 

[Chemical Tribe]

Meh, if i like my iPhone I'm buying the new mini. Android is dead to me. And with pen support if i chose it's way better than a Samsung.

But I'll probably keep my old nexus 7 to remind me how nice android used to be.

I do wish they got usbc though so i don't have to buy more cables but oh well. Somehow i think the next iPhone won't have usbc.

 

[salamanderjuice]

I don't really understand how these are more appealing than the previous models. They're both expensive and dated designs. Perhaps it's just me, but unless you're replacing a proper laptop with one of these, the prices have ways been excessive. The
USB C is welcome, but as the author points out the use of lightning still is more obnoxious than convenient.

Probably close to nobody is replacing the previous model with these. They're for new sales, and people upgrading from more than one generation ago.

If you're already bought into the Apple ecosystem, a switch to USB-C from Lightning is a major negative, because you already have a zillion Lightning cords and some accessories, and you'd have to re-buy all your charging cables. For most users that's a big additional expense for literally zero additional functionality.

Hmm, I can’t speak for anyone else, but since I got my USB-C iPad Pro, the only additional cord I purchased was a USB-C to USB-A cable to connect to the Mid-2015 15’’ MBP, in order to debug iOS Safari from the Mac (as far as I can tell there’s no wireless option). Excluding that extremely niche use case, I invested a grand total of $0 on cables and accessories (and about $20 if you count that niche use case).

Yeah, but if you already have say, the Lightning Camera Kit, HDMI adapter, and a few spare lightning cables for charging and haven’t yet got a computer with USB C where you might have those things already, swapping can be expensive.

I’m also hoping the 10.5” case design sticks around for a bit longer so when it comes time to update my Pro I don’t need to spend an absurd amount again on a keyboard for a single device.

 

[nikusa]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

Pretty sure the new Air and Mini designs were finalised months ago.

iPad Pro sales, good or not, have nothing do with these having the headphone jack.

I’m also quite positive that iPad Pro sales haven’t been affected by lack of headphone jack. Get the $9 dongle if you need it.

Move on, the jack will eventually be gone everywhere.

 

[equals42]

I don't really understand how these are more appealing than the previous models. They're both expensive and dated designs. Perhaps it's just me, but unless you're replacing a proper laptop with one of these, the prices have ways been excessive. The
USB C is welcome, but as the author points out the use of lightning still is more obnoxious than convenient.

Probably close to nobody is replacing the previous model with these. They're for new sales, and people upgrading from more than one generation ago.

If you're already bought into the Apple ecosystem, a switch to USB-C from Lightning is a major negative, because you already have a zillion Lightning cords and some accessories, and you'd have to re-buy all your charging cables. For most users that's a big additional expense for literally zero additional functionality.

I disagree. I am very much in the Apple ecosystem and like that my 11” iPad Pro is USB-C since my MBP 2018 is all USB-C. I only need one USB-C charge in the bag for both/either. Hopefully the next iPhone will have USB-C (USB4 would be nice but too soon probably) so I can ditch all my lightning. AirPods/Watch can charge wirelessly with Qi.

My travel charger for family trips (affectionately called the “USB Octopus”) has 8 USB-A ports on it with a multitude of lightning cables and USB Micro to charge up phones/iPads in the hotel room or car. It would be nice if everything converged on USBC and Qi. I could ditch the small bag of cables we have to bring for unusual devices: USB Mini, USB Micro, USB 3.1 Micro, TB2 to HDMI dongle, USBA to lightning, Apple Watch charger, USB C to USB C (TB3 1m 100watt), USB A to USB-C, etc.

 

[Errum]

Those bezels though...

Literally, no one cares about the size of bezels other than tech journalists trying to nitpick an otherwise perfectly decent product.

Device minus bezel equals display, and everyone cares about device size, and everyone cares about display size.

That's why the reviewer's point about narrow bezels being more important in smaller devices like the Mini (or phones) than in full size tablets is well taken. It's odd that Apple hasn't addressed it in the new Mini.

 

[MalEbenSo]

Samuel, is TouchID gen1 or gen2?

I have yet to find a review to answer this. I was hoping on Ars diligence. Please add. Thanks.

 

[tekknik]

When the iPad Pro was announced without a headphone jack, I resolved myself to stick with my aging Air 2 until it finally died. And then leave the tablet category all together and live only with a phone and computer.

I wasn't willing to take a hit on screen quality with the new base iPad. The price of the Pro isn't really a deterrent - I keep these things for many years - but again, I'm completely unwilling to buy a consumption machine that omits a damn headphone jack.

This new Air is a breath of fresh....air. It gets us back to the "too many naming conventions", which we'd finally left behind. But oh well, it's worth it: the Air is a worthy successor to the Air 2.

Finally.

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

OR the new Air was based on a chassis/design that already featured a jack and they didn’t so much put it back as leave it in.

I don’t pretend to speak for the market but I am one pro user with zero f’s left to give on the jack issue. I’ve been using (and keeping safe) audio adaptors for my entire career. The headphone jack adaptor is a minor burden at worst. My new Hyperdock for the iPad Pro also provides a jack, though I’ve yet to use it “professionally”.

I don’t believe that sales, or lack there of, of iPads Pro hinge on the headphone jack.

Edit: changed “at best” to “at worst” regarding the “burden” of the headphone adapter.

Did you by chance mean the HyperDrive instead of the Hyperdock? If not, do you have a link for the Hyperdock?

 

[dmsilev]

These are pretty attractive-looking to me. I've got a first-gen Air which is starting to feel its age (both in terms of speed/memory and some of the buttons are starting to get flaky), and I don't think I could justify the expense of the Pro. 64 GB would be ample for my uses; I don't keep a lot of media on the machine, mostly stuff to read which doesn't take up much space.

 

[schmod]

> Some users want small devices with high-end features, and they would be willing to pay for it. But Apple's not giving them all of its best here.

I could practically hear a choir of 12" PowerBook users all shout "Amen!" in unison when I read this.

Yes, I get that there are design constraints at smaller sizes, but that doesn't actually seem to be the limiting factor in any of Apple's recent decisions. How long have people been asking for more RAM in the 13" MacBook? A promise to keep the iPad Mini, Mac Mini, and iPhone SE alive with periodic spec-bumps, even if the overall chassis stays the same?

If Apple isn't going to innovate, the least they could do is to behave like a commodity hardware manufacturer, and keep their products up to date. Lately, they've been doing neither.

All of the products I listed above (as well as the iPad Air reviewed in this article) have a _fantastically adequate_ form-factor, and Apple will be able to sell boatloads of them indefinitely if they do nothing but lightly iterate on the existing designs (especially if the alternative is doing nothing).

Meanwhile, if Apple want to earn higher margins, they can also start producing souped-up versions of these "tried and true" mainstay products, while continuing to push the design envelope with flashy new products like the iPhone X and new iPad on the side. There's no reason Apple can't sell an iPad Air with the same specs as the Pro for the people who don't actually want Face ID or the new form-factor.

This would be very similar to the trajectory of the much-beloved 12" PowerBook (which launched as a horribly-underpowered ultraportable, but gradually reached feature-parity with Apple's larger laptops). Meanwhile, the new Macbook has just kind of languished by comparison -- it had serious (but fixable) drawbacks when it launched, and almost none of them have been addressed in the 4 years since then.

 

[ZYMHAN]

So in the Samsung Galaxy A80 Review, Ron said that

That gives it a DPI of 393, which pales in comparison to the 526 DPI of the Galaxy S10

But in this review, Samuel states

That means the mini has a higher pixel density (326 pixels per inch to the Air's 264), but that difference is hardly noticeable.

So, is there not a commonly recognized point of diminishing returns in Pixel density?

 

[IntellectualThug]

So in the Samsung Galaxy A80 Review, Ron said that

That gives it a DPI of 393, which pales in comparison to the 526 DPI of the Galaxy S10

But in this review, Samuel states

That means the mini has a higher pixel density (326 pixels per inch to the Air's 264), but that difference is hardly noticeable.

So, is there not a commonly recognized point of diminishing returns in Pixel density?

No, because purposes vary. The Galaxy phone series is also marketed for use in VR where those pixels matter. You're not making a comparable comparison.

 

[ssiu]

I can't quite make sense of this performance difference, if they have the exact same A12 SoC:

GFXbench Metal

2019 iPad Air
T-Rex 275
Manhattan 140

2019 iPad mini
T-Rex 226
Manhattan 170

 

[Adam Starkey]

I can't quite make sense of this performance difference, if they have the exact same A12 SoC:

GFXbench Metal

2019 iPad Air
T-Rex 275
Manhattan 140

2019 iPad mini
T-Rex 226
Manhattan 170

They may be clocked differently, and they will certainly throttle differently. The iPad Mini form factor simply has less room to dissipate heat.

 

[spacekobra]

So in the Samsung Galaxy A80 Review, Ron said that

That gives it a DPI of 393, which pales in comparison to the 526 DPI of the Galaxy S10

But in this review, Samuel states

That means the mini has a higher pixel density (326 pixels per inch to the Air's 264), but that difference is hardly noticeable.

So, is there not a commonly recognized point of diminishing returns in Pixel density?

Commonly recognized? Probably not, its mostly user preference. I personally do not see the difference between my iPhone XS and my iPhone 6S. But others claim to see it. Since I don't know what to look for (and I don't want to) I don't care. Most consumers are probably the same.

There's a difference in pixel density between AMOLED and LCD screens, the RGBG pentile layout reduces the effective pixel density. But its also related to effective distance. For example my 55" 4k TV has a PPI of ~80. Which sounds awful but in reality its great. So a tablet can get away with a lower number and still look crisp.

 

[jaberg]

When the iPad Pro was announced without a headphone jack, I resolved myself to stick with my aging Air 2 until it finally died. And then leave the tablet category all together and live only with a phone and computer.

I wasn't willing to take a hit on screen quality with the new base iPad. The price of the Pro isn't really a deterrent - I keep these things for many years - but again, I'm completely unwilling to buy a consumption machine that omits a damn headphone jack.

This new Air is a breath of fresh....air. It gets us back to the "too many naming conventions", which we'd finally left behind. But oh well, it's worth it: the Air is a worthy successor to the Air 2.

Finally.

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

OR the new Air was based on a chassis/design that already featured a jack and they didn’t so much put it back as leave it in.

I don’t pretend to speak for the market but I am one pro user with zero f’s left to give on the jack issue. I’ve been using (and keeping safe) audio adaptors for my entire career. The headphone jack adaptor is a minor burden at worst. My new Hyperdock for the iPad Pro also provides a jack, though I’ve yet to use it “professionally”.

I don’t believe that sales, or lack there of, of iPads Pro hinge on the headphone jack.

Edit: changed “at best” to “at worst” regarding the “burden” of the headphone adapter.

Did you by chance mean the HyperDrive instead of the Hyperdock? If not, do you have a link for the Hyperdock?

Sorry, my bad. HyperDrive for iPad Pro

 

[mrsilver]

Those bezels though...

Literally, no one cares about the size of bezels other than tech journalists trying to nitpick an otherwise perfectly decent product.

Device minus bezel equals display, and everyone cares about device size, and everyone cares about display size.

That's why the reviewer's point about narrow bezels being more important in smaller devices like the Mini (or phones) than in full size tablets is well taken. It's odd that Apple hasn't addressed it in the new Mini.

Tooling is expensive. Reducing the bezels would necessitate tooling changes which decreases your profit margin. In addition, reusing components you already purchase enables you to negotiate better pricing on the increased volume.

That's two of the reasons why Apple became a trillion dollar company.

 

[krhodes1]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

There is zero reason for it to be that thin. NOBODY ever has asked for a phone or tablet so thin you can't get a 3.5mm headphone jack in it. And if you make it just a tad thicker, you can stuff more battery in it, which I DO want.

 

[dimathiel]

I don't really understand how these are more appealing than the previous models. They're both expensive and dated designs. Perhaps it's just me, but unless you're replacing a proper laptop with one of these, the prices have ways been excessive. The
USB C is welcome, but as the author points out the use of lightning still is more obnoxious than convenient.

Probably close to nobody is replacing the previous model with these. They're for new sales, and people upgrading from more than one generation ago.

If you're already bought into the Apple ecosystem, a switch to USB-C from Lightning is a major negative, because you already have a zillion Lightning cords and some accessories, and you'd have to re-buy all your charging cables. For most users that's a big additional expense for literally zero additional functionality.

I currently have the 10.5 Pro and the new 11 Pro, and I’m considering getting the new mini to replace the 10.5 which will be probably be handed over to my Dad. The 11 will be used most of the time while the mini will be for things like reading books and drone screen.

 

[Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer]

I can't quite make sense of this performance difference, if they have the exact same A12 SoC:

GFXbench Metal

2019 iPad Air
T-Rex 275
Manhattan 140

2019 iPad mini
T-Rex 226
Manhattan 170

I'm unfamiliar with what the benchmark measures, but the Air has 18% more pixels and the mini has 21-22% more performance, so if the scores are dependent on resolution, that seems about right to me.

 

[Lagrange]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

There is zero reason for it to be that thin. NOBODY ever has asked for a phone or tablet so thin you can't get a 3.5mm headphone jack in it. And if you make it just a tad thicker, you can stuff more battery in it, which I DO want.

A lot of people honestly don't care in the slightest about the lack of a headphone jack. Consumers also tend to like thin and light devices, especially for things like tablets where added weight becomes noticeable quickly compared to a phone.

 

[thebonafortuna]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

There is zero reason for it to be that thin. NOBODY ever has asked for a phone or tablet so thin you can't get a 3.5mm headphone jack in it. And if you make it just a tad thicker, you can stuff more battery in it, which I DO want.

A lot of people honestly don't care in the slightest about the lack of a headphone jack. Consumers also tend to like thin and light devices, especially for things like tablets where added weight becomes noticeable quickly compared to a phone.

I can't (and won't) argue that a lot of people don't care about a headphone jack. But I do think many, many people do. I'm one of them, and am definitely not alone.

What I cannot fathom is how Apple's most premium, most expensive tablet is the only one WITHOUT a headphone jack. Yes, it's positioned more as a context creation device...but come on, these things are still used all the time for content consumption. Leaving the "Pro" without a headphone jack makes no sense. Especially since Apple came out and claimed the reason they left the headphone jack in the MacBook Pro was because there are some "Pro" use cases that necessitate leaving it in:

Is it inconsistent to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack as it’s no longer on the latest iPhone?

Not at all. These are pro machines. If it was just about headphones then it doesn’t need to be there, we believe that wireless is a great solution for headphones. But many users have setups with studio monitors, amps, and other pro audio gear that do not have wireless solutions and need the 3.5mm jack.

Source: https://medium.com/@glennf/why-is-there ... 66d89d7071

This has nothing to do with an already existing chassis, as some have claimed. The iPhone 7 is almost exactly the same size as the 6S and Apple went to the trouble to remove it. They'd have done the same here if not for some external factor. I don't have data to support my theory, but I'd wager Apple has research suggesting consumers are averse to purchasing iPads without headphone jacks...and sales data of the iPad Pro has backed that up, perhaps more than they expected.

 

[uhuznaa]

Samuel, is TouchID gen1 or gen2?

I have yet to find a review to answer this. I was hoping on Ars diligence. Please add. Thanks.

According to various YouTube reviewers it's TouchID generation 2 (because it's much faster than in the old ones).

 

[uhuznaa]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

There is zero reason for it to be that thin. NOBODY ever has asked for a phone or tablet so thin you can't get a 3.5mm headphone jack in it. And if you make it just a tad thicker, you can stuff more battery in it, which I DO want.

Please speak for yourself, not for others. I like the iPad being thin and light and the battery life is good enough as it is. Tablets aren't meant to be used on a desk, so the lighter and thinner they are the more comfortable they are.

 

[Deleted member 92645]

> 64GB is not enough for most people

I find that very much untrue. I’m an iPad power user with a 256GB 12.9’’ iPad Pro, and while I’m using close to 200GB at the moment, I would be way below 64GB if I diligently removed watched TV shows from Infuse, which I have at least three more copies (desktop, NAS, Google Drive). I’d say 64GB is enough for most people at least at the moment.

coming from the old iPad mini 2nd generation at 16GB, my new 2019 mini with 64GB is way more than I need

I think the mini is a niche product, but it's fervently loved by it's user base (which I'm part of), that's why it was a no-brainer day-one purchase in my case.

 

[uhuznaa]

So in the Samsung Galaxy A80 Review, Ron said that

That gives it a DPI of 393, which pales in comparison to the 526 DPI of the Galaxy S10

But in this review, Samuel states

That means the mini has a higher pixel density (326 pixels per inch to the Air's 264), but that difference is hardly noticeable.

So, is there not a commonly recognized point of diminishing returns in Pixel density?

Commonly recognized? Probably not, its mostly user preference. I personally do not see the difference between my iPhone XS and my iPhone 6S. But others claim to see it. Since I don't know what to look for (and I don't want to) I don't care. Most consumers are probably the same.

There's a difference in pixel density between AMOLED and LCD screens, the RGBG pentile layout reduces the effective pixel density. But its also related to effective distance. For example my 55" 4k TV has a PPI of ~80. Which sounds awful but in reality its great. So a tablet can get away with a lower number and still look crisp.

To be fair, you tend to hold the mini closer to your eyes because everything is smaller. It runs exactly the same apps as a 9.7" iPad and has the same resolution on a smaller screen, which leads to a higher pixel density. It's fine as it is, but with less resolution it wouldn't work as nicely as it does.

Display- and bezel-wise it's pretty much a 9.7" iPad Air 2 proportionally scaled down by about 20%. If you not happen to be far-sighted this is a good thing, since you can just hold it a bit closer and it works exactly as a bigger iPad, while in your bag it's much smaller and lighter (just 50% heavier than an iPhone XR!).

 

[majortom1981@aol.com]

I have the mini 5 and it had all sorts of issues with the apple pencil. The pencil would just randomly stop writing no matter what i did. sometimes sticking it into the lightning port would get it writing sometimes it wouldn't. I swapped it out with the logitech crayon and no issues what so ever.

Haven't used it a ton though because I am waiting for the otterbox defender case for it.

 

[MtnGoatJoe]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

There is zero reason for it to be that thin. NOBODY ever has asked for a phone or tablet so thin you can't get a 3.5mm headphone jack in it. And if you make it just a tad thicker, you can stuff more battery in it, which I DO want.

A lot of people honestly don't care in the slightest about the lack of a headphone jack. Consumers also tend to like thin and light devices, especially for things like tablets where added weight becomes noticeable quickly compared to a phone.

I can't (and won't) argue that a lot of people don't care about a headphone jack. But I do think many, many people do. I'm one of them, and am definitely not alone.

What I cannot fathom is how Apple's most premium, most expensive tablet is the only one WITHOUT a headphone jack. Yes, it's positioned more as a context creation device...but come on, these things are still used all the time for content consumption. Leaving the "Pro" without a headphone jack makes no sense. Especially since Apple came out and claimed the reason they left the headphone jack in the MacBook Pro was because there are some "Pro" use cases that necessitate leaving it in:

Is it inconsistent to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack as it’s no longer on the latest iPhone?

Not at all. These are pro machines. If it was just about headphones then it doesn’t need to be there, we believe that wireless is a great solution for headphones. But many users have setups with studio monitors, amps, and other pro audio gear that do not have wireless solutions and need the 3.5mm jack.

Source: https://medium.com/@glennf/why-is-there ... 66d89d7071

If you like the sound of your wired headphones, then great. Use the adapter. But I'm getting tired of hearing about wired headphones from a vocal minority.

 

[Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

There is zero reason for it to be that thin. NOBODY ever has asked for a phone or tablet so thin you can't get a 3.5mm headphone jack in it. And if you make it just a tad thicker, you can stuff more battery in it, which I DO want.

A lot of people honestly don't care in the slightest about the lack of a headphone jack. Consumers also tend to like thin and light devices, especially for things like tablets where added weight becomes noticeable quickly compared to a phone.

I can't (and won't) argue that a lot of people don't care about a headphone jack. But I do think many, many people do. I'm one of them, and am definitely not alone.

What I cannot fathom is how Apple's most premium, most expensive tablet is the only one WITHOUT a headphone jack. Yes, it's positioned more as a context creation device...but come on, these things are still used all the time for content consumption. Leaving the "Pro" without a headphone jack makes no sense. Especially since Apple came out and claimed the reason they left the headphone jack in the MacBook Pro was because there are some "Pro" use cases that necessitate leaving it in:

Is it inconsistent to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack as it’s no longer on the latest iPhone?

Not at all. These are pro machines. If it was just about headphones then it doesn’t need to be there, we believe that wireless is a great solution for headphones. But many users have setups with studio monitors, amps, and other pro audio gear that do not have wireless solutions and need the 3.5mm jack.

Source: https://medium.com/@glennf/why-is-there ... 66d89d7071

If you like the sound of your wired headphones, then great. Use the adapter. But I'm getting tired of hearing about wired headphones from a vocal minority.

Nobody cares what you're tired of.

 

[efram]

Still using my Air 2. I see no need to upgrade it.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

> 64GB is not enough for most people

que? An RSS reader, Netflix app, and a hundred e-books don't even crack 16gb. 64gb is way, way more than I need. And I say that as a 2+ hour-a-day iPad user.

 

[OrsonX]

+1 to the author on the SE comments....

...holding out for September.

Again!

 

[SamuelAxon]

> 64GB is not enough for most people

que? An RSS reader, Netflix app, and a hundred e-books don't even crack 16gb. 64gb is way, way more than I need. And I say that as a 2+ hour-a-day iPad user.

It's an issue if you consume a lot of downloaded rich media (not streaming).

I have 128GB in my first-gen iPad Air and I'm constantly fighting for space. I spend a whole lot of time on airplanes for work, and I use the iPad to watch TV, movies and play games. If I'm going on a trip having a few seasons of TV shows as options to watch on flights and in hotels takes up all that space real fast. And a lot of good games are getting to be several gigabytes each now too.

I also store comics via Comixology, and those take up numerous gigabytes. And I have 23 gigabytes of voice memos from recording conference panels, interviews, and the like. Plus 15 GB of podcasts, and 40 GB of downloaded songs from Spotify (because WiFi in planes, airports, and hotels is expensive and spotty).

 

[SamuelAxon]

But how does Apple justify selling their most expensive device as the only one without a headphone jack??? I have to assume they've been selling poorly, which drove the decision to put it back in the new Air. Hopefully they remedy that soon for whoever is left as the Pro audience.

There is just no room in the Pros for a headphone jack. The plug is 3.5 mm while the Pro is 5.9 mm thick, this would leave just 1.2 mm on each side of the plug. Since the bezels are thinner than a headphone plug is long, these 1.2 mm would have to include the display. Doesn't fit.

There is zero reason for it to be that thin. NOBODY ever has asked for a phone or tablet so thin you can't get a 3.5mm headphone jack in it. And if you make it just a tad thicker, you can stuff more battery in it, which I DO want.

A lot of people honestly don't care in the slightest about the lack of a headphone jack. Consumers also tend to like thin and light devices, especially for things like tablets where added weight becomes noticeable quickly compared to a phone.

I can't (and won't) argue that a lot of people don't care about a headphone jack. But I do think many, many people do. I'm one of them, and am definitely not alone.

What I cannot fathom is how Apple's most premium, most expensive tablet is the only one WITHOUT a headphone jack. Yes, it's positioned more as a context creation device...but come on, these things are still used all the time for content consumption. Leaving the "Pro" without a headphone jack makes no sense. Especially since Apple came out and claimed the reason they left the headphone jack in the MacBook Pro was because there are some "Pro" use cases that necessitate leaving it in:

Is it inconsistent to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack as it’s no longer on the latest iPhone?

Not at all. These are pro machines. If it was just about headphones then it doesn’t need to be there, we believe that wireless is a great solution for headphones. But many users have setups with studio monitors, amps, and other pro audio gear that do not have wireless solutions and need the 3.5mm jack.

Source: https://medium.com/@glennf/why-is-there ... 66d89d7071

If you like the sound of your wired headphones, then great. Use the adapter. But I'm getting tired of hearing about wired headphones from a vocal minority.

I don't have data but I would venture a guess that people who care a lot about wired headphones are the majority, not the minority.

Personally, I've moved on to wireless and have no desire to go back. But most people I know are still hesitant to make that leap, mainly due to price, or bad experiences with Bluetooth headphones pre-AirPods/W1/etc.

Whenever I tell anyone I meet (Lyft driver, person at a party, friend of a friend, whatever) that I cover Apple for a living, the first question 75% of the time is, "Why did Apple get rid of my headphone jack?"

 

[SamuelAxon]

So in the Samsung Galaxy A80 Review, Ron said that

That gives it a DPI of 393, which pales in comparison to the 526 DPI of the Galaxy S10

But in this review, Samuel states

That means the mini has a higher pixel density (326 pixels per inch to the Air's 264), but that difference is hardly noticeable.

So, is there not a commonly recognized point of diminishing returns in Pixel density?

Believe it or not, Ron and I don't agree on everything!

(He's an extremely smart dude who has my utmost respect, though.)