Apple announces iPad Mini update and hopes are high for touchscreen MacBook
Apple announced on Monday that it has given the iPad Mini "its biggest upgrade ever", as anticipation builds for its “pro and tell” event. The California company said the newest iPad Mini will start at $699, with pre-orders beginning on October 28 and availability from November 6. "The larger 8.5-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, also available with a nano-texture option, delivers…
On Monday, Apple unveiled its most significant upgrade ever for the iPad Mini. The new model starts at $699, with pre-orders set to begin on October 28 and availability from November 6. The 8.5-inch OLED display, available with a nano-texture option, offers higher contrast and more than double the peak brightness of its predecessor, providing a brilliant and immersive viewing experience.
Along with other enhancements, the iPad Mini will feature a 12-megapixel front camera and Apple's "acoustic display" for improved audio quality. Dave Pakula, Apple's vice president of hardware engineering, highlighted the thinner and lighter design, as well as the powerful A20 Pro chip and water and dust resistance, noting the device as a major leap forward for users who enjoy the full iPad experience in their hands.
Meanwhile, anticipation is mounting for Apple's Los Angeles event on Wednesday, where it is widely speculated that the company will unveil a significant upgrade to the MacBook line-up. Some believe the new MacBook could feature an OLED display with a touchscreen option, a stark contrast to Steve Jobs' previous stance against touchscreens on portable computers.
In 2010, Jobs stated that touch surfaces did not work well with laptops and cited ergonomic issues, fatigue, and discomfort as reasons why touchscreens didn't make sense for vertical devices.
Despite Apple's failure to predict the success of certain products in the past, including video-capable iPods, stylus pens, larger iPhones, and medium-sized iPads, the company's expertise in supply chains and dominance in the market could prove advantageous. Counterpoint Research associate director David Naranjo predicts that Apple's adoption of OLED could make the technology more affordable for a broader range of products.
He estimates that a 14-inch MacBook with an OLED display, incorporating advanced tandem OLED technology and touchscreen features, could cost between $2,799 and $2,999.
However, some analysts caution that Apple's new MacBooks, which are set to arrive at a time when overall PC sales are starting to slow, may face challenges. In September, Apple introduced the highly anticipated foldable iPhone Duo and the AI-powered HomeView, as well as the Apple TV 4K, the first significant upgrade to the product in several years.
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