Why they keep making them thinner

[s0569k]

I postulate that Apple is making the iPad thinner and thinner. Because they want to get the technology small enough and powerful efficient enough so they put that retina screen into a MacBook Air. I think they will have it ready after the iPad Pro.

 

[terreos]

Other laptops already have 2560x1440 screen resolution and up on 13" laptops. So there is no reason the macbook air shouldn't already have a retina display. The reason they keep making them smaller is more or less to just brag about how thin their devices are. It's for looks and to shed weight.

 

[LeightonLaVell]

Very much an apple practice to make things smaller and thinner, partly to make them nicer to use for weight reasons, and also to push the limits continually and get better and better at engineering.

Don't think the apple watch would exist if they weren't always trying to make the iPod and iPhone smaller.

 

[Flow39]

I think what terreos says. They just make it smaller because that's just part of the appeal of Apple products. It's part of their design identity too

 

[ajarnfalang]

The iPad is thinner now because it is better when you're holding it.

 

[MTM1977]

For me it doesn't matter if tablet is 6 or 10mm thick.
What matters is the weight, the lighter the better.
Still, i like the Air 2, i think the thickness and weight are just about perfect. I have the smartcase in it and it is very nice to hold even for longer sessions.

 

[Eileen89]

I think what terreos says. They just make it smaller because that's just part of the appeal of Apple products. It's part of their design identity too

It's sad really. As I feel it is now starting to effect the quality of their products. They made the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus thinner and now some people have had issues with them bending in their pockets. Apple made the iPad Air 2 thinner and some people like myself have had bad vibration issues with it. I might be the odd woman out here, but I think the first Air was the perfect size and really didn't need to be made thinner.


Sent from my 128GB iPhone 6 + using Tapatalk.

 

[Eileen89]

The iPad is thinner now because it is better when you're holding it.

Maybe for you, but to me, my Air 2 felt cheaper than my Air 1. When I first took the Air 2 out of the box I thought, wow, this is nice. However, that changed after I started holding it more. At times it felt cheap and definitely not as solid as my Air 1.


Sent from my 128GB iPhone 6 + using Tapatalk.

 

[Flow39]

It's sad really. As I feel it is now starting to effect the quality of their products. They made the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus thinner and now some people have had issues with them bending in their pockets. Apple made the iPad Air 2 thinner and some people like myself have had bad vibration issues with it. I might be the odd woman out here, but I think the first Air was the perfect size and really didn't need to be made thinner.


Sent from my 128GB iPhone 6 + using Tapatalk.

I agree that they should've left the thickness the same as the Air 1. That was plenty thin, but no reason will stop me from loving my Air 2

 

[zerog46]

Maybe for you, but to me, my Air 2 felt cheaper than my Air 1. When I first took the Air 2 out of the box I thought, wow, this is nice. However, that changed after I started holding it more. At times it felt cheap and definitely not as solid as my Air 1.


Sent from my 128GB iPhone 6 + using Tapatalk.

I agree. I took my air 2 back after one day. Every time I held it and my hand was pushing on the back the screen gets messed up. I don't care if it happens to anyone else it happens to me and back it went. I love my iPad so I'm keeping my first gen air. Smaller and lighter isn't always better.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[netnative]

It's sad really. As I feel it is now starting to effect the quality of their products. They made the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus thinner and now some people have had issues with them bending in their pockets. Apple made the iPad Air 2 thinner and some people like myself have had bad vibration issues with it. I might be the odd woman out here, but I think the first Air was the perfect size and really didn't need to be made thinner.

I do not have a problem with the iPad Air 2 being thinner and lighter than its predecessor. But the vibration makes it feel "cheaper."

 

[Ledsteplin]

The iPad is thinner now because it is better when you're holding it.

How so?


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5.

 

[chinmay007]

IPads are reasonably large screen devices which have good battery life so that you can use it for longer hours .
It s good that it's light weight else people will have cramps holding it for even minimal uses.
I recently saw a post in BlackBerry forum where OP returned the device (passport) because he had cramps in hand holding the device for few hrs of use.

 

[drchimrichalds]

Good point. It seems like there are other companies making wearables that arent anywhere near as pretty as the apple watch will be, and its probably because they have been pushing those boundaries for so long.

 

[Closingracer]

...

 

[PeltFrelken]

They're making the iPad thinner because the they want the iPad to be thinner.

 

[angermeans]

I disagree. Apple doesn't make things thinner just to brag. I think like most companies they go through many different sizes and prototypes before landing on each years model. You would think just 13% thinner wouldn't feel drastically smaller over last years model, but it actually does. They've made the Air 2 (and Air before it) start to feel as if you only have a display and that you're actually touching and manipulating content. Some might argue with this and really having a little thicker with better battery life is a valid debate, but after owning every iPad since the 3rd gen (iPad Minis included) I have to say that the Air 2 is a massive accomplishment just like the iPhone 6 and 6 plus are on the phone side.

As far as a retina MB Air I think you're somewhat right. Sure, Apple could make a retina Air and they probably could have a long time ago, but the question would it be up to Apple's standards? I have to side on no and it is because Air owners absolutely love their PCs. It is probably Apples best selling PC and one they absolutely have to get right. When you're top selling laptop is outselling the Pro lineup with retina displays that tells you people love their Airs because of the battery life and size. Putting a retina display in one would jeapirdize both and so far it looks like apple doesn't want or have the tech right to feel it's ready for market. I'm sure they will and it will be great, but you and I both know once released you will have many complainers no matter how good like you do with every Apple device. Just making one for the sake of making one because other OEMs have poor Windows uptra books on the market that have higher pixel density displays would be a mistake.

 

[angermeans]

Maybe for you, but to me, my Air 2 felt cheaper than my Air 1. When I first took the Air 2 out of the box I thought, wow, this is nice. However, that changed after I started holding it more. At times it felt cheap and definitely not as solid as my Air 1.


Sent from my 128GB iPhone 6 + using Tapatalk.

I have to say I disagree. I was shocked when I pulled the Air 2 out of the box and I'm coming from a full year of owning the Air first gen. I'm willing to bet people coming from older iPads are even more shocked. I was in awe at how much technology is in such a small device. I have to think the plan for the iPad is to get a close as possible to the feeling of holding a magazine. The iPad has always been pitched as a "magical" device. Although a little silly this is the first time I've been really amazed at what it can do. Not only this, but the power the Air 2 has over last gens already powerful little device is an amazing achievement in of its self. Sure, there are tradeoffs like the speaker vibration which is a little jarring, but ive gotten mostly used to it, but what is important to me is the battery life and I just need to get through a few days of heavy use and the iPad air far surpasses that on every level so making it thicker just for battery life is not an argument (I know you never said that, but some have).

I've been very impressed with the Air series and I can see on a hardware level where Ive and his designers want this device to be. Now if they can just get the software right and bring back what the iPad should be I would be excited. I think after Jobs death Apple has made many great decisions especially on hardware, new sizes in the iPhone 6 and 6 plus, retina MBP and now iMac, and especially cameras and amazing processors (I think what Apple achieves in the A series chips is one of their greatest and most often overlooked achievements that no one in the market is even close to making), but the vision of the iPad I feel has faded. Maybe they don't know what they want it to be. I felt after the iPad 2 that they had a real Vision that they sold me on. I want to see them pick that up again. They are so close and on hardware they are almost spot on. They just need to sell the vision and refine things. I don't 100% know what it is missing, but it's missing that certain something software. These iPads are finally powerful enought to be running great desktop class software that is actually built for multitouch. Maybe the Internet isn't there yet. Maybe, we just can't see it yet, or maybe Apple doesn't quite know how to get there. In the meantime I hope we don't see the iPad fall by the wayside because of these phablet like phones. I use my iPad way differently than I do my iPhone 6 or any iPhone before it. Even the iPhone 6 plus could never take its spot. They simply made the phone larger, but We still don't get the iPads greatest strength and that is the tablet optimized applications especially made by third party devs. I just hope we don't lose that and the market continues rather than reaching saturation.

Sorry for ranting. You make some great points.

 

[Algus]

IPads are reasonably large screen devices which have good battery life so that you can use it for longer hours .
It s good that it's light weight else people will have cramps holding it for even minimal uses.
I recently saw a post in BlackBerry forum where OP returned the device (passport) because he had cramps in hand holding the device for few hrs of use.

I want my iPad to disappear in my hand. My Air 1 does a good job of that. If they can keep going while making it just as powerful and attractive, I will be happy.

 

[Raptor007]

There really isn't much more Apple can do to the iPad, it hasn't really changed that much in design compared to the iPhone over the years. Its thinner, has touch id, gets an updated processor each year but what is really left to do? I feel my iPad Air 2 will cover me for quite a while.