Apple customers lament the quiet demise of the iPad Mini

FOR years Apple has remained quiet on one of its most popular products. Now customers are reluctantly getting ready to write its epitaph.

IT’S not gone, but it certainly feels forgotten.

Since its launch in 2012, Apple has treated the iPad Mini as somewhat of an after thought - and Apple fans are already mourning their unlikely product favourite, and getting ready to write its epitaph.

The company hasn’t officially killed it off, but it has neglected the product line and arguably priced it out of favour.

Since the debut of the iPad Mini 4 in 2015, it seems that Apple has completely forgotten about the smaller tablet option. You can still buy an iPad Mini 4 but the only notable update to the product line in the last few years is the discontinuation of its 32GB and 64GB storage options.

The guts and design haven’t changed. It still has the same A8 processor it had at launch, tech which the company actually brought out with the iPhone in 2014.

However the age of the tech is not reflected in the price. On the Australian Apple store the iPad Mini 4 starts at $579 and the larger and more powerful regular iPad starts at $469. While the Mini 4 has more storage at this price comparison, it’s a curious state of affairs.

The tech giant is expected to release a new iPad Pro model by the end of the year and it’s understandable it wants to steer users towards the premium models. And as Apple has participated in the trend of producing bigger smartphones — it’s iPhone XS Max debuted last month — the difference between its largest phone and the iPad Mini isn’t what it used to be.

But some Apple fans aren’t happy about the demise of the iPad Mini.

The original iPad Mini, seen here, debuted in November 2012.

A reddit thread this week titled “I miss the iPad Mini” attracted more than 170 comments from disappointed fans of the product.

The lightweight and travel-friendly dimensions of the Mini made it a favourite for many and a perfect option for use as an e-reader.

“Mini is a perfect book size and Kindle-smasher. BRING IT BACK, APPLE!,” wrote one reddit user.

“I agree! It’s perfect in every way. I still have faith they will do another one, one day,” said another.

The sentiment was mirrored by a news.com.au staffer who loved her iPad Mini but as it slows down, she expects it to become a thing of the past.

“The smaller size made it the perfect travelling companion,” she said. “You could also slip it into your handbag without really feeling the weight of it.”

Some Apple customers on reddit fumed about the price remaining high as the tech becomes increasingly dated.

“What continues to piss me off about Apple is continuing sell products they damn well know they’re not going to update, yet won’t discount the price ... This is one of those products,” they complained.

Apple hasn’t said if it plans to update the iPad Mini.

Some said they will ditch Apple for their tablet needs when their iPad Mini can longer function.

“When my iPad Mini dies I’m going to replace it with something that’s not an iPad if there’s not a new Mini. I’m a deeply entrenched Apple guy (25 years in the ecosystem) but I have no interest in a giant tablet,” one customer wrote.

“Same here. Not sure what I’ll do in a few years when I can’t use the mini 4 anymore,” said another.

Apple refuses to comment on upcoming products. But while some are holding out hope for a new smaller tablet device from the company, most are resigned to the death of the iPad Mini.

If so, she will be missed.