
Apple announces new iPad Air that looks more like an iPad Pro - CharlesW
https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/15/21436500/apple-ipad-air-new-design-features-release-date-price
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joakleaf
I still don't understand why there are _4_ lines • air • pro • mini • and
"regular"

As a potential buyer this has gotten far too complicated for a product and
company that is about simplicity and making decisions simple for their
customers.

And isn't super confusing that the Air is probably now faster than the Pro
(with the A14 vs. A12)?

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rgovostes
When Jobs returned to Apple, he mocked the insane number of Mac models that
the company had at the time and showed a grid of 4 products with two axes:
consumer vs professional, and portable vs desktop.

[https://images.macrumors.com/t/RMh3opIDBtVaaNXx0L_ntSxfO34=/...](https://images.macrumors.com/t/RMh3opIDBtVaaNXx0L_ntSxfO34=/1600x0/filters:quality\(90\)/article-
new/2019/07/steve-jobs-2x2.jpg)

The current product catalog is a far cry from that simplicity. For instance,
the iPad Pro comes in two sizes. Inexplicably, customers need to choose
between a 32 GB and 64 GB model of Apple TV 4K. There are 5 models of iPhone
currently offered.

~~~
snowwrestler
This gets dragged out every time someone comments on Apple's product strategy
today, and it's just not relevant. Apple 20 years ago was a company in crisis
and Jobs helped impose much-needed focus.

As they climbed out of crisis, they expanded their product portfolio. The iPod
alone violated this famous grid, and if you look back, over time there were a
ton of overlapping products, versions, options, and accessories in the iPod
category.

Why? To fill out all the price point tiers and deny competitors ground from
which they could establish differentiated products and grow from there. Jobs
himself installed this strategy, and Apple continues to execute it to great
success across all their product lines.

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zepto
I wonder if they will put this Touch ID side button into the iPhone 12. That
would be an impressive covid-era feature.

~~~
Andrew_nenakhov
I was very surprised when Apple just removed Touch ID in iPhone X: technology
for putting fingerprint scanners under the screen already existed then (and
now works great on my trusty Moto Z4), and touch unlock is way more convenient
and reliable than Face ID, even before covid era.

Also: Moto Z3 had a fingerprint sensor on power button and it was by no means
great. For me, fingerprint sensor works well only on front side, so I can
unlock a device that lays on a table, without picking it up.

~~~
sergiomattei
The problem with underscreen FP technology is it isn't polished enough for
Apple quality.

Optical sensors require you to light up (with a green/neon light) the portion
over the sensor on every use, which just looks unpolished.

Ultrasonic sensors are not very accurate and are slow (at least on current-gen
devices).

~~~
Andrew_nenakhov
I used both, and in my experience, it looks an order of magnitude more
polished than Face ID.

~~~
sergiomattei
Honestly, how? Face ID is simple: you show up. That's all.

My ultrasonic sensor on my Galaxy S10 is absolute garbage compared to Face ID
on iPhones. It works 1/3 of the time and it's slow.

Realistically ultrasonic is the technology Apple would go with, considering
how lighting up a patch of screen is just... Ugly.

There's another problem: FP sensors don't cover the entire display. There's a
huge learning curve -- getting used to where that small patch of screen is --
and even today, months after getting my new device, I miss often.

We're only now having issues with FaceID because we're wearing masks all the
time. It's intuitive and it "just works".

~~~
nicwolff
"just works" – unless your iPhone is sideways. Or you're wearing polarized
sunglasses. Or you're lying on your side in bed. Or your iPhone is flat on the
table. Or...

~~~
t_von_doom
For the sideways/upsidedown: The iPad Pro can be unlocked from any orientation
with FaceId. It seems they intentionally don't want you to do that on the
phone

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davio
Now that all of the iPads are USB-C, will be interesting to see if they stick
with Lightning for the next iPhone

~~~
baddox
The brand new base model iPad still uses a Lightning connector.

~~~
davio
Noted - I saw the graphic for USB-C Power Adapter. Looks like it's just the
plug side. Maybe we'll keep dragging out lightning forever

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TulliusCicero
Is it true that this thing doesn't have a headphone jack? Really disappointed
if so. I hate having more and more devices to remember to charge.

~~~
CarelessExpert
I gave up on this battle. I solved the problem by: 1) getting a good bluetooth
DAC so I can use my high quality cans or IEMS and 2) keep a USB-C audio dongle
around in case you forget to charge the DAC.

In the end I've come around to preferring this setup. Not being tethered to my
device is, in the end, really pretty nice.

~~~
tandr
Would you be kind and share what equipment have you ended up using - "cans"
and BT DAC in particular?

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mensetmanusman
Reason: supply chain supply chain supply chain

