With iPod line Apple was experimenting with completely new form factor, not so much with iPad or MacBook.

The Neo is a different form factor than the Air is a different form factor from the 14 inch is a different form factor than the 16.

"No, it's not! It's a laptop!"

And most iPods were iPods.

The iPod touch was just an iPhone, and the shuffle lacked a screen.

> 8.3", $ (iPad mini, affordable) > 11", $$ (iPad, standard)

iPad mini ($499) is more expensive than base iPad ($349) [1][2]

[1] iPad mini → https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-ipad/ipad-mini [2] iPad → https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-ipad/ipad

They're suggesting a hypothetical lineup would be cleaner if that weren't the case.

I don't disagree, but Apple seems to treat the Mini as an afterthought side project that gets updated every 3 years or so, compared to the mainline iPad being updated yearly from 2017 to 2022. Then it had a gap until 2025, apparently taking a while to get the slim bezel redesign down to the affordable model.

If the mini were the default affordable entry point they'd need to keep it up to date but they've decided not enough people want a mini for it to be worth that effort.