Apple’s smallest iPad was given a considerable facelift on the finish of 2021. The Sixth-generation iPad mini sports activities a whole redesign with a much bigger show, Contact ID on the facility button, USB C as an alternative of Lightning, and an upgraded entrance digital camera. This represented the primary main change to the design for the reason that iPad mini was first launched again in 2012. The mini celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2022 with out an replace and no replace was forthcoming in 2023 both. However a brand new iPad mini Seventh era is rumored to be within the works for 2024.
Apple held an occasion on Could 7. As anticipated two new iPad Air fashions and two new iPad Professional fashions had been unveiled. The iPad mini was not up to date at that occasion, however the value has declined within the U.Ok.
iPad mini 7 launch date: When is the brand new iPad mini popping out?
It’s been greater than two years for the reason that Sixth era iPad mini launched in September 2021, making it the oldest iPad within the lineup at the moment and lengthy overdue an replace.
- iPad mini on sale since September 24, 2021
- iPad tenth gen on sale since October 26, 2022
- New iPad Air mannequin obtainable Could 2024
- New iPad Professional mannequin obtainable Could 2024
Nevertheless, it’s not exceptional for the iPad mini to have a protracted interval of neglect. There was practically three and a half years (41 months) between the 4th and fifth generations (to the purpose the place everybody suspected Apple would discontinue the mannequin).
If we now have to attend 41 months then we would not see the iPad mini refreshed till February 2025. However, on the premise that iPad updates are likely to occur each two years, a iPad mini refresh is lengthy overdue. With a Spring occasion looming, we might see the brand new iPad mini lastly arrive, however it’s doable {that a} new iPad mini gained’t launch till later in 2024 or past.
We could possibly be ready till late 2024 for the iPad mini replace. In November 2023, revered Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated the Seventh-gen iPad mini gained’t arrive till the second half of 2024.
iPad mini 7 value: How a lot will the brand new iPad mini price?
The Sixth-gen iPad mini has had just a few value modifications outdoors the U.S. since its launch in 2021. When it launched the U.Ok. value was £479, then there was an increase to £569 just a few months after launch. However the excellent news is that the worth dropped again to £499 in Could 2024. There was no adjustment for the iPad mini value within the U.S.
When the Seventh-generation mannequin launches we count on that the worth will stay at $499/£499.
- iPad mini Sixth era: $499/£499 (as of Could 2024)
- iPad mini fifth era: $399/£379
iPad mini 7 specs: What new options will the iPad mini have?
There’s an expectation the brand new iPad mini will characteristic a extra spectacular processor than it does at the moment. We’re additionally hoping for some small inside enhancements.
A16 processor
The iPad mini 6 provides the A15 Bionic chip as discovered within the iPhone 13, mini, Professional and Max, nevertheless, this chip is down-clocked in comparison with the one contained in the iPhone 13 collection. Right here’s how that chip compares to the remainder of the vary and what’s anticipated for the subsequent era.
- iPad Professional: M4.
- iPad Air : M2.
- iPad mini (Sixth gen): A15, as present in iPhone 13 collection. The following era is predicted to get A16, as discovered within the iPhone 14 Professional and iPhone 15.
- iPad (tenth gen): A14, as present in iPhone 12 collection. The following era is predicted to get A16, as discovered within the iPhone 14 Professional and iPhone 15.
Kuo reported in December that the iPad mini’s “primary promoting level” could be the brand new processor. He didn’t specify which processor on the time, however it’s now anticipated to be the A16 chip discovered within the iPhone 14 Professional and Max and the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.
It’s possible you’ll be wanting on the iPad Air and questioning if the iPad mini would possibly get an M1 chip like that beforehand discovered within the iPad Air. Maybe it’s one thing Apple would possibly take into account down the road, however the rumors across the launch of the iPad Air indicated that Apple’s purpose for utilizing the M1 was truly the decreased of availability of the A16 on the time, as per this tweet from Mark Gurman.
Elevated storage
On the present iPad mini Sixth era, the bottom mannequin begins off with a fairly paltry 64GB of storage. For a tool like an iPad, the place you’ll be able to retailer motion pictures, TV exhibits, books, comics, magazines, video games, and a variety of apps, that quantity can usually turn into an issue, particularly if you wish to take your iPad away on vacation or use it on your commute with no need to handle the storage.
Though Apple has one thing of a historical past of giving base fashions low storage capacities, we predict it could be a sensible transfer to improve the entry-level iPad mini Seventh era to a minimum of 128GB. File sizes are rising on a regular basis, on account of higher-quality cameras and software program, so doubling the prevailing 64GB could be a really consumer-friendly resolution.
Alongside these strains, there’s additionally the likelihood that the higher restrict of the storage could possibly be elevated. On the time of writing, probably the most storage obtainable on the iPad mini Sixth era is 256GB. Transferring as much as 512GB could be the logical step, particularly if the baseline storage strikes to 128GB.
iPad mini 7 show: Will the iPad mini get a brand new display screen?
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It’s unlikely that the design will change, however the brand new iPad mini is predicted to incorporate a brand new show controller designed to mitigate an issue described as a “jelly scrolling difficulty” that reportedly makes content material look laggy.
There have been stories for some time that Apple will transfer the show know-how to OLED however this appears to be like prefer it gained’t occur till a minimum of subsequent 12 months. Apple is claimed to be speaking to LG, Samsung, and different corporations concerning lively matrix OLEDs (AMOLEDs). However, in keeping with market analysis firm Omdia: “Apple is constantly discussing the opportunity of extensively adopting OLED know-how for the iPad mini and iPad Air lineup as the subsequent part of its technique from 2026 onward.”
Display dimension
The iPad mini display screen was 7.9-inches up till the present iPad mini Sixth era launched in 2021. The iPad mini Sixth era display screen is 8.3-inch because of the elimination of the Residence button.
A report from ET Information means that an iPad mini with a bigger 8.7-inch OLED show is within the works. Nevertheless, this variation may not occur with the Seventh era because the iPad mini with OLED display screen isn’t anticipated till 2026.
Folding show
Apple is claimed to have been engaged on an iPad with a folding show, however it’s unlikely to come back to this mannequin. In December 2022, Ming-Chi Kuo stated that stories of a folding iPad mini in growth had been fallacious “as a result of a foldable iPad may have a markedly larger value than an iPad mini, so such a substitute shouldn’t be cheap.”
ProMotion display screen
The display screen within the Seventh gen mannequin isn’t anticipated to develop from the present 8.3-inch, however there could also be new display screen know-how. A submit on a South Korean discussion board again in November 2021 indicated Apple had ordered 8.3-inch shows from Samsung that assist 120Hz most refresh charges. If true, the submit on Clien (translated right here) might imply the subsequent mini provides the ProMotion ultra-smooth scrolling characteristic at the moment seen on the iPad Professional, iPhone 13 Professional fashions, and 14- & 16-inch MacBook Professional. This might tackle the minor difficulty of “jelly scrolling” that some customers have complained about with the present iPad mini.
Nevertheless, it’s not wanting like this specific rumor is correct. Analyst Ross Young, CEO of Show Provide Chain Consultants, doesn’t imagine that Apple will likely be giving the iPad mini a ProMotion show but. He signifies that doing so would require vital {hardware} modifications. This is able to require a “complete new degree of engineering,” in keeping with Younger.
We stay skeptical of a ProMotion improve because it’s one of many primary differentiators between the usual and Professional units Apple sells.
iPad mini design: What’s going to the brand new iPad mini appear like?
It’s been surprisingly quiet on the rumor entrance, which in all probability means the iPad mini 7 design will likely be largely the identical because the Sixth-gen mannequin. Right here’s what we’ve managed to uncover.
Probably the most apparent modifications to the iPad mini Sixth era was the brand new palette of colours that Apple made obtainable.
Whilst you can at the moment choose between area grey, pink, purple, and starlight, there are a number of attention-grabbing hues obtainable on the iPad Air when it obtained its new look in fall 2021, together with silver, rose gold, inexperienced, and sky blue. It could subsequently appear cheap to imagine that a few of these make it to the mini. Plus now that the iPad tenth era introduced a daring collection of colours, the iPad mini could get a totally new palette. Nevertheless, the iPhone 15 launched an especially gentle palette of colours so it’s unclear which route Apple will go.
We’ll replace this text as extra particulars turn into obtainable, however till then, make sure to learn our iPad shopping for information to see which fashions we’d advocate if you wish to purchase certainly one of Apple’s tablets as we speak. And verify our roundup of the very best iPad mini offers for the most recent bargains on the present vary.