Apple released a new model of the iPad mini earlier this week, marking the first update in more than three years. This was a fairly small revamp, mainly focused on the A17 Pro with Apple Intelligence and Apple Pencil Pro, but there are some small changes under the hood that you might not know about.
Faster connectivity
The new iPad mini now supports new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards, with support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, up from Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 in previous models.
This means the new iPad supports 6GHz Wi-Fi networks, with lower latency and less network interference. Bluetooth connections also have lower latency and are more stable.
Of course, Wi-Fi 6E isn’t the latest technology, and Apple has already started implementing Wi-Fi 7 in several other devices, including the iPhone 16 lineup. Anyway, it’s still a step up.
Apple Pencil hover
It’s a much smaller feature that was less noticeable at the time of its introduction, but the new iPad mini now supports Apple Pencil Hover, which Apple introduced with the M2 iPad Pro refresh in 2022.
This means you can hover your Apple Pencil over certain UI elements to preview and interact with them.
Faster data transfer
The new iPad mini now supports up to 10Gbps data transfer over USB-C, compared to 5Gbps on the iPad mini 6. This means file transfers are about twice as fast on the new iPad mini, which could be useful for professional workflows. , Final Cut Pro, which iPad mini now supports, and more.
Bigger storage options
Many people know that the iPad mini 7 increased base storage from 64GB to 128GB, but you may have overlooked the fact that Apple added an additional storage tier (512GB). Previously, the maximum for iPad mini was 256GB.
This is the first iPad mini in recent history to come with three storage tiers: 128GB, 256GB, and now 512GB. For the type you use with an 8.3-inch display, the large storage capacity will once again benefit professional workflows like Final Cut Pro.
better pictures
Most people probably don’t take important photos with their iPad, but if you do, you’re in luck! The new iPad mini now supports Smart HDR 4. This improves dynamic range, color accuracy, and contrast, as well as better processing of faces and subjects.
Interested in the new iPad mini? Or skip this update? Let us know in the comments below.
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