Apple’s new iPad mini, scheduled to hit stores on October 23, 2024, will feature the powerful A17 Pro processor and 8GB of memory last seen in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This hardware upgrade gives the device full support for Apple Intelligence.
The company’s marketing for its new iPad Mini shows four Apple Intelligence features on its website, but only one of these features will be available at launch, with the remaining three starting in December 2024. Mark Gurman expects it to be released sometime in March 2025.
In addition to this, Apple Intelligence itself won’t be available until about five days after the iPad mini’s release. This means that AI will not be available out-of-the-box for early purchasers. You must install a software update even if you want to take advantage of only one available AI feature.
The first feature available at launch is Notifications Overview. While this feature can be useful, some may find it less impressive than competing AI services.
Delays in feature availability and the need for post-purchase software updates can cause some customer frustration. It feels different when you take it out of the box.
Despite these early limitations, Apple is touting the new iPad mini’s AI capabilities.
