As we reported last month, all iPhone 16 models feature a new system that allows users to wirelessly restore their device’s firmware from another iPhone or iPad. We now know that Apple is extending this system to the iPad mini 7, which is powered by the recently announced A17 Pro chip.
iPad mini 7 has the same wireless recovery system as iPhone 16
As analyzed by 9to5 maciPadOS 18 firmware for iPad mini 7 includes the same RecoveryOS partition that was added to iPhone 16 models. If your iPhone 16 or iPad mini 7 goes into recovery mode for any reason, simply place it next to another iPhone or iPad to initiate firmware recovery.
Although you can only restore iPhone 16 models and iPad mini 7 wirelessly from another device, you can restore a bricked device using an iPhone or iPad running iOS 18. This recovery system was first introduced on Apple Watch with iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5, and later extended to Apple TV with iOS 17 and tvOS 17.
Interestingly, 9to5 mac It was first reported in 2020 that Apple was working on this tool.
Previously, it was unclear whether the RecoveryOS partition was part of the A18 chip, but we now know that this is not the case. Still, it appears that the partition is pre-loaded onto the device before it leaves the factory, which is why the new system is not available on other devices.
Note that iPad mini 7 ships with iPadOS 18.0. Apple is expected to release the iPadOS 18.1 update with Apple Intelligence next week.
Details about the new iPad mini
In addition to the A17 Pro chip with 8GB RAM, iPad mini 7 also features Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 for faster wireless connectivity. The USB-C port has also been updated to USB 3.1 and supports data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps (previous model was 5 Gbps).
Pre-orders for the iPad mini 7 are currently available on Apple’s website, but you can also find great deals on other iPad models on Amazon.
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