Apple is expected to unveil its first new iPad mini in three years this month. The keynote is likely to take place later this month, and the iPad mini is expected to be released on November 1st.
The iPad mini was last refreshed in September 2021, marking the biggest redesign since the iPad mini was launched in 2012. The 6th generation model introduced a flat-sided design, switched to USB-C, and added support for Apple Pencil 2. .
Latest iPad improvements
The iPad mini is the oldest iPad in the lineup, so it lacks certain features of the newer iPads, such as a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and support for Apple Pencil Pro. It’s very likely that we’ll see both of these features in the 7th generation refresh, but the iPad mini is much more likely to be used in portrait orientation, so it’s also possible that it won’t end up with a moving camera. there is. However, Apple Pencil Pro support is probably a given.
better specs
It’s also likely that the iPad mini will move to the latest generation A18 chipset, which will bring Apple Intelligence features to Apple’s smallest iPad for the first time. This means new Siri, Genmoji, Image Playground, and more will be available on the new iPad, but not everything will be available at launch.
Additionally, the iPad mini 7 is likely to start with 128GB of storage, similar to the new iPad Air. This is an increase from the current model’s 64GB. Prices are also likely to start at $499, the same as the current model.
Improved display
The iPad mini 6 also faced a display issue known as “jelly scrolling.” Some users may notice that half of the display updates faster than the other half, resulting in an unstable scrolling experience. There are also unconfirmed rumors that Apple will fix this issue in the next generation of models.
Stage manager?
Apple introduced a brand new windowing system called Stage Manager in iPadOS 16, which initially required an M1 chip or newer to take advantage of the full feature set. After some backlash, Apple added support for the A12X and A12Z iPad Pros, but these iPads did not support external displays. However, we have yet to see this feature extended to other A-series iPads beyond the initial move in 2022.
There’s a good chance Stage Manager will be coming to the new iPad mini. Considering the fact that it outperforms the M1 chip in Geekbench, there’s no doubt that the A18 chip can handle this feature set, much better than the A12X and A12Z chips that currently support that feature. No doubt about it. It’s mainly a question of whether Apple wants to run that feature on a smaller display.
One of my colleagues, Filipe, showed us what Stage Manager looks like on the iPad mini. Personally, I think it’s usable and Apple should add the feature for users who want it.
summary
All in all, the iPad mini refresh, while significant, is shaping up to be quite small. As a fan of the iPad mini myself, I’m looking forward to the new version of the tablet with Apple Intelligence.
Are you looking forward to the new iPad mini? Is there anything you’d like Apple to add? Let us know in the comments below.
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