2018 iPad Mini: Apple Seems Intent On Killing Its Portable 7.9-inch Tablet
It might finally be the time to put those hopes of seeing another iPad Mini to rest. While Apple continues to sell the iPad Mini 4, reports have emerged stating that the Cupertino-based tech giant would not be releasing a successor to the 7.9-inch screened tablet this September, though the upcoming unveiling event would likely see the debut of a new pair of iPad Pros.
The iPad Mini is Apple’s in-between device, which sits comfortably between the iPhone and the full-sized iPad. The smaller form factor of the iPad Mini allows it to be carried around effortlessly, and with Apple only selling the 128 GB version of the device today, users of the Mini 4 can take advantage of the massive storage to cram in as much content on the tablet as they would like. That being said, the iPad Mini 4 has been getting a little bit long in the tooth.
This is because the internals of the iPad Mini 4, which was released in 2015, are still similar to Apple’s flagship line in the fall of 2014, according to a Gizmodo report. The Mini 4 is equipped with an A8 processor, similar to the one fitted on the iPhone 6. Those components are four years old.
In a way, Apple appears to be heavily anti-selling the iPad Mini 4. The device, with its 4-year-old components, is still being sold at $400, which kind of doesn’t make sense considering that the entry-level 9.7-inch iPad, which was revealed last March and is equipped with Apple Pencil support and updated internals, is only $329. The 128 GB version of the base iPad is only $30 more than the iPad Mini 4, which all but suggests that Apple is pushing the larger, more advanced tablet to consumers.
Apple won't release a new iPad Mini this year, says report https://t.co/oU9R5a4P61 pic.twitter.com/qjCu0IjJlM
— CNET (@CNET) August 28, 2018
With this in mind, and with reports stating that a refresh of the iPad Mini will not be included in Apple’s fall unveiling event, it does seem like the Cupertino-based tech giant is ready to pull the plug on the popular small-screened tablet. In a way, this is not surprising, considering that Apple is doing the same thing with its other products like the iPhone SE, Mac Mini, and the MacBook Air. That being said, rumors of a MacBook Air refresh with better specs have been doing the rounds in the rumor mill as of late, which, if true, suggests that there may be hope for the iPad Mini 4 yet.
The upcoming event will reportedly feature the unveiling of new iPad Pros, an 11-inch and 12.9-inch variant, according to CNET. These upcoming iPad Pros will reportedly feature Apple’s best internals and will be designed to blur the lines between a tablet and a real productivity device such as a laptop computer.
