Apple left many fans disappointed back in October when their final event of 2016 failed to even mention the company’s iPad line. However, perhaps the most disappointing omission on Apple’s part is that of the iPad Mini 5. Apple last updated their smaller form factor tablet range in September 2015 with the release of the iPad Mini 4. With that in mind, Apple was widely expected to unveil the tablet’s successor in the latter part of 2016, however, that release now appears to have been pushed into 2017.
When will the iPad Mini 5 be released?
As aforementioned, the release of the next iPad Mini tablet is now long overdue, with its predecessor released over 13 months ago. However, according to Macworld , fans of Apple’s smaller tablet may not have to wait much longer , with Apple expected to unveil a new iPad Mini alongside the iPad Pro 2 in March. In fact, considering the company’s decision to neglect the iPad range in the latter part of 2016, it’s widely expected that the company will all but dedicate their first showing of 2017 to tablets.
With Apple releasing their most recent iPad Pro models in March 2016, it would appear that the company is looking to push all iPad releases into that window. In fact, many analysts are suspecting that Apple could even drop the Mini branding from their small tablet and title it the iPad Pro Mini alongside the rest of their tablet line-up.
Whilst it’s pretty safe to assume that Apple plans to reveal a new iPad Mini in March 2017, that doesn’t necessarily signal when the new tablet will be released. According to the International Business Times , Apple typically releases a product between a week and a fortnight after being announced. With that in mind, if Apple holds their first event of 2017 towards the end of March, it could very well be the case that we don’t see the new iPad Mini on Apple Store shelves until sometime in April.
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How much will the iPad Mini 5 cost?
As Apple’s smallest tablet offering, the iPad Mini is also well known as the cheapest way to pick up an iPad. With that in mind, Apple isn’t expected to alter the pricing of their 8? tablet all too much. The current iPad Mini 4 is available starting from $399 – a price point which increases with extra storage and cellular capacity.
However, as part of a number of Apple’s recent product launches, the company has also begun introducing subtle price increases and this could continue to be the case with the iPad Mini 5. What’s more, as aforementioned, Apple may choose to rebrand their smallest tablet as the iPad Mini Pro. If this is the case, the iPad Pro line-up is considerably more expensive than their standard counterparts, meaning that Apple could potentially be charging more for the iPad Mini from March 2017.
New 10.5-inch iPad Pro 2 expected to launch in 2017, with bezel-free screen and no Home button https://t.co/vGEhJzSgHB pic.twitter.com/ioqbxj0bqP
— Macworld UK (@MacworldUK) December 7, 2016
Will it be worth the upgrade?
As aforementioned, the previous iPad Mini model was released over a year ago – so will Apple’s new model be worth the upgrade? Apple typically keeps tight-lipped when it comes to the details of their new tech, however, the upcoming iPad Mini is expected to adopt many features from Apple’s newer products. It’s widely rumored that the big new iPad Mini feature will be 3D-touch, with the new iPad Mini gaining a touch sensitive panel similar to that found on the newest iPhone models.
With the iPad Mini 4 over a year old, Apple is also expected to give the tablet a much-needed specs boost too. While it’s safe to assume that the iPad Mini 5 won’t feature specs on par with Apple’s larger tablets, the company is expected to boost key specs, including the tablet’s processor and memory.
[Featured Image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]