The new comes direct from renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo
The iPad mini 4 brought portable tablet-sized joy to our lives in 2015. Even today it’s still one of the best 8in tablets on the market. After such a long wait, surely an iPad mini 5 is in the works? Or has it been abandoned and consigned to the scrapheap?
Well, the latest news to hit the scene is that renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors) has declared that the iPad mini 5 will materialise this year.
In a research note from Sunday 17 February, Kuo states that Apple plans to release two new iPad Pro models, a 10.2in iPad and a refreshed iPad mini, all with upgraded processors, at some point later this year. This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, given that iPad mini rumours have been consistent for a few months now, but there’s more on that below.
The report doesn’t give any further details, other than to say that the refreshed iPad mini is happening and that it should be happening this year.
Kuo has a strong track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s release schedule, utilising his contacts in Apple’s Asian supply chain to great effect. As a result, we’re tempted to put money on a new iPad mini being released before this year is out.
Until then, here’s everything we know so far about the iPad mini 5.
iPad mini 5: Everything you need to know
iPad mini 5 release date: When will the iPad mini 5 be announced?
There was a point in time when the iPad mini was the most popular iPad in the world, but thanks to a preference for iPads with bigger screens and stagnating overall tablet sales, the iPad mini has fallen by the wayside a little.
So could 2019 be the year of the iPad mini 5? Perhaps.
Our last guess was that it would be announced late in 2018, alongside the iPhone Xs, but the year ended without the iPad mini getting so much as a mention. We did see a new iPad Pro at Apple’s autumn keynote, but nothing in the 7.9in class.
The iPad Mini 4 came out at the same time as the first ever iPhone Plus model, the iPhone 6S Plus. Since then, Apple has continued to release wildly successful 5.5in Plus models, and those have, in a way, taken the place of the iPad mini.
There have also been a few analyst reports that suggest that the iPad Mini has been given the boot. According to a report by BGR, Apple was already beginning to phase out the iPad mini in 2017.
More recently, a Bloomberg report from August cites a person familiar with Apple’s plans in saying that the iPad mini won’t be upgraded. In short, we might never see a new iPad mini.
However, as previously mentioned, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to produce a version of the iPad mini with an upgraded processor and lower-cost panel at some point this year. This rumour suggests that we could see a fifth-generation iPad mini at Apple’s spring event.
iPad mini 5 design and features: What will the iPad mini 5 look like?
Have a flick through all the previous iPad minis and you notice one thing – they all look the same.
While they’ve been getting thinner and thinner, the overall design has stayed put. Can we expect something similar with the iPad mini 5? Probably. There is a reason why there has been little change iPad to iPad, and that’s because of the price.
The iPad mini has always been touted as the more affordable, cheap and cheerful iPad, so seeing Pro-exclusive features, like a True Tone display, on the 7.9in iPad is very unlikely.
That said, we think the camera would almost definitely get an update if we get the mini 5. The iPad mini 4 has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing one. The 9.7in iPad Pro has a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. We’d expect the iPad mini 5 to at least match those specs.
iPad mini 5 price: How much will the iPad mini 5 cost?
Should an iPad mini 5 ever emerge, we don’t think that Apple will increase the price from the iPad Mini 4’s current cost.
That means it should stay around the ballpark of £379 to £499, depending on your choice of storage capacity, and of course, if you opt for an iPad with LTE or not. Indeed, when Apple refreshed the iPad range for 2017, the 9.7in model actually saw a price cut as well as a specs bump.
While Apple may potentially be retiring the iPad mini series, we’re still holding out hope. The iPad mini has always been a better choice of iPad for some, thanks to a combination of price and portability.
Source: expertreviews.co.uk