Apple has pulled the wraps from iPad mini at the ongoing California Streaming event. The smallest iPad was due for an upgrade, and Apple has done just that. Most importantly, the upgraded iPad mini remains affordable even after all the new features.
The iPad mini packs an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with rounded edges. It offers a peak brightness of 500 nits and new features like True Tone. Designwise, the iPad mini is inspired by the iPad Pro. It is worth noting that the iPad Mini design has changed very little since it was introduced in 2012. On the design front, you get slimmer bezels and rounded corners. Furthermore, Apple has skipped the Face ID in favor of TouchID to keep the prices low. Apple has moved the Touch ID to the top of the device to make way for slimmer bezels.
The latest iPad mini comes equipped with a new 12MP ultrawide camera on the front. The front camera unit now supports Apple’s Center Stage feature. Meanwhile, the rear camera has also been treated to a significant upgrade. Apple has added a 12MP rear sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. Other highlights include focus pixels, Smart HDR, and True Tone. Audio options include landscape stereo speakers for an enhanced media viewing experience.
Under the hood, you get an A15 Bionic chip that offers a 40 percent increase in performance and 80% gain in graphics performance. The iPad Mini offers machine learning features like Live Text that lets you detect text in images and translate the same.
The new iPad Mini supports 5G with download speeds of up to 3.5 gigabits on the connectivity front. The device supports Apple Pencil second generation, which uses magnets to attach on the side. Other connectivity features include a USB-C port for faster data transfer, WiFi 6, Gigabit LTE, and eSIM.
iPad Mini Price and Availability
The all-new iPad Mini is available for order on Apple Store starting today. Prices in the US start at $499 for the WiFi model and $649 for the WiFi+Cellular model. You can choose between 64GB and 128GB storage options. The iPad Mini is available for preorder in pink, starlight, purple, and space gray color options.
