The iPad mini is about to receive its first update in over 3 years: here’s what we expect

Apple is expected to unveil a new iPad mini this month for the first time in three years. The keynote is expected to take place later this month and the iPad mini is expected to be released on November 1st.

The iPad mini’s last update was in September 2021, marking the biggest redesign since the iPad mini was introduced in 2012. The 6th generation model introduced the flat design, switched to USB-C and added support for Apple Pencil 2.

Modern iPad improvements

Because it is the oldest iPad in the lineup, the iPad mini lacks certain features of the newer iPads, such as: B. a front-facing camera in landscape mode and support for Apple Pencil Pro. It’s very likely that we’ll see both features with the 7th generation refresh, although there’s a chance they won’t end up moving the camera since the iPad mini is much more likely to be used in portrait mode. However, Apple Pencil Pro support is probably a given.

Better specifications

We’ll also likely see the iPad mini move to the latest generation A18 chipset, bringing Apple Intelligence features to Apple’s smallest iPad for the first time. This means you’ll be able to use the new Siri, Genmoji, Image Playground and more on your new iPad – even though you won’t have everything at launch.

In addition, the iPad mini 7 is expected to launch with 128 GB of storage, similar to the new iPad Air. That’s 64 GB more than the current model. It will also likely launch at the same starting price of $499 as the current model.

Improved display

The iPad mini 6 also experienced a display issue called “Jelly Scrolling,” where some users noticed that one half of the display refreshed faster than the other half, resulting in an inconsistent scrolling experience. Although unconfirmed, some rumors suggest that Apple will fix this problem with the next-generation model.

Stage manager?

Apple introduced an entirely new windowing system called Stage Manager in iPadOS 16, which initially requires an M1 chip or newer to use its full functionality. After some backlash, Apple added support for the iPad Pros A12X and A12Z, although those iPads did not receive external display support. However, since this initial step in 2022, we have not yet seen this feature expand to other A-series iPads.

There’s a good chance that Stage Manager will appear on the new iPad mini. The A18 chip would definitely be able to handle the feature set, considering it outperforms the M1 chip in Geekbench, and would definitely be ahead of the A12X and A12Z chips that currently support these features miles ahead. It’s all about whether Apple wants the feature to run on a smaller display.

One of my colleagues, Filipe, showed what Stage Manager would look like on the iPad mini. Personally, I think it’s usable and that Apple should add the feature for users who want it.

Wrap up

Overall, the iPad mini update is quite small, although important. As an iPad mini fan myself, I’m looking forward to a new version of the tablet with Apple Intelligence.

Are you excited about the new iPad mini? Is there anything you think Apple would add? Let us know in the comments below.

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