A new iPad mini 7 may be close -- what the rumor mill says is coming
Apple is rumored to be just weeks away from introducing an updated iPad mini. Here's what the rumor mill expects what features it will have, and what it probably wont.
iPad mini 6
The last update to the iPad mini was in September 2021, making it close to three years since Apple refreshed the tablet. The long upgrade gap makes Apple's smallest tablet a prime candidate for an upgrade in the not-too-distant future.
With an Apple Event on September 9, that upgrade could arrive as part of Apple's wave of product launches.
Over the last few years, the iPad mini has been the subject of rumors and speculation, which has now come to a head. This is what is currently expected of Apple's seventh generation of its pint-sized slate.
iPad mini upgrades: Probably happening soon
A three-year gap between updates isn't a guarantee that changes are on the way soon. Apple could easily wait until a later time to update the iPad mini if it wants.
For example, in August 2023, it was expected that an update would arrive in the fall of that year, which turned out to be wrong. Others believed an update wasn't on the way until 2024.
What does help the case of a potential upgrade is reports that Apple stores are low in stock of the iPad mini in various configurations. The same report added that the iPad mini is considered "constrained" internally.
As Apple tends to reduce stock on products before an update arrives, this certainly helps the 2024 update rumors.
Add in the push for Apple Intelligence across Apple's hardware lines, and an update becomes even more likely.
iPad mini upgrades: Display
The screen of the iPad mini was an 8.3-inch LCD version in the current sixth-generation release. Based on the lack of chatter about display tech, things may stay the same in most ways.
That would include the 1,488 by 2,266 resolution, and the LCD tech. Current estimates are that OLED will arrive on the iPad mini sometime in 2026.
The jelly scrolling problem should be gone for the iPad mini 7
The thing that may change is the "jelly scrolling" issue from the iPad mini 6. After release, users discovered a wobbly effect when scrolling, caused by the display refreshing slower on one side than the other.
This inevitably spawned a class-action lawsuit against Apple. In October 2023, it was claimed that Apple changed the direction of the screen assembly, leading to improvements.
If all Apple did was update the internals of the iPad mini, it would consider how it constructs its displays more this time around, minimizing the chance of jelly scrolling.
While there's always a slim sliver of hope for ProMotion to be included from the iPad Pro family, it seems unlikely this time around. In October 2023, leaker claimed the iPad mini 7 wouldn't have the 120Hz display of its Pro-grade counterparts.
iPad mini upgrades: A processor overhaul
If historical trends are any indication, the iPad mini gets a powerful chip, but not the highest-end one, when it's update. We're expecting the same to happen this time around.
This all comes down to Apple Intelligence.
Since it is expected that Apple will enable Apple Intelligence support on the iPad mini, it makes sense that the chip inside it has been upgraded to match.
With consumers likely to be turned off a new iPad mini if it doesn't include Apple Intelligence versus the M-series models, this gives Apple more of a motivation to make the change.
As to what the update could be, there are a few possibilities.
One option is the use of an M-series chip, following the lead of the iPad Air. With it upgraded to the M2 and priced comparatively with the iPad mini, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Apple to move the smallest model to the same chip, or possibly the M1.
Apple Intelligence is a cross-platform initiative. Apple will want to make the iPad mini support it.
If Apple doesn't go for the M-series, then it will need to go for a newer A-series chip than the A15 included in the sixth-gen model.
That means Apple should be using an A17 Pro chip at a minimum. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max both use the chip and were the first devices to be able to use Apple Intelligence, making it an apt choice.
Apple may go one step further, by adding the A18 to the iPad mini instead, matching the iPhone 16 generation. This is still a possibility, as it would play into Apple's tendency to not update the iPad mini each year.
iPad mini upgrades: Cameras
Apple has been slowly moving the front-facing camera of its iPads. While previously they were located on the short side, making it the top camera when the iPad is held in portrait orientation, it has been migrating over to the long edge.
The iPad mini 7 may shift the camera to the long side.
This has proven useful for consumers who have gotten used to using the iPad in landscape orientation while video calling others. The move has already been made in the iPad, the iPad Pro, and iPad Air, leaving the iPad mini the last to make the change.
The rear camera is likely to continue to be a 12-megapixel sensor, mirroring the versions in the iPad Air and 10th-gen iPad. However, Apple could possibly add a 48-megapixel camera, matching the one used in current-gen iPhones.
iPad mini upgrades: Pencil
One area that's widely open to speculation is whether Apple will make any changes to the Apple Pencil situation.
The Apple Pencil support could change with the seventh-gen iPad mini
The current-gen model supports the USB-C Apple Pencil as well as the second-gen stylus. However, with the introduction of the Apple Pencil Pro, Apple may include support for that one instead of the second-gen model.
If Apple does move the front camera position, the shifting of internal components may force the adoption of the Apple Pencil Pro anyway.
iPad mini upgrades: Small changes
If the iPad mini does turn out to be a spec-bump update, you probably won't see many major changes for the hardware, save for a few important ones. Apple could alter other elements, but it has little reason to do so unless it overhauled the model.
There's not been any rumors about a switch away from Touch ID to Face ID, but it could change it. Wi-Fi 6 could possibly change to Wi-Fi 6E, and the 5G cellular connectivity could stay relatively static too.
The landscape speakers, the dual microphones, and even 64GB and 256GB capacities are equally likely.
However, no-one will really know what's new with the model until Apple actually shows it off for the first time.
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Comments
Edit: just realized Death Stranding for iPhone takes 77gb 🫡
So an M-series iPad mini is an instant sale for me…otherwise…
One of the local beer gardens uses iPad minis as terminals for their Toast restaurant POS system. It is unlikely that the Toast POS app takes up more than 200-300 MB. It's not the bartender is using it to play CoD or watch The Lord of the Rings series.
There are also plenty of usage cases in educational and commercial sectors. If you are using the iPad mini for inventory management in a warehouse, most likely you are connecting to servers via company wifi. Again, no need for tons of local storage (or cellular data for that matter).
My guess is airlines that use iPads as electronic flight bags again do not need massive local storage.
And many schools likely don't need massive storage requirements for textbooks. It's really video that that's a storage hog and there's pretty ubiquitous wifi on campus, again that content can be on servers.
Even as a personal content consumption device if you stream the majority of your content there's little need for massive local storage. If you're on the road with spotty network connectivity (like on an airplane) having some TV shows or movies stored locally makes sense.
Right now there's a retail price difference of $150 between the 64GB iPad mini 6th gen and the 256GB model. That means if an organization buys 10 of the 256GB units, they could acquire 13 of the 64GB units at the same cost. For a large enterprise or educational institution (United Airlines, Los Angeles Unified) that's meaningful.
Between the larger iPhones and super thin, light, and powerful mid-sized iPads, some of the use cases that were previously best suited for the mini can now be served by those other devices. The mini’s niche is only getting narrower as time goes on. If Apple does a folding iPhone or folding iPad the niche may shrink to the point that Apple no longer feels compelled to keep doing the mini. I hope not, but the slow frequency of iPad mini refreshes and design updates seems to support the shrinking niche theory.
As a side note, I’ve always been bothered by the wide margins/gutters on the mini’s Home Screen when used in landscape mode, as seen in the top photo. Why not use more of the screen real estate? I guess I’m a little slow because I finally realized that to keep the Home Screen contents consistent between landscape and portrait orientation they need to limit the amount of usable Home Screen space in landscape orientation. Otherwise the extra icons and widgets would reflow into a second Home Screen. Duh.
There are rumors of an 8core bin of the M4, which would make an interesting 9-inch iPadPro option and indeed an AppleTV Gaming console, given it could be on par with Xbox S if the M4 in the iPadPro is a guide.
Then wait till next year and do an iPad 9 & 11 next year with, say, an iPhone SE, WatchSE and AppleTV, all in eco-sourced plastic and A18 chips once they have soaked up any remaining inventory of A17 and below chips. After all the high margin products have had the xmas sales rush.
My preference would be to see Face ID like my iPad Pro and a bump to the M series chips. The display is fine and I really do not care about the camera as the iPhone has one.
The size of the mini is great for having something to easily bring along, especially if you have an iPad Pro.
I prefer Touch ID to Face ID. Still using iPhone SE second gen.
Looking forward to improved performance and USB C on iPad mini 7.