When will Apple release an updated iPad Mini? And if it does, will it be a considerable improvement?
A recent leak appeared to hint that the next model will have something new to offer, one which concerns its protective casing.
"A set of live images, portraying what is allegedly a bumper case for the upcoming iPad mini 4, showed up online," GSM Arena said. "It's commonplace to have case manufacturers a step ahead of the crow in terms of dimensions an layout of new devices, and it's no different in this instance."
It was only about 2 months ago that a video leak made the rounds on cyberspace, showing us the rear shell of the alleged iPad Mini 4. The said item was made of aluminum and "closely resembles the shell of the existing iPad mini, but it does include several design elements introduced with the iPad Air 2," as MacRumors noted.
"There's a single row of larger speaker holes alongside the Lightning port at the bottom of the device, rather than two smaller rows, and the mute switch on the device has been removed and replaced with a microphone hole," the site had also described.
Based on the looks of the bumper case, it would appear that it "gives credibility to the previous leak," as GSM Arena put it. Looks like the fourth iteration of the iPad Mini is indeed coming this year.
Prior to this leak, Apple pundits have trumpeted the company's quiet withdrawal of the original iPad Mini from its website and can no longer be purchased from the Apple Store.
"Introduced in October 2012, the first iPad mini established the industrial design that was subsequently used in the iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3, as well as the larger but otherwise nearly identical iPad Air and iPad Air 2," 9to5Mac said. "Apple notably continued to sell the 16GB iPad mini as an entry-level model alongside two of its sequels, dropping its price to $299 in October 2013, then $249 in October 2014."
Does this move mean that another model will be coming soon? The disappearance of the original version "leaves the remaining iPads as a completely 64-bit family, all using either A7 or A8X processors rather than the iPad mini's aging A5." However, the Apple Store continues to sell refurbished versions. Current stock of the iPad Mini will reportedly remain available at reseller outlets until supplies last.
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