IPad mini 5 has been on the market for two years: an enormity by tech industry standards, but the wait could be justified by the novelty of iPad mini 6.
A middle ground, considered by some to be ideal, between a generously sized smartphone and a very compact notebook. It's iPad mini, Apple's tablet that lies idle in its fifth generation awaiting developments from 2019. Two years for a redesign is an acceptable amount of time in any market segment, except in consumer technology where models and generations travel fast.
According to rumors, however, Apple would be working, and not since yesterday, to give a new design and new technical specifications to iPad mini: in fact, it is said that in all likelihood the update for the smallest iPad in the Apple range is scheduled for the end of the year, perhaps with a separate presentation than the iPhone 13 that instead will not delay - as happened in 2020 because of the pandemic - respecting the classic timing of mid-September. The curiosity is palpable around the next iPad mini, which is understandable in light of the time that fans have had to wait for the sixth generation, but the wait would be at the end and the news that Apple has in store could repay the patience.
The design of the new iPad mini
Despite the images provided by Jon Prosser, usually (but not always: we point it out for fairness to our readers) well informed about what happens from Cupertino, iPad mini sixth generation should adopt a design very similar to that inaugurated by Apple with the iPhone 12.
Space to clean lines and square then, with a flat profile as that which also characterizes the current iPad Pro and iPad Air. The range would regain coherence and iPad mini would go back to being the little brother of the powerful iOS tablets from the very first glance. The sacrifice of the home button - which will not please everyone - will help to maximize the portion of the front surface occupied by the screen, but the TouchID will not disappear: it will only be moved to the side, in the power button.
Purely the arrangement of the rear surface, from what we see, will maintain a family feeling with the larger iPad currently in the list: to suggest it is mainly the camera, slightly in relief compared to the remaining part of the rear surface that, as per tradition, we expect imprinted with minimalism. Three colors: silver, black and gold. The rumors are unbalanced even on the size: 206.3 mm x 137.8 mm x 6.1 mm.
The characteristics of the new iPad mini
The technical information is scarce. However, the rumors are confidently pronounced on some aspects. On the new iPad mini we will see a revolution on the input for charging and data transfer: the proprietary standard Lightning is bye-bye, space for the versatility of USB-C, as well as happened on the older brothers.
New, improved and more powerful speakers. Expected 5G connectivity for variants with cellular data connection. Finally, but it's a rumor to be taken with a grain of salt, the new iPad mini could get support for Apple Pencil, which for the occasion could be declined in a special variant known as Apple Pencil mini.