SEOUL: It is in the air that fourth successor to the iPad Mini line have surfaced recently, claiming that iPad Mini 4 will release some time in either April or June this year.
It’s thought the new iPad Mini will release alongside Apple’s supposed iPad Pro. It’s also rumoured that the iPad Mini 4 will sport the iPad Air 2’s A8X processor. Two Mini models even speculated to be discontinued once the iPad Mini 4 launches.
As reported by Macworld, the iPad Mini 4 is believed to be a significant improvement over its predecessor, the iPad Mini 3. Previous iPad Mini models were released soon after they were announced (typically in October). For the past few years, Apple has stuck to this schedule, and it was assumed that the iPad Mini 4 would follow suit.
However, recent reports apparently claim that the new iPad Mini will release some time during this year’s spring instead. While it’s currently unknown for sure when Apple’s supposed “professional tablet”, the iPad Pro (or the iPad Air Plus, according to TechRadar), will actually launch, it’s believed that it’ll be available later on in the year also around April or June.
Hardware-wise, the iPad Mini 4 is presumed to be powered by the A8X processor, as seen in the iPad Air 2. It’s also reported that the iPad Mini 4 will follow a similar design as the iPad Air 2. This was suggested in the Japanese magazine Mac Fan (according to Mocatakara), which also claimed that the iPad Mini and the iPad Mini 3 would reportedly be discontinued, but didn’t detail as to when that may allegedly be the case. If that turns out to be the case, only the iPad Mini 2 will remain as an affordable option.
Until confirmed by an official source from Apple or an Apple representative, it’d be advisable to take in these rumours with a pinch of salt.