If you’ve been waiting patiently for an iPad Mini refresh, there is some disappointment coming your way. Previously rumored to debut in the first half of 2021, the 6th Gen iPad Mini has now been tipped to arrive in the second half of the ongoing year. The information comes from TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via Macrumors), who has a solid track record predicting upcoming Apple products and services.
Right now, there is no word regarding a specific launch window, but if one were to take a wild guess, the tiny Apple tablet might debut alongside the iPhone 13 range at some point in September or October. Kuo has not revealed the reason behind a delay in the launch of iPad Mini 6, but the ongoing global component supply crunch and semiconductor shortage appear to be the likely culprit here.
Familiar design with Touch ID button and a faster chipset inside.
So, what is changing with the sixth-generation iPad Mini? Not much, at least when it comes to design. As per alleged images of dummies depicting the upcoming iPad Mini, the design language will be identical to that of its predecessor. You can expect a familiar metallic profile, thick top and bottom bezels, and the Touch ID button to handle authentication. There were rumors of a redesign, but that doesn’t appear to be happening this year.
Kuo has previously predicted that the iPad Mini 6 will rock a larger 8.5-inch display, compared to the 7.9-inch panel on its predecessor. However, Apple is sticking with an LCD panel (no mini-LED upgrade akin to the iPad Pro here), and there won’t be any high-refresh-rate trickery either. Leaks suggest that an A14 Bionic chip will handle things inside, but some rumors also predict the older A13 Bionic SoC for the device. We don’t have any credible information about the camera hardware, but we dearly hope that Apple greenlights an upgrade here.