Slowly but surely, the sixth-generation iPad mini is gathering dust – and a new edition is probably not in sight for a long time. At least that’s what the usually well-informed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from the Taiwanese investment company TF International Securities, who has good contacts in Apple’s supply chain, expects. According to his information, the iPad mini 7 will not be available until the end of 2023 – or even later.
iPad mini: facelift only after two years?
Apple equipped the compact tablet with a new form factor in September 2021 – after years of neglect. At that time, the 8.3-inch device got a full-surface screen, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the sleep/wake button, a (current) A15 processor, USB-C instead of Lightning connector and 5G mobile communications. Apple had received a lot of praise for the significantly improved equipment and continued good portability – it was tantamount to a revival of the iPad mini. Nevertheless, now the time would have come to at least carry out model maintenance.
If Kuo were right, Apple would take at least two years between iPad mini 6 and 7. In the worst case, according to the analyst, it could even take until the first half of 2024. According to his report, the main selling point is an improved inner workings – including, above all, a new processor. It remains to be seen whether this will be the A16 from the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max or the successor A17 expected by September 2023.
Foldable iPad still in the pipeline
Apple still seems to be planning a foldable tablet – with a large display. Samsung has been using foldable OLED displays for its more expensive smartphones for years. Apple still doesn’t have anything to counter that, but it doesn’t seem to be satisfied with the currently available technology – which works with visible creases and relatively clumsy hinges.
According to Kuo, however, a foldable iPad is not expected before 2025 – and it will probably be significantly more expensive than the current iPad mini. It is still unclear whether it will be his successor or a completely new series.
(bsc)
