iPad mini

Mini iPad to have relocated headphone jack?

Remember a French blog which recently leaked a bunch of images purportedly representing the iPhone 5 Nano SIM tray, the full front assembly of the device and its smaller dock connector? They're back at it again with today's photo of the purported iPad mini dock connector flex cable.

It supports earlier claims that the rumored device will have a smaller dock connector, which is expected to debut on the iPhone 5 this September. Even more interesting, the part has the headphone jack at the bottom, just like the iPhone 5 is thought to have.

It would seem that Apple is ready to adopt the new dock connector and move the headphone jack at the bottom across all upcoming iOS devices...

More purported details regarding the iPad mini surface

Amidst all of the leaked parts and reports regarding the new iPhone, we haven't seen or heard much of anything regarding the iPad mini. The absence of information has some folks thinking that the smaller tablet was just a myth.

But according to a new report, the iPad mini is very real, and coming this fall. It will look very similar to a larger iPod touch, with smaller bezels, and front facing camera for video conferencing. More details after the break...

Why haven’t we seen many leaked iPad mini parts?

If we were doing a scavenger hunt for iPhone 5 parts, we'd be nearly done by now. We'd have the back cover, front panel, motherboard, and a slew of other components for the handset.

But the recent ramp up in iPhone 5 leaks has some folks wondering, why are there so few iPad mini parts floating around? Apple is still expected to unveil both products next month, right?

Apple to roll out smaller dock connector to all iOS products this fall

We've been hearing that Apple was going to be changing the iPhone's dock connector since February of this year. Not only has the change been confirmed by a number of news outlets, but we've seen several leaked next-gen iPhone parts with the smaller charging port.

Along with its new smartphone, Apple is also expected to be using the new port in its iPad mini, which is rumored to debut this fall. But apparently it's not stopping there. iMore has learned that Apple is rolling out the smaller dock connector across its entire iOS line...

Purported iPad mini shells show no camera hole

With Apple expected to unveil the long-rumored iPad mini in a few short weeks, we anticipate component leaks for the smaller slate to start picking up.

In fact, some photos started floating around this afternoon of what appear to be rear shells belonging to the highly anticipated tablet. But are they real?

Internal email shows Steve Jobs was receptive to 7-inch tablet idea

Opponents of the rumored iPad mini have continued to recall Jobs' disdain for a smaller screen as evidence that it won't happen. And technically, they're right. The CEO has been quoted as saying 7-inch displays are too small.

But that doesn't mean it won't happen. And in fact, according to an internal email that just popped up in the ongoing Samsung-Apple trial, the CEO actually showed some interest in the idea as recent as January 2011.

Updated: screenshot of the actual email thread after the break...

iPad mini could generate $10B in revenue by selling 40M units in 12 months

Following a flurry of speculation concerning an allegedly smaller, inexpensive iPad (insert your sandpaper joke here), analysts are running their spreadsheets to determine business logic behind a yet-unreleased $249 device.

One analyst estimates the mini iPad could sell a whopping 40 million units in its first twelve months on the market. For comparison, Apple sold a total of 84.1 million iPads as of March 31, 2012...

New iPad mini case, iPhone 5 cases and more

Apple is expected to unveil a number of new products this fall, including a revamped iPod touch, with a 4-inch display, and an all-new iPod nano. But the two most anticipated announcements are for the new iPhone (obviously), and the rumored iPad mini.

Despite Apple's attempts at secrecy, a number of major news outlets have confirmed that the company will be unveiling a refreshed smartphone, and a smaller tablet, at its September 12 media event. And we even (think we) have a good idea of what they look like...

Rumor: iPad mini display production to start this month

Alongside the new iPhone that everyone keeps talking about, Apple's other big announcement this fall is expected to be a smaller tablet. Dubbed the "iPad mini," by the media, the slate is believed to house a 7.85-inch screen and fall in the $200 price range.

Although there's no actual evidence that such a product exists, it's been confirmed by a number different news outlets. In fact, a new report is out this evening claiming that Apple is set to start production on the smaller tablet's display sometime this month...

Purported iPad mini cases surface ahead of expected launch

Now that it's been all but confirmed that Apple will be hosting a media event in September, the spotlight turns to the focus of the meeting. Obviously, a new iPhone is a given. But what else will Apple be unveiling that day?

One report suggests that we could see the rumored iPad mini at the event, although there is still no actual evidence that such a product exists. But that's not stopping case-makers from ramping up production...

Rumor: retooled iPad, iPad mini to closely follow new iPhone launch

Following up his bold predictions regarding the future of the iPod line, the often accurate Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has offered up his forecast for what will become of Apple's tablet line as well.

The analyst agrees that Apple is going to unveil an all-new, smaller slate this fall. But he also believes that the new tablet will launch alongside a tweaked version of the current third-generation iPad...

Simple chart makes the case for mini iPad

Really, why should Apple make the iPad mini other than what Bloomberg, WSJ and NYT heard? Per conventional wisdom, Cupertino needs to move fast now Google's Nexus 7 is picking up steam (the $249 16GB model is sold out). Some people reckon Apple must launch a smaller iPad in order  to keep folks locked inside its ecosystem and away from Google's.

Others reason the shrunken iPad that fits inside women's purses could easily become a new fashion statement (and they're probably right). And we can fairly safe assume that Santa would bring $199 mini iPads to lots of kids this Christmas (naughty ones will get a Kindle Fire).

But as with all consumer electronics, including Apple's shiny gadgets, the case for iPad mini boils down to sales projections, spreadsheets and charts. It just so happens that I've stumbled upon an awesome chart which illustrates unambiguously why the iPad mini is a missing link in Apple's iOS portfolio...