iPad mini

Apple may have changed the iPad mini’s round shape design

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 9, 2012

Apple tomorrow is allegedly expected to invite select members of the press to an iPad mini-focused media event, likely to be held at some point next week. With part leaks, dummies, schematics, mockups, gorgeous renders and news of manufacturing ramp up all leaking on a daily basis, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the iPad mini design has been set in stone weeks ago.

A new report by a reliable Japanese blog now claims Apple's changed the iPad mini design and one "large OEM mobile accessory maker" had to throw cases it already made, likely based on same leaks and rumors we've been hearing about...

Nice close ups of iPad mini dummies

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 8, 2012

In between writing today's report of a "slicker-than-the-iPad-3" iPad mini and conceiving a poll about the perceived value of a non-Retina iPad mini, I've stumbled upon a new set of high-quality photographs showing a familiar looking iPad mini mockup next to the regular 9.7-inch iPad. Presumably, the snaps represent one of the iPad mini dummies floating around in Asia rather than the real deal, but nonetheless they offer a good comparison between the smaller iPad and its bigger sibling, in detail not seen before. Jump past the break for the full gallery...

Poll: would you buy a non-Retina iPad mini?

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 8, 2012

With the successful iPhone 5 launch now behind us, the rumor-mill has turned its attention to another looming Apple product: a smaller, lighter, sexier and more affordable mini iPad. The obligatory people with knowledge of the situation are dutifully churning out speculative reports on a daily basis (iDB typically brings you a smaller selection of stories we think are worth your attention).

As various plugged-in sources have increasingly been leaking alleged parts left and right, we've come to the point where one could pretty accurately predict the form factor (a 7.85-inch display), the design (think slick) and how much it's gonna cost ($249-$299).

That being said, the biggest unknown of a mass market iPad remains a screen resolution and to many early adopters this is the sole determining factor in the purchase decision process...

Analyst: iPad mini may even be slicker than iPad 3

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 8, 2012

The rumored mini iPad could be Apple's sexiest tablet yet, with one analyst predicting that the aesthetics will play an important role in pushing the product into the mass market. The current iPad lineup is pretty and with Amazon's Kindle Fire and Google's Nexus 7 looking a bit plasticky, premium design paired with Apple's famous fit and finish could give an inexpensive, smaller iPad just the kind of attraction it needs to make average consumers drool down their black turtlenecks...

WSJ: Apple has ordered more than 10 million iPad minis

Cody Lee ∙ October 8, 2012

Though Apple has been mum about the iPad mini thus far, reports continue to drop that the smaller tablet is on the way. Last week, it was said that the slate was already in production. And today, more new information has surfaced.

Apparently, Apple's Asian component suppliers have received orders to build more than 10 million iPad minis for Q4 of this year...

Here are some gorgeous iPad mini mockups

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Now that the iPhone 5 launch has come and gone, the rumor mill's attention has turned to the iPad mini. Apple is widely expected to unveil a smaller version of its popular tablet sometime within the next month.

There's been a lot of talk over what the slate will look like, with the most recent chatter stemming from a leaked black rear shell that reportedly belongs to the tablet. And as usual, this has inspired some mockups...

Analyst: iPad mini suppliers ‘frustrated’ by Apple’s product requirements

Ed Sutherland ∙ October 4, 2012

Get ready for delays when first purchasing Apple's still-unannounced but highly-expected iPad mini. That's the word from one Wall Street analyst who tells investors today that suppliers are frustrated by Apple's specifications for the 7.85-inch tablet. The concerns will likely create "supply constraints" which blunt the device's full potential with consumers.

According to Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets, building the smaller iPad design to respond to rival 7-inch tablets powered by Google's Android operating system is "no walk in the park for suppliers." Despite the grumbling, the new iPad will "blow away what competitors are offering in this smaller form-factor tablet market," he writes...

Black and white iPad mini headphone jacks arise

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 4, 2012

Here we go again. Just as has been the case with the numerous iPhone 5 parts that leaked leading up to the September 12 keynote, we're now witnessing the same thing happening with purported iPad mini parts, all over again. The latest to make an appearance: headphone jacks, available in both black and white and seemingly fitting inside a hole on the iPad mini housing iDB told you about earlier in the week...

WSJ confirms mass production of the iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 3, 2012

The Wall Street Journal lent its aura of credibility to the iPad mini rumor with a report out this morning declaring that Apple's manufacturing partners in Asia have started mass-producing the device, in time for a rumored October 17 announcement and early-November availability.

According to "people with knowledge of the situation", the device will indeed have a 7.85-inch liquid-crystal display with a lower resolution than the third-generation iPad with a 2,048-by-1,536 pixel Retina display, meaning the iPad mini will quite possibly run a 1024-by-768 display just as the original iPad and iPad 2 do...

iPad mini parts: Nano SIM tray, anodized aluminum, headphone jack at the top

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 15, 2017

With two weeks left until the rumored October 17 presser, we're again beginning to see parts thought to belong to Apple's mini iPad. An Ukrainian publication today published four images said to depict the iPad mini chassis featuring a SIM tray, suggesting the device will come in both WiFi and WiFi + Cellular varieties, like its 9.7-inch sibling. Additionally, the images show front and back panels, display assembly and strangely no change for the headphone jack which remains on the top...

Study: Android tablets catching up on the iPad

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

We can deride the quality and culture of Android tablets, but the once ginormous lead Apple's iPad had is shrinking amid the rise of tweener tablets.

In a bit of a two-edge sword, a new study finds 25 percent of Americans own a tablet, with Apple's device claiming just over half of the US tablet market. A year ago, more than 8 out of 10 tablets purchased bore the Apple logo...

Size comparison of mini iPad dummy versus real Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD hardware

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 1, 2012

With the iPad mini presser all but confirmed (think October 17) and today's report that Foxconn is now assembling the device at its new facilities in Brazil, a set of handy new images surfaced that help compare the rumored 7.85-inch iPad mini to Amazon's and Google's tablets, with size and form factor in mind.

If a series of side-by-side comparison shots depicting how an unreleased device stacks up against real tablets is to be trusted, the iPad mini should be slightly wider than Google's and a tad taller than Amazon's...