We remember when the iPad mini was first launched, it quickly spawned a ton of competitors who tried to make tablets as compact as possible. This quickly reversed when companies started making tablets with displays larger than 10-inches, like with the Samsung Galaxy View and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
However if you still believe that the iPad mini’s form factor is ideal and you were hoping that Apple would not kill the lineup, you’ll be pleased to learn that come 2017, it will be getting a rather substantial upgrade. According to Japanese blog Mac Otakara (via MacRumors), come Spring of 2017, Apple is expected to introduce a trio of new iPad upgrades.
One of the upgrades will be to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro which will come with a True Tone display, a 12MP rear-facing camera and True Tone flash. The iPad mini will also be getting a much deserved upgrade and will come with four speakers similar to the iPad Pro models, and will also have a Smart Connector. It is also expected to sport the same 12MP camera and True Tone flash as the iPad Pro.
As for the 9.7-inch model, there is no mention of what changes we can expect. We suppose we can assume there will be upgrades to the processor and maybe RAM, but other than that the publication did not say. Take it with a grain of salt, but it sounds like if you were hoping for a refresh this year, you might be disappointed.