Ever since the iPad Pro was announced, it felt like Apple started to focus more on it and less on its other tablets, like the iPad mini which hasn’t gotten a proper refresh in a while. There have been rumors that the iPad mini could be seeing a massive redesign, and sure enough at Apple’s September 14 event, they have delivered.
As per the previous rumors, the iPad mini now looks like a mini version of the iPad Pro with flat edges all around. It is now offered in four new colors which includes purple, pink, starlight, and space grey.
The display has also been upsized where it will now sport an 8.3-inch screen but maintaining the same form factor that iPad mini fans have loved. Apple is also boasting the new chipset will offer 40% increased CPU performance and an 80% improvement on the GPU front, along with 2x faster machine learning that will allow it to support upcoming iPadOS 15 features like live translation.
Apple has also ditched the use of Lightning in favor of USB-C, which means that users can now connect various USB-C peripherals to the tablet much like the iPad Pro. The iPad mini will come with a set of stereo speakers, and will support the second-gen Apple Pencil. There will also be support for 5G connectivity with up to 3.5Gbps speeds.
While we’re not sure how many people actually take photos on their tablets, the cameras have been upgraded to a 12MP rear-facing camera with an f/1.8 aperture and True Tone flash, while the front-facing camera will have a 12MP ultra-wide sensor with support for Center Stage.
The new iPad mini will be priced starting at $499 and is available for order today and will be delivered to customers next week.