Apple Introduces Redesigned Sixth-Generation iPad Mini With Touch ID, USB-C Port, 5G, and More

[[AUT] Thomas]

Ah ok. I personally think the cellular models are a ripoff. An extra $150? I just use the hotspot from my iPhone if I need to use data on the go and I have unlimited. Saves me $150!

Cellular was always a premium feature... the real benefits you get from cellular models: GPS, Reliable Notifications (they will always come in over cellular so even if your wifi ends up having no connectivity for whatever reason - typical for hotels/restaurants) and a backup modem so you don't have to rely on your phone. That said, the amount of frequency bands supported by the iPhone/iPad is vastly superior to most mobile hot spots you can buy. That's why putting a local data sim in the iPad can be a good solution for mobile data in other countries.

Needless to say, the use cases are rather limited and if you don't benefit of any of them (most people won't) the cellular is waste of money.

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

Is it possible to use this Mini's cell functions exactly like an iPhone?

No, it's data only.

 

[Rafterman]

Is it possible to use this Mini's cell functions exactly like an iPhone?

No, not directly, but you can set up wifi calling via your iPhone, then use Facetime on the iPad to make calls.

 

[dgdosen]

No, it's data only.

I've done that by attaching a google voice number to my iPad. I don't use it much, but it works.

 

[Sinfonist]

Who is the iPad Mini aimed at? The best I can come up with is a deferred parenting device or ebook reader.

My wife loves hers. It fits neatly in her handbag, and she prefers the screen size over her phone for taking photos, email, games etc.

Unlike my iPad Pro, the Mini fits in a coat pocket and is reasonably light for travelling (I tend to leave the Pro behind). It's also great for controlling presentations

 

[coolajami]

AT LAST! APPLE HEARD OUR PRAYERS!
A NEW REDESIGNED APPLE MINI WITH PENCIL AND MAGIC KEYBOARD SUPPORT!
PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY!

Wait, where is the magic or the smart or, in a matter of fact, any keyboard support?!?!?

 

[AbhijitD]

Only 64GB in the base model? What happened to the new 128GB base? $399 for 128GB would've been ideal but at $649 for the 256GB it's less interesting.

Was expecting the $499 price point, but at the same time, I was expecting a storage bump to 128GB. 64GB is too less for storage and 256GB is too much, especially at the $649 price point. This would be quite a decision.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I started backing away when I saw the price bump but still 64gb base storage..

Then I fully backed away when I realized the screen isn't really that much of an upgrade actually.

I've decided I want to wait and get a deal at some point down the road I think.

 

[AbhijitD]

Who is the iPad Mini aimed at? The best I can come up with is a deferred parenting device or ebook reader.

People who travel a lot won't seem comfortable carrying a 12.9 inch iPad Pro.

 

[dylanlive]

Who is the iPad Mini aimed at? The best I can come up with is a deferred parenting device or ebook reader.

I am a pilot who flies a small Cessna. It's a great size in the plane as it can get pretty crammed in there (Apple even featured Foreflight when talking about the iPad Mini).

I've read doctors like it because it fits well in their coat. I'm sure there are many other business cases for it.

 

[dacreativeguy]

Looks like the headphone jack is gone.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Looks like the headphone jack is gone.

Oh man -- I didn't even think about that or notice

I use my headphone jack still all the time (on my iPad mini 5 and iPhone SE1)

Sigh. Frustrating, particularly on iPad where the space isn't nearly as constrained (compared to phones)

 

[AbhijitD]

I highly recommend anyone who is going to be buying a Mini 6, to get the 256GB. The Mini is so convenient that you'll end up using it more than you anticipated. When I purchased my Mini 4 to supplement my 12.9 iPad Pro, I bought the 32 GB model because I didn't expect to use it much... I was wrong.

When I bought the Mini 5, I went with 256 GB. It was definitely worth the extra cost. 64GB is not going to be enough for anyone who will use this thing for anything more than watching Netflix.

Add a Pencil 2 and smartfolio to the cost of a 256GB Mini 6.... ouch.

I second that.

This 64/256 GB storage choices remind me of the 32/128 GB choices on the iPhone 7, when Apple took out the 64GB option. Thinking 128GB to be too large, I went from a 64 GB iPhone 6 to a 32GB iPhone 7 and that was a big mistake.

 

[djlythium]

No, it's data only.

No, not directly, but you can set up wifi calling via your iPhone, then use Facetime on the iPad to make calls.

Right, I know about WIFI calling.

I was hoping for an iPhone Max^2. Guess I'll have to wait for the iPhone Fold Max Pro V-SPEC II.

🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[Tofupunch]

Since this has the same chip as iphone 13 pro, can this shoot the same type of video, etc?

 

[ericwn]

Eh, pass. Just another ipad mini.

Only completely overhauled but yeah, that’s why the article is about.

 

[bradl]

Too expensive for what it is. $400 was already pushing it.

Umm.. That's what the iPad Mini 4 went for, at 128GB.

That price!!

Adjust for the price of that iPad mini 4 above, calculate in double the disk space, and it would be comparable.

Should one go for 64 or 256?

for personal use, 256. See below for lower.

Came here to say much the same. For me the disappointment is the iPhones now start at 128 but this is left with 64 at the entry level? I can live without cellular but not with only 64gb for something I will occasionally want to rack up with movies to take travelling with me.

Yeah it makes no sense for a tablet to have only 64gb in this day and age. It’s really an odd choice that seems to be driven by marketing so they could hit a certain price point. But at least give some people some additional choices both in the middle and beyond the upper limit they are offering. I don’t know why they are not doing that.

This all depends on the purpose. People seem to forget that those in say, elementary schools don't need all of that space for their use of an iPad. Same with those that use them as POS terminals. You don't need to provision a lot of 256GB or 512GB iPads if you're going to take payments with them with debit or credit cards. The applications used for them require a hell of a lot less than 64GB.

So one has to remember what that market is for: thin provisioning for use with a simple or single application use. My previous employer provisioned and sent out iPads as POS terminals for hundreds of thousands of merchants, in which 64GB was plenty of space for what was needed.

BL.

 

[Realityck]

Looks like the headphone jack is gone.

Most of the good quality 3.5mm earphones aren't around in stores. Remember how RHA used to make all those somewhat heavy earphones sold in Apple Stores now look at what they are selling.

Earphones & Earbuds | RHA | RHA

Designed in Glasgow, UK, our earphones are designed for people who expect more.

www.rha-audio.com

Yep the older 3.5" earphones have been superseded with wireless ones

 

[bronksy]

Crazy how the both the just announced iPad mini AND CHEAP iPad with A13 both get centre stage but the iPad Air I purchased earlier this year can’t do it after iOS 15 update ??
Seems this feature might be related to the wide angle camera more than the CPU - but come on apple what an insult !
The camera position in landscape is the only thing that really annoys me with my iPad Air, and I think apple know it - let’s just up sell them to an iPad Pro … not working for me.

It’s the camera. I assume what it does is crop the camera in then pan / zoom around the frame to keep you in the centre.

So say it’s a 21mm lens. The centre stage will pull it to 35 mm and shift the image digitally. Like some webcams do.

 

[DesertNomad]

I am a pilot who flies a small Cessna. It's a great size in the plane as it can get pretty crammed in there (Apple even featured Foreflight when talking about the iPad Mini).

I've read doctors like it because it fits well in their coat. I'm sure there are many other business cases for it.

It fits nicely on the yoke of the Dakota too. I have a mini 5 and am just trying to decide of the bump to the mini 6 is worth it.

 

[x-evil-x]

Was expecting the $499 price point, but at the same time, I was expecting a storage bump to 128GB. 64GB is too less for storage and 256GB is too much, especially at the $649 price point. This would be quite a decision.

Agree. Give it a year. They might change it to be in line with the phones and other iPads. As they should. It’s a money grabbing year it seems. Like usual apple with the storage upgrades.

 

[x-evil-x]

For anybody curious about the weight difference of this iPad mini vs an iPhone 13pro max

iPad mini 6 - 293grams
iphone 13pro max - 240 grams.

53 gram difference isn’t too much.

very similar in weight which is nice. It will be nice to use this new iPad with the almost half an inch shorter body too. Same width.

 

[mpetrides]

Who is the iPad mini 6 designed for? People like me. I have both a 12.9 inch iPad Pro and an iPad mini 5 but I find that I use the mini far more than the large iPad Pro for a number of reasons: 1. It’s easy to stick in a hip bag/sling bag or even just a pocket for use when sitting in a waiting room. 2. It’s the size of a trade paperback, which makes it ideal for reading eBooks. 3. It’s not mega-expensive (although Apple is working on that 😂) so I’m less concerned about dropping it or having it get stolen when I’m out and about with it.

The added new ability to work with the Apple Pencil 2, meaning I’ll now have a stylus that adheres to the device itself, makes the mini 6 even more useful for taking handwritten notes than the mini 5 has been. Whenever I want to take notes on the mini 5, I have to hunt up the Pencil and most of the time I also have to charge it (because I haven’t used it recently) before using. That won’t be the case with the mini 6.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

This all depends on the purpose. People seem to forget that those in say, elementary schools don't need all of that space for their use of an iPad. Same with those that use them as POS terminals. You don't need to provision a lot of 256GB or 512GB iPads if you're going to take payments with them with debit or credit cards. The applications used for them require a hell of a lot less than 64GB.

So one has to remember what that market is for: thin provisioning for use with a simple or single application use. My previous employer provisioned and sent out iPads as POS terminals for hundreds of thousands of merchants, in which 64GB was plenty of space for what was needed.

Okay, that’s a good point I hadn’t thought of. Still, there should be more options than just two storage sizes.

 

[bradl]

Okay, that’s a good point I hadn’t thought of. Still, there should be more options than just two storage sizes.

That, I agree with. They could have slotted a 128GB option in there, especially with the iPad mini; however, if they did that, people would only see it as a spec bump compared to previous generations. Plus I could see Apple having a problem with the cost of getting the 128GB drives in for storage versus 256GB. The availability would be the issue, which could drive costs up on that. If it wouldn't, then that should have been a good option.

BL.