iPad mini When do you think the Mini 6 will be out?

[Yourbigpalal83]

Heres my situation. I'm currently rocking an Ipad Air 3 64 gig and its fine for desk use but its too big to use in bed. I'm debating on trading it in to get a Ipad Mini 5 and later on when the next gen of pro's come out with the MicroLED Screens get a Mini with cell to take with me on trips and use as a in field device to take notes, maps, work, etc and the Pro to serve as more of a Laptop like device with the Magic Keyboard.

Now i'm not expecting them to put out the New Pros by the end of the year, but when do you think the Mini's will be out?

Im thinking hold off until March. Would that be a safe assumption?

 

[AutomaticApple]

Im thinking hold off until March. Would that be a safe assumption?

Yeah, hold off until early 2021. Maybe we could see an iPad mini 6 update around that time.

 

[calabi-yau]

I've got an ancient Google Nexus 7 (2013). I've been waiting on an updated Mini to replace it, but I might just go ahead and buy the 2019 Mini. My Nexus seems to be on its last legs--it's having all sorts of problems lately. That's another danger of playing the Apple waiting game: sometimes the thing you want to replace decides it's done waiting.

 

[joeblow7777]

I've got an ancient Google Nexus 7 (2013). I've been waiting on an updated Mini to replace it, but I might just go ahead and buy the 2019 Mini. My Nexus seems to be on its last legs--it's having all sorts of problems lately. That's another danger of playing the Apple waiting game: sometimes the thing you want to replace decides it's done waiting.

The 2013 Nexus 7 was my first ever tablet! I miss the little guy sometimes. Really impressive that you’re still getting use out of it.

 

[KittyKatta]

If the Mini 6th Gen isn’t a new design then I’d rather they just give the Mini 5 a proper price adjustment.

The $399 iPad Mini 5 is an amazing machine but it feels so overpriced and outdated with the old design and lack of smart keyboard option.

 

[sracer]

Heres my situation. I'm currently rocking an Ipad Air 3 64 gig and its fine for desk use but its too big to use in bed. I'm debating on trading it in to get a Ipad Mini 5 and later on when the next gen of pro's come out with the MicroLED Screens get a Mini with cell to take with me on trips and use as a in field device to take notes, maps, work, etc and the Pro to serve as more of a Laptop like device with the Magic Keyboard.

Now i'm not expecting them to put out the New Pros by the end of the year, but when do you think the Mini's will be out?

Im thinking hold off until March. Would that be a safe assumption?

I highly doubt there will be a Mini 6 in 2021. The 5 was released in 2019 and they aren't updated as frequently as other ipads.

 

[NavySilver]

iPad minis are occasionally on discount and you shouldn't be buying one at full retail price. That said, trading in is slightly more complicated if you're passing through third party for this whole process.

And since it sounds like a companion device to you, I don't think you necessarily have to wait for the next gen. I think the current iPad mini can still go for a couple of years before dramatically slowing down.

 

[Icaras]

I highly doubt there will be a Mini 6 in 2021. The 5 was released in 2019 and they aren't updated as frequently as other ipads.

The iPad mini is refreshed more frequently than the iPad Air.

 

[ejin222]

Sometimes, I don’t get why people assumed the Mini 6 will have a late release date. Sure, from the Mini 4 to Mini 5 was 4 years, but the Mini 1-4 were each a year apart. Does that mean Apple will release the Mini 6 in another 4 years? Probably not.

Let’s see when Apple released the Air and the counterpart Mini:
Mini 1: 11/2/12

Air 1: 11/1/13
Mini 2: 11/11/13

Air 2: 10/22/14
Mini 3: 10/22/14

Mini 4: 9/9/15

Air 3: 3/18/19
Mini 5: 3/18/19

Air 4: 10/?/20
Mini 6: ?

To me, it seems more likely that the Mini 6 will be released when the Air 4 comes out in October using some historical data. I can definitely see Apple pulling a “and one more thing” as the newly designed Mini 6 to look like the new Air 4. That’s why the Air 4 hasn’t been released yet, in my opinion, to coincide with the Mini 6 release.

You heard it here first hahah

 

[joeblow7777]

Sometimes, I don’t get why people assumed the Mini 6 will have a late release date. Sure, from the Mini 4 to Mini 5 was 4 years, but the Mini 1-4 were each a year apart. Does that mean Apple will release the Mini 6 in another 4 years? Probably not.

Let’s see when Apple released the Air and the counterpart Mini:
Mini 1: 11/2/12

Air 1: 11/1/13
Mini 2: 11/11/13

Air 2: 10/22/14
Mini 3: 10/22/14

Mini 4: 9/9/15

Air 3: 3/18/19
Mini 5: 3/18/19

Air 4: 10/?/20
Mini 6: ?

To me, it seems more likely that the Mini 6 will be released when the Air 4 comes out in October using some historical data. I can definitely see Apple pulling a “and one more thing” as the newly designed Mini 6 to look like the new Air 4. That’s why the Air 4 hasn’t been released yet, in my opinion, to coincide with the Mini 6 release.

You heard it here first hahah

As I've said to those who believe that a new iPad Pro is coming this fall, Apple had their Watch/iPad event already. I think that it's incredibly unlikely that any more iPads are coming in 2020. March 2021 is probably when we'll see the next wave of iPads, including a new Pro and Mini.

 

[Icaras]

Sometimes, I don’t get why people assumed the Mini 6 will have a late release date. Sure, from the Mini 4 to Mini 5 was 4 years, but the Mini 1-4 were each a year apart. Does that mean Apple will release the Mini 6 in another 4 years? Probably not.

Let’s see when Apple released the Air and the counterpart Mini:
Mini 1: 11/2/12

Air 1: 11/1/13
Mini 2: 11/11/13

Air 2: 10/22/14
Mini 3: 10/22/14

Mini 4: 9/9/15

Air 3: 3/18/19
Mini 5: 3/18/19

Air 4: 10/?/20
Mini 6: ?

To me, it seems more likely that the Mini 6 will be released when the Air 4 comes out in October using some historical data. I can definitely see Apple pulling a “and one more thing” as the newly designed Mini 6 to look like the new Air 4. That’s why the Air 4 hasn’t been released yet, in my opinion, to coincide with the Mini 6 release.

You heard it here first hahah

I was hoping the mini would be released as the same time as the Air like in 2019 but for such a big redesign, Apple would have announced it in the September event. It was only an hour long event so they had plenty of time to talk about it.

 

[sracer]

The iPad mini is refreshed more frequently than the iPad Air.

The "Air" is more of a brand differentiator than a particular form factor.

 

[sracer]

Sometimes, I don’t get why people assumed the Mini 6 will have a late release date. Sure, from the Mini 4 to Mini 5 was 4 years, but the Mini 1-4 were each a year apart. Does that mean Apple will release the Mini 6 in another 4 years? Probably not.

Let’s see when Apple released the Air and the counterpart Mini:
Mini 1: 11/2/12

Air 1: 11/1/13
Mini 2: 11/11/13

Air 2: 10/22/14
Mini 3: 10/22/14

Mini 4: 9/9/15

Air 3: 3/18/19
Mini 5: 3/18/19

Air 4: 10/?/20
Mini 6: ?

To me, it seems more likely that the Mini 6 will be released when the Air 4 comes out in October using some historical data. I can definitely see Apple pulling a “and one more thing” as the newly designed Mini 6 to look like the new Air 4. That’s why the Air 4 hasn’t been released yet, in my opinion, to coincide with the Mini 6 release.

You heard it here first hahah

Your conclusion is well reasoned... but a few notes...

"one more thing" is no longer a thing. When Apple first released the Mini, it was in response to growing sales of 7"-8" Android tablets. That was purely a reactive move on their part and refined it quickly by releasing subsequent versions. Along the way, vertical markets (warehouse workers, point-of-sales, doctors, pilots, etc.) found the Mini to be the perfect size for their needs.

Those markets buy in larger quantities and are price-sensitive. They don't need or want things like FaceID, lack of headphone jack, TruTone, ProMotion, or any of the other things that make the iPad Pros appealing to the general consumer.

This is one reason why there was approx. 4 years between the releases of the Mini 4 and 5... and why the 5 retained the same chassis as the 4. Custom accessories for the 4 can be reused when upgrading to the 5. This is a huge cost-saving benefit for those markets.

Yes, the general public buys the Mini but they are now not the target market for the Mini.

Having said that, you did make a compelling case and I hope that you are right. I recently purchased a 256GB Mini 5 (to replace my Mini 4 and 6th Gen iPad) and am delighted with it, but for those who are looking for an iPad Pro in a Mini form-factor, a Mini 6 would be helpful.

 

[ejin222]

View attachment 963071
Your conclusion is well reasoned... but a few notes...

"one more thing" is no longer a thing. When Apple first released the Mini, it was in response to growing sales of 7"-8" Android tablets. That was purely a reactive move on their part and refined it quickly by releasing subsequent versions. Along the way, vertical markets (warehouse workers, point-of-sales, doctors, pilots, etc.) found the Mini to be the perfect size for their needs.

Those markets buy in larger quantities and are price-sensitive. They don't need or want things like FaceID, lack of headphone jack, TruTone, ProMotion, or any of the other things that make the iPad Pros appealing to the general consumer.

This is one reason why there was approx. 4 years between the releases of the Mini 4 and 5... and why the 5 retained the same chassis as the 4. Custom accessories for the 4 can be reused when upgrading to the 5. This is a huge cost-saving benefit for those markets.

Yes, the general public buys the Mini but they are now not the target market for the Mini.

Having said that, you did make a compelling case and I hope that you are right. I recently purchased a 256GB Mini 5 (to replace my Mini 4 and 6th Gen iPad) and am delighted with it, but for those who are looking for an iPad Pro in a Mini form-factor, a Mini 6 would be helpful.

I take that as a high compliment 😀
You are right that I did not take into account about the target markets. Great point that we cannot rule out, especially with Cook at the helm.
My hope, and as many seem to agree, is that Apple finally gives us passionate Mini supporters/owners something to get excited about. The Air basically received small updates until the 4, so my hope is that Apple finally gives us something to celebrate with the Mini 6.
One can dream, right? 🤣

 

[*~Kim~*]

If the Mini 6th Gen isn’t a new design then I’d rather they just give the Mini 5 a proper price adjustment.

The $399 iPad Mini 5 is an amazing machine but it feels so overpriced and outdated with the old design and lack of smart keyboard option.

For a Mini I wouldn’t expect a Smart Keyboard, the screen is small enough that it’s comfortable to type on where the on screen keyboard of a larger iPad wouldn’t be, but it no longer looks like the attractive deal it did at launch. It was £399 for an A12 when £349 would get you an A10. It was a no brainer if you were ok with the smaller screen, where the £349 vs the £479 for the Air 3 was harder to justify. Now £329 gets you an A12, or you can pay £70 more for a model that has been out for 18 months. The smaller screen isn’t at the premium it was when the Mini 4 was still being sold, but it feels like we’re heading in that direction.

That said the correct rumour of the Air 4 was accompanied by a Mini 6 rumour which said the first half of 2021, so fingers crossed.

 

[KittyKatta]

Sometimes, I don’t get why people assumed the Mini 6 will have a late release date. Sure, from the Mini 4 to Mini 5 was 4 years, but the Mini 1-4 were each a year apart. Does that mean Apple will release the Mini 6 in another 4 years? Probably not.

A12 Mini 5: April 2019
A12 iPad: October 2020

While I would love an iPad Mini update right now, the Mini5 got the A12 18-months before the highly praised iPad (2020). So when you look at the Mini5 specs and its intended market then the iPad Mini seemed to be intentionally overpowered specifically because its a niche product that they dont want to update for a few years.

That said, I’m in the market for a secondary iPad and I want a redesigned Mini6. But I dont think it will be out for a while so I will likely settle for a Mini5.

 

[ejin222]

A12 Mini 5: April 2019
A12 iPad: October 2020

While I would love an iPad Mini update right now, the Mini5 got the A12 18-months before the highly praised iPad (2020). So when you look at the Mini5 specs and its intended market then the iPad Mini seemed to be intentionally overpowered specifically because its a niche product that they dont want to update for a few years.

That said, I’m in the market for a secondary iPad and I want a redesigned Mini6. But I dont think it will be out for a while so I will likely settle for a Mini5.

It’s pretty well known that the Mini is a smaller Air and not a more expensive, smaller regular iPad. You need to compare the Mini releases to the Air releases.

 

[Crow_Servo]

It’s pretty well known that the Mini is a smaller Air and not a more expensive, smaller regular iPad. You need to compare the Mini releases to the Air releases.

This is true. The Mini 2 was basically a smaller Air. The Mini 4 was pretty much a smaller Air 2. The Mini 5 was almost the same as the Air 3, just smaller. I don’t think it’s a matter of if, it’s a matter of when will the edge-to-edge Mini 6 become a reality?

 

[KittyKatta]

It’s pretty well known that the Mini is a smaller Air and not a more expensive, smaller regular iPad. You need to compare the Mini releases to the Air releases.

Sorry for not being clearer. My point of the comparison was about the A12 chip and not the model.

With the Mini the jump from A8 to A12 was a noticeable and necessary. As much as I want an updaed Mini, I’m not sure there would be the same demand to go from A12->A14 on a niche device that isn’t intended to be for power users.

 

[Crow_Servo]

Sorry for not being clearer. My point of the comparison was about the A12 chip and not the model.

With the Mini the jump from A8 to A12 was a noticeable and necessary. As much as I want an updaed Mini, I’m not sure there would be the same demand to go from A12->A14 on a niche device that isn’t intended to be for power users.

True. The last update was a big one, mostly because they waited so long to do it. Meanwhile, those who had the Air 2 and craved better performance had probably upgraded to a Pro by 2019. Mini users are expected to just be patient.

I wouldn’t call myself a power user, but I do crave improvements after 18 months. I’m not as concerned about upgrading my phone as I am with my iPad. I use it as much as possible, so it’s disappointing to love a product that is considered too niche for Apple to update on any sort of regular frequency.

I’m reminded of the Mini 3, where they knew they had outdone themselves with the Air 2 and almost completely neglected its smaller counterpart. All they gave the Mini 3 over the Mini 2 was Touch ID. I wonder if Apple toyed with doing something like that with the Mini 6.

Maybe they could’ve enlarged the screen to 8.4” and upped it from 3GB to 4GB RAM, similar to the iPad 7 getting a larger screen and 1GB extra RAM. The rest could’ve been the same as before. The same overall design. Still retaining the home button, no camera improvement, same processor, etc. That actually would’ve been a bigger update than the Mini 3, without being too crazy.

It’s difficult to understand Apple sometimes. We get iPad Pros that don’t get a new processor, but that same year the Air gets the latest chip and the base iPad pretty much catches up to the Mini. The Pros should always be the clear winners and in a perfect world, the Mini would get refreshed every 12-18 months. But that’s just a niche user’s perspective.

 

[ejin222]

It’s difficult to understand Apple sometimes. We get iPad Pros that don’t get a new processor, but that same year the Air gets the latest chip and the base iPad pretty much catches up to the Mini. The Pros should always be the clear winners and in a perfect world, the Mini would get refreshed every 12-18 months. But that’s just a niche user’s perspective.

I think it's fairly obvious that Apple doesn't necessarily work on a release date schedule, but one based on maximizing profits.

I don't think Apple needed to do much to the Pro lineup, so they hedged their bets on a minor and incremental release knowing that the 2020 Air would be the next big thing. I mean, there is nothing new that the Air brings to the table that would cost Apple much in R&D so it makes sense. Now, Apple has some time to spread its R&D budget over a longer period of time while the Air becomes the new cash hog. When the new Pro's release in the next year or so, then that R&D will trickle down into lesser iPads and Apple can recuperate that R&D back and make money back on what the Pro's brought to the table.

This is the new Apple under Cook that I've accepted and so no point in wasting a lot of steam and energy on things you and I can't change. I do appreciate that I can purchase an A12 iPad at less than $300 and it blows away anything else on the market at that price point, even if it's isn't today's tech.

 

[calabi-yau]

Welp, I'm glad I went ahead and bought the 2019 iPad Mini a month back. (Waaay faster than the Nexus 7 2013 it's replacing.) Since a new Mini wasn't announced yesterday, I'm pretty sure it won't be announced this year. And if it'll be announced next spring (that's a big if anyway), oh well, that's long enough away that I don't care. And I wouldn't have been willing to wait that long anyway.

Happy with my buy. My only gripe is that it's too wide for me to hold one-handed comfortably, but I'll just learn to hold it differently.

 

[anonymousmoose]

Welp, I'm glad I went ahead and bought the 2019 iPad Mini a month back. (Waaay faster than the Nexus 7 2013 it's replacing.) Since a new Mini wasn't announced yesterday, I'm pretty sure it won't be announced this year. And if it'll be announced next spring (that's a big if anyway), oh well, that's long enough away that I don't care. And I wouldn't have been willing to wait that long anyway.

Happy with my buy. My only gripe is that it's too wide for me to hold one-handed comfortably, but I'll just learn to hold it differently.

I just bought a mini 5 this week and sold my 4 privately for a great price.

I couldn't wait until next year - the A12 is very smooth. The difference between the 4 is massive (A8 to A12)