We’re almost two years on from when the iPad Mini was last graced with an update and its successor is rumoured to be arriving very soon. So, what do we know about the iPad Mini 6? Read on to find all the latest news and rumours surrounding Apple’s smallest tablet.
Here at Trusted Reviews the iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro and the iPad Mini have claimed four of the seven spots in our best tablets roundup, and we can’t see any Android rivals taking over anytime soon. So there is a lot riding on this new iteration of the iPad Mini.
Apple used to update its iPad Mini more regularly, but 2019’s update was the first we saw in four years. It was even much of an upgrade, with the design kept the same and only minor tweaks to the internals.
One of the biggest updates we hope to see is in the size of the display. Apple has slowly been slimming down the size of the bezels across its iPad line to make room for a larger display in the same sized device, and rumours have us optimistic the iPad Mini could be next in line for this treatment.
Keep reading to discover everything we know about the iPad Mini 6 so far, including when it’ll launch, how much it’ll cost and what specs the tablet will pack. Don’t forget to bookmark this page too, as we update it as more leaks and rumours come in.
iPad Mini 6 (8.5-inches) release date and price – when will the tablet be available?
- Apple is holding an April 2021 event
- This could be the possible reveal of the iPad Mini
We expect the iPad Mini 6 to launch sometime in 2021. Reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated in a 2020 research note (via MacRumors) that the iPad Mini 6 will launch in the first half of 2021, however there’s every chance it could come later in the year.
We saw the iPad Air 4 and the iPad 8 launch late last year, which leaves the Mini next in line for revision, likely alongside the iPad Pro (mini-LED). Apple has announced that its first event of the year – Spring Loaded – will take place on Tuesday, April 20 and this could be where we see the iPad Mini 6 announced.
Other products rumoured to be announced at the event are AirTags, the iMac 2021 and MacBook Pro 2021. We could see the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 unveiled.
As far as price is concerned, right now we’re looking at the previous model to give us a guide. You can nab the current-gen iPad Mini for £399/$399 (you can see some live prices in the box below) if you opt for the basic 64GB model.
A 256GB version is available too, as is one with cellular connectivity. We would anticipate the price to rise for the new model if some of the below rumours do turn out to be true, but we still think it’ll be a mid-price slate.
iPad Mini 6 design – a new size with familiar looks
- Dummy models show a very similar look
- The display might be slightly bigger
Perhaps the most exciting rumour we’ve heard so far is that the iPad Mini 6 could come in a new, slightly larger size. For reference, the current Mini 5 features a 7.9-inch display. Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors) predicts that the display size will be either 8.5 or 9-inches.
An 8.4-inch display has more recently been suggested by Mac Otakara (via MacRumors). According to the sources, the design will be similar to the iPad Air 3 and will include a Touch ID home button and Lightning port.
The move doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll have to squeeze a larger tablet into our bags, as Apple has increased the display sizes of its iPads before by simply slimming down the bezel. We expect the Mini 6 to more closely resemble the latest iPad Pros, allowing the tablet to keep the same compact dimensions with a bigger, more spacious screen.
Our best look at what the next iPad Mini might look like comes from a leak of dummy units of the new tablets. The leak shows off a tablet that looks virtually the same as the older model, with the TouchID button still very much present. If you were hoping for a Mini tablet with the look of the Pro then this might disappoint.
Refreshed iPad Pros and iPad Mini dummies. Triple Camera array on the pros. Central camera up top on iPad mini; slightly thicker. Hard to tell and different in screen size. pic.twitter.com/5Luizv1T2r
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) April 8, 2021
Apple products have been rumoured to be getting a Mini LED makeover for a while now. These new displays would replace the LCDs in the products and would offer an experience more akin to OLED. Whether Apple introduces a ProMotion or XDR display to the iPad Mini remains to be seen – but it would be very welcome.
iPad Mini 6 specs and features – what else do we know?
- Expect Apple Pencil support
- LIttle else is known about possible specs
Little else is known about the iPad Mini 6 at this stage, even though it makes sense for it to follow previous iPads and use the same internal chip as the iPad and iPad Air. As a guide, the current iPad Air is powered by the A14 Bionic which also sits inside the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
Depending on where Apple was going to position this device price-wise, it could either go with this A14 Bionic or possibly reuse an A13 model. Either way, we’d assume this will be a nippy tablet.
Apple Pencil support was added for iPad Mini 5 and we expect it to stick around, hopefully with support for the second-gen Apple Pencil that charges wirelessly. A keyboard folio accessory would be nice, though whether it would work as well on a far smaller tablet could be an issue.
Another rumour suggests the iPad Mini 6 might stick with the Lightning port, rather than jumping to the USB-C standard you’ll find across the iPad Pro range.
If the iPad Mini 6 does arrive in early 2021 then it’ll come running iOS 14.