The iPhone 16 reveal event, Glowtime, might be tomorrow, but a new report has suggested we won't have to wait long for another Apple event.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is reporting that the company will reveal M4 versions of its Mac lineup as early as October, including the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac.

While we've known for a while Mac models with M4 were coming, including a redesigned Mac Mini, it seems we'll hear more about them next month - but that's not all.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Gurman notes "there are also new iPads in the works, including an upgraded mini."

Mac and iPad event leaked for October

Last year, Apple's "Scary Fast" event revealed the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, as well as new versions of the iMac and MacBook Pro.

It's a little different this year as the iPad Pro debuted the M4 chip earlier this year, meaning we'll be getting variants of those chips but not a whole new generation being revealed.

The promise of an iPad Mini is an interesting one, however. The iPad Mini sold today is the 2022 model, meaning it's getting a little long in the tooth. If it was to gain the M4 chip (or any M-series chip), it could go some way to becoming the ultimate ultra-portable computer I've been hoping it would in the past.

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The iPad has always been a bit of an enigma for me. I remember when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad for the first time. In the keynote, he talked about how the world had gotten used to the computer and the smartphone — the Mac and the iPhone in his mind, of course.

Then, Jobs asked if there was room for a third device. Not a computer, and not a phone, but a third device that would sit in the middle of the two. That’s when he announced the iPad, Apple’s take on the tablet.

Well, it’s been almost 14 years since the iPad was originally released to the world and, after more than a decade with a heck of a lot of different iPads, I think I’ve figured out that, at least for me, there is room for a third device — it’s just not the iPad.

I’ve had a mixed experience with the iPad

I’ve owned a lot of iPads over the years. In fact, I’ve owned every model of the iPad. At one point or another, I’ve owned the base model iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPad mini. I’ve owned them all! And, after trying all of them, I never really found a solid enough use case for the iPad to keep it around.

I’ve tried to use the iPad for a lot of different things, too. With the base model iPad, I tried to use it as a consumption device for watching movies and television shows and playing games. However, I always found myself either using my iPhone or my Apple TV more. I also found that — despite Apple really wanting to get in the gaming industry — the iPad was no replacement for an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch.

With the iPad Air and iPad Pro, I tried the whole “what is a computer” game and paired both with the Magic Keyboard to see if I could replace my Mac altogether with the iPad. That didn’t pan out either time I tried it. While it COULD work, it just wasn’t as good as using my MacBook Air for writing, which is the thing I use my Mac for the most.

The last iPad I tried was the iPad mini. Since I ruled out the iPad as an entertainment and productivity device, I figured that Apple’s tiny iPad might do something else for me: get me back into reading. And you know what? It worked. I started reading my articles and magazines in Apple News+ and, more importantly, I started reading more books using Apple Books and Libby, the app that enables you to rent ebooks from your local library.

However, while I was reading more books, the iPad mini still felt quite chunky to hold for a while, still felt too bright when reading at night before bed, and completely crapped out when I tried to use it outside in the sunlight.

It was right when I was experiencing those pain points that the Kindle Paperwhite showed up to blow up the iPad as my third device.

The Kindle Paperwhite is my third device

As much as Steve Jobs wanted the iPad to be every Mac and iPhone owner’s third device, the Kindle Paperwhite has become the third device for me. After using it side by side with the iPad mini for a few months now, my iPad mini has sat in a drawer unused.

The first reason for this is the weight. While the iPad mini is Apple’s lightest iPad, it’s still a bit of a chunk, especially when you have Apple’s Smart Folio attached to it. The Kindle Paperwhite, in comparison, is at least one-third lighter and even more so without its own (also lighter) case from Amazon. If I’m reading for a while, the Kindle is much more comfortable to hold for long periods compared with the iPad.

The second reason is the difference the screen makes at night. While the iPad mini certainly has a more capable screen — being color and LED instead of black and white and E-Ink — that color and LED screen doesn’t really help put me to sleep at night. The black and white E-Ink display, however, makes reading at night much better. Not only is it more pleasant for the eyes, but it doesn’t keep me awake like the iPad mini screen did. I read a few pages on the Kindle and I fall right asleep — exactly what I want it to do.

The third reason also has to do with the screen but, instead of talking about how it performs at night, I’m talking about how it performs during the day. While the iPad mini looks fine indoors, that LED screen is no match for the sun. I took it once to the beach and could barely see the screen through the glare. The E-Ink display on the Kindle, however, looks clear as day, regardless of the sun that’s beating down on it. I’ve used it at the pool, at camp, and at the beach and it’s performed wonderfully at all of them.

The last reason I chose the Kindle over the iPad is because it’s a single-use device. While it was easy to get distracted with messages or jump to the YouTube app with the iPad, the Kindle’s only job is to give you books to read. I’ve grown to appreciate having a device that only does one thing, especially when that thing is to encourage me to read more.

Maybe Apple will make an E-Ink iPad

The only thing I could think of that could get me to go back to the iPad as my third device after experiencing the Kindle is if the company made a waterproof iPad mini with an E-Ink display. Just imagine how bonkers it would be to see the company make something like that, but that’s what I’d need to swing back.

However, I certainly doubt that the company would make such a device (there’s a reason I just called it bonkers), so I think I’m going to be sticking with the Kindle Paperwhite for a while now.

That is unless Kobo gets me to jump from Amazon to their E-Ink tablet. That’s worth looking into, but I’ll stick with the Paperwhite for now.

If you’ve been holding out for a non-Pro iPad model with a vibrant OLED display, you might be in luck — even if the wait might prove tortuous.

According to The Elec, Apple is planning to use a ‘lower-spec’ OLED display panel from Samsung for the next iPad Air and mini tablets. The report explains: “Apple plans to apply a lower-spec panel to Air than the iPad Pro to increase OLED iPad Air sales. If the specifications are low, the manufacturing cost is low. Air sales were higher than those of the pros on the existing LCD iPads.”

The above aligns with a leak from July that revealed an OLED iPad mini, but this is the first time we’ve heard about an OLED iPad Air. Although details are light on what the rumored Air may feature apart from a new display, there’s speculation that the new iPad mini could feature an A17 chip. This would be a massive upgrade from the A15 Bionic chip found in the iPad mini 6.

In our review of the M2 iPad Air in May, Editor-in-Chief Gerald Lynch praised the tablet for its simple yet solid upgrade. “The M2 iPad Air isn’t all that much different from the M1 one that came out two years ago. But it knows what it is, what it can offer, and what you’ll probably want it for.”

Nevertheless, if you’re prepared to wait for an OLED display in a new iPad Air or iPad mini, don’t expect them until 2026.

Why wait?

Although an OLED iPad mini sounds enticing, the current model, along with the M2 iPad Air, are both great purchases right now. Whether you’re going back to school later this year or even considering some Christmas presents already, these tablets are well worth considering.

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Though it’s starting to get a little long in the tooth, at three years old, the iPad mini 6 still has a dedicated user base, thanks to its extra small size and still quite capable processing power. Still considered one of the best iPads to this day, it’s not quite as impressive as the iPad Pro M4 but, at a fraction of the price, the value it offers is practically unmatched. 

Right now at Amazon, you can pick up an iPad mini 6 at just $379, $120 cheaper than its retail price, and the best we’ve ever seen it at. You will want to act fast though, as we don’t know how long this deal will be sticking around. 

A mini iPad and a big deal

If you plan on producing music or editing videos, we’d recommend going for something a bit beefier (like the iPad Air 6 which is also on sale at Amazon) but it should perform pretty much everything else with few hiccups. Thanks to its very small size, this can be paired with an Apple Pencil 2 (which is also on sale at Amazon) to make it the perfect note-taking/drawing device. It can easily fit in a backpack, to get drawing on the go. 

All iPad mini 6 colors (Starlight, Pink, Purple, Space Grey) are on sale at the same price, and the 256GB model is also on sale at $529.99. There’s a chance we could see an iPad mini refresh at some point over the next year, though, at this price point, you won’t regret the purchase even if it does. 

The iPad mini is now, officially, the oldest iPad that Apple still makes — and that means one thing as the launch of a new one seems closer and closer. Incredible price drops over the likes of Prime Day, just like the one we've got today!

The Prime Day sales have begun today, and with the launch of Apple's sale has come the best price we've ever seen on the smallest iPad model. That's an incredible $120 saving on full price for the iPad mini on all the different color options, so you can choose exactly the iPad you want. At this price, it looks like the iPad could sell out quickly, so we'd recommend speed if you want to make sure you don't miss out on one of the best iPad Prime Day deals we've ever seen.

iPad mini lowest price ever in Prime Day sale

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The iPad mini is one of the best iPads for reading, with its clear screen and supremely manageable display size. It's also perfect for students who want to take notes at lectures and classes, and combined with an Apple Pencil, it's the perfect drawing companion. We're big fans of the iPad mini and its diminutive size, and we'd recommend anyone pick one up in a heartbeat — especially at this price.

If you’ve been waiting to buy a new iPad, Amazon is currently offering the fantastic iPad mini 6 for less than $400.

With a week to go before Amazon Prime Day begins on July 16-17, we’re already seeing a bunch of great Prime Day Apple deals that are well worth looking into. This latest bargain is no exception. We should also mention that, while you can buy the 64GB iPad mini 6 model for $399 thanks to this deal, you can also save $100 on the 256GB tablet.

Released back in September 2021, the iPad mini 6 was redesigned to resemble its bigger counterparts, such as the iPad Air and iPad Pro. Packed with an A15 Bionic chip, a USB-C port, Touch ID on the power button, and much more, all within an 8.3-inch display, it’s the best iPad mini currently available.

Size doesn’t matter when it comes to deals like this

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

Apple’s smallest tablet is perfect for reading comics, consuming videos, and playing games, especially emulators that allow apps to mimic certain systems or handhelds. If you fall into any of these use-case categories, an iPad mini could be the perfect purchase!

If you’ve decided to take advantage of this deal, why stop there? There are a bunch of accessories you can grab to help protect your new iPad. If you like to be creative with Apple's tablets, consider the Apple Pencil 2, which works perfectly with this iPad mini. Walmart is offering the drawing pen for $79.99, a saving of $50.

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We're still months away from Apple unveiling its latest generation iPad models. The company usually does so during an event held in October or sometimes even November — and occasionally will roll out in a press release if it feels they aren't worthy of an event.

Whatever form the new iPads are being announced, Apple isn't going to get to wait until this fall to show them to us for the first time. As reported yesterday, a new leak revealed 3 new iPads from the company including an 11th generation base model iPad, an iPad Pro with a yet-unannounced M5 chip, and the iPad mini 7 (it's happening!).

While a new base model iPad and iPad Pro are always great, I'm personally most excited about the 7th-generation iPad mini. Apple's smallest tablet is the one I personally run now and, after enjoying the 6th-generation redesign for a while, I'm ready for what's next for the iPad mini.

While the leak says we can expect the new iPad mini to feature the A17 processor and both Wi-Fi and Cellular configurations (no surprise there), there's one feature that is going to be a requirement if I'm going to consider making an upgrade.

The iPad mini needs an OLED display

There's plenty of things that could make the new iPad mini exciting, including upgrades to the processor, cameras, and base storage (we should definitely be rocking at least 128GB of storage in 2024). However, the display is the only thing I care about with the iPad mini 7.

And no, I'm not talking about the iPad mini getting a ProMotion display and running the screen at 120Hz — that's not happening people. There's a reason that it's called ProMotion. That performance is reserved for Pro models. However, a display technology that could — and should — come to the iPad mini is an OLED display.

I've been a sucker for an OLED display ever since I got my first iPhone with an OLED display. I've since picked up two OLED televisions and, when I had to decide which Nintendo Switch model to buy, that became an easy decision: the Nintendo Switch OLED.

While there are plenty of screen technologies out there that try to compete, there's still nothing like the color and contrast performance you get from an OLED display. Now that Apple has brought its new Tandem OLED display to the iPad Pro, the technology coming down to the non-Pro models is the next move.

But wait, OLED — like ProMotion — is supposed to be reserved for the Pro models! Not true. The base model iPhone has already gotten the OLED upgrade and both the regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, for example, both run OLED displays.

So, will the iPad mini 7 get an OLED display? Honestly, I doubt it. Being that the company had to invent a completely new screen technology and M4 processor in order to bring OLED to the iPad Pro, I think OLED is going to be reserved for the Pro model for now. The MacBook Pro isn't even expected to get an OLED display until 2026.

While I think it's an inevitability, I think we have a bit of a wait to get there. So, while I'd certainly recommend the iPad mini 7 to anyone who has a 5th generation model or older when Apple announces it later this year, I don't think I'll be upgrading from my 6th generation iPad mini.

I think we're going to have to wait until the iPad mini 8 before Apple can get the technology affordable enough to get it into the $499 tablet. So, keep appreciating that iPad mini 6, everyone! We'll get OLED eventually.

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The current 6th-generation iPad mini has been around since 2021 which means that it is very much due a refresh. That update is expected to happen soon enough, but quite how soon is another matter entirely.

Apple didn't update any of its iPad lineup last year and it's just about to release the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air, but we're still waiting for the entry-level iPad and iPad mini to be updated. Now, a new report has added some detail as to when we should expect to be able to ditch the old iPad mini and upgrade to something new.

Unfortunately, that report doesn't make for good reading and it might be enough to make some people rethink waiting entirely.

2025 or bust

The report in question comes via Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter. Gurman was responding to a question from a reader who asked when we can expect a new iPad mini to arrive when he said that it could land in late 2024 at the earliest.

That statement leaves the door open for the 7th-gen iPad mini skipping 2024 entirely and instead arriving in 2025. The current model was released in September of 2021 which means there's a very good chance that Apple's diminutive tablet will go more than three years before updates.

That's less than ideal for a variety of reasons, not least the hope that Apple will address the famous jelly scrolling issue that has plagued the current tablet since its introduction.

If you're waiting for the new iPad mini, now might be a good time to ponder whether perhaps an iPad Air could be in your future instead.

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Apple's "Let Loose" event is on Tuesday and will show us the next evolution of the iPad, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has blown right past that in his latest Power On Newsletter.

Aside from revealing that the iPad lineup will be getting a much-needed tidy-up, Gurman also said Apple should look to nudge the iPad into the laptop replacement Steve Jobs envisaged it as all those years ago.

"The presentation, which is expected to be about 35 minutes, should set the product on a new path," Gurman says.

Gurman suggests that Apple should look to make the iPad more capable, like a laptop, but that "this picture is going to blur a bit more in the coming years because Apple is working to bring touch screens to the Mac.

"When that happens, choosing between a Mac and iPad will hinge more on whether you want an all-in-one device (laptop) or a modular system (iPad + Magic Keyboard + Apple Pencil)," Gurman says.

Big changes with iPadOS 18?

If you were worried about the iPad getting the raw end of the deal with Apple bringing touchscreens to Mac, it appears you needn't worry.

Gurman said that "by next year" Apple will have cleared up the iPad, and "the top-end iPads will feel more like computers" thanks to a snazzy new Magic Keyboard redesign with an aluminum finish and a "laptop-like aesthetic".

Perhaps most excitingly, Gurman says "new software will take advantage of the hardware."

That's not a lot to go on, but the potential for something like additional keyboard shortcuts, the ability to set our own Keyboard Maestro-like shortcuts and Macros, or even more trackpad functionality is exciting for anyone who's tried to work on their iPad for a day or two.

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Apple's "Let Loose" event is fast approaching, and we've known for quite some time it'll focus on iPads thanks to reports from the likes of Mark Gurman of Bloomberg.

And in, Gurman's latest Power On Newsletter, he's laid out what he expects Apple's tablet lineup to look like after the showcase on Tuesday.

Suggesting Apple should move to make the iPad more of a laptop replacement, Gurman says the iPad slate will offer the M4-wielding iPad Pro in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch versions and the iPad Air in the same screen sizes with the M2 inside.

The iPad Mini is also sticking to the sixth-generation version (although Apple hasn't given up on that form factor yet), while the tenth-generation base model will still offer a 10.9-inch display. Perhaps the biggest surprise, however, is that the ninth-generation iPad may not be going anywhere - at least not yet.

A stay of execution?

It does seem a little surprising to have an Apple tablet from 2021, still using a Home Button, on the same store page as the iPad Pro and its rumored M4 chip - the first time an M-series Apple Silicon chip has appeared first in a tablet.

Still, Gurman doesn't expect that juxtaposition to last too long, suggesting "by next year" that the ninth-gen iPad will be gone,  "replaced by a cheaper 10.9-inch model" and that Apple will also revamp the iPad Mini with a faster chip.

Gurman suggests that it'll clean up the lineup considerably, and it's seemingly going to lead to a base iPad, an iPad Mini, and two sizes of Air and Pro.

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I've been living with my iPad mini 6 for *checks watch* for two and a half years now, and I honestly can't think of anything more the tiny iPad could do for me. Well, except maybe one thing.

Rumors of an iPad mini 7 have been growing lately since the current generation is nearing three years on the market without an update. While that might actually seem short for an iPad mini renewal, think about this — even the 5th generation iPad mini jumped to the sixth generation in two years and I remember that feeling like an eternity.

Of course, that was also due to the fact that the iPad mini was still rocking the old design of the 5th generation while the iPad Air and iPad Pro forged ahead with the updated industrial design. But regardless, the iPad mini seems ripe for an update.

There's only one feature I want from the iPad mini 7

While there are plenty of other things Apple could and will probably do for the seventh-generation iPad mini, there's only one thing I care about: an OLED display.

I should provide some context for why that is. I have an OLED problem. I realized that when the iPhone moved to an OLED display with the iPhone X back in 2017, I would never buy an iPhone without an OLED display again. See you, iPhone 8 and iPhone SE.

Then, I bought my first OLED television a few years later. That made me realize that I have been missing out on a level of visual fidelity for my entire life. Rewatching every television show and movie I love was an elevated experience — just because of that OLED screen.

Then, I bought my first Nintendo Switch last year and, you guessed it, I got the OLED model and realized I've been missing out on a better gaming experience. That led me to abandon my LED gaming monitor and hook my PS5 and Xbox Series X up to my OLED television instead and man, was that the right move.

Needless to say, if OLED is an option, it's going to be the option I choose every time, and the same goes for the iPad mini. I would love to see Apple release an iPad mini with an OLED display. It makes sense too since the iPad mini, like the other iPads, is an entertainment device for a lot of people. Watching movies, television shows, and even YouTube would look a heck of a lot better with an OLED display.

Even reading a book in Dark Mode on the Apple Books app would be a superior experience. And for anyone who tries to tell me that mini-LED would accomplish the same thing — sorry, dude. I've looked at every mini-LED television I could find and none of them compared to the black levels and contrast that OLED is capable of. 

I'm sure there are people that would look at a mini-LED television and think it was perfectly fine, but every time I looked at a mini-LED television next to an OLED one, the difference was obvious. Mini-LED can look great...until you look at it next to OLED.

There's everything to be gained and nothing to lose with such a move. Okay, maybe cost, but I'd be willing to pay it to enjoy those inky blacks and deep colors.

What's else is coming to the iPad mini 7?

In addition to my very hopeful upgrade to an OLED display, what else is expected with the iPad mini 7? Well, the rumor mill has its usual menagerie of ideas.

The obvious answer with a new generation of any Apple product is a new processor, and that's the same for the iPad mini. Since the updated tablet is currently anticipated to be released before the end of 2024, that would likely mean that the iPad mini 7 will come with the A17 chip — the same chip that is currently powering the iPhone 15. 

While some rumors said the iPad mini could get an M-Series chip like the iPad Air and iPad Pro, I don't really see the point. The iPad mini doesn't need to be a "pro" machine and running something like Stage Manager on iPad mini would be quite useless on such a small screen, so I'd expect the iPad mini to stick with Apple's iPhone chip to power it. It's already more than enough for the iPad mini's use cases unless Apple has something shocking up its sleeve.

Of course, any new iPad like a new iPad mini will likely come in a range of new colors and also get some camera upgrades. I hope that the company moves the front-facing camera to the landscape position and forever fixes the weird angle we all deal with on FaceTime calls.

While there are no rumors of an OLED screen like my heart desires, there are rumors that the company will rotate the screen assembly to fix the jelly-scrolling issue that many users have reported when using the iPad mini in portrait orientation. I personally haven't noticed the issue, but I'm sure that'll make a lot of people happy.

When could we get a new iPad mini?

Of course, none of this matters if Apple kills off the iPad mini. I don't think that's going to happen, but I also loved the iPhone 13 mini and Apple killed off that line of mini products after just two years.

Thankfully, the iPad mini has been around for six generations now so I think there's a better chance of it actually sticking around, especially since Apple put in the effort to give it a redesign with the current generation. 

Right now, all of the rumors are pointing to a 2024 release for the seventh generation, but it's not expected to come out until the second half of the year. iPads have come out in October before, so perhaps we'll have a packed fall ahead between new iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, and iPads.

I for one will be crossing my fingers for that iPad mini 7 and the OLED screen that should obviously grace it.

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I was never convinced about displays with higher refresh rates. I remember being amazed when I first saw the Retina display on an iPhone 4, with a screen resolution so dense your eyes can't distinguish individual pixels, such that everything almost looked like a graphic magazine at first glance. I didn’t think another display upgrade would invoke the same reaction from me again.

It wasn’t until 2021 when I saw a MacBook Pro with ProMotion, Apple’s 120Hz display, running alongside a previous generation at 60Hz in an Apple Store, that I was convinced. Everything looked buttery-smooth — from moving the mouse to scrolling through web pages and photos. ProMotion convinced me to pay over £2000 / $2100 to step up from my then-broken 2013 MacBook Air, and I’ve never looked back.

It also prompted me to buy one of the best iPhones available, as the Pro models came with ProMotion — and still do to this day. An iPhone 15 Pro Max running at 120Hz is one of the best handsets I’ve ever owned.

Of course, ProMotion goes further back — the feature first appeared in 2017 with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and has remained on that tier of the iPad line-up ever since. Seven years later, I feel like it’s time to finally see 120Hz arrive on products that don't include the 'Pro' name, just so my dream of ProMotion on iPad mini and MacBook Air models can finally be a reality.

Scrolling with Air

I’m approaching the three-year mark of owning the MacBook Pro, and I’m starting to think about an upgrade. The battery life is starting to dwindle to three hours, and I’m also wondering if I even need a ‘Pro’ laptop at all.

This is where the 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 comes in. I love its thin design, its ‘blue’ midnight color, and the Air's recent push to larger screen sizes. The 18-hour battery life also puts it on par with how long my MacBook Pro used to last. Recently, I thought I’d go to an Apple Store to try one out, and instantly, I noticed the lower refresh rate. ProMotion isn’t available on this Mac. You may be someone who doesn’t notice it — I have a friend who can’t tell the difference between an HD and 4K image — but I am.

The absence made it a dealbreaker for me, so I’ve decided to wait until the feature trickles down. We’ve seen this happen before with other exclusive aspects of other high-end products, so I reckon the same will happen with ProMotion soon.

The trickle

It’s not the first time that we’ve seen features appear on lower-priced models. The dual camera on the iPhone 7 Plus was brought to the regular models after a few years, and Face ID went from being an exclusive feature of the iPhone X to appearing on more affordable devices after the iPhone XR in 2018.

The redesign of the iPad Pro in 2018, which reduced the bezels significantly, appeared on the iPad Air and regular iPad in 2021 — although Touch ID remained the core security feature of the cheaper devices. There’s a whole history of features coming down to Apple’s other products, as cheaper components become available as the years pass.

The name ‘ProMotion’ though, alludes to the feature being pro-exclusive. I do wonder if this was deliberate on Apple’s part so that the feature remains on Pro models only. Indeed, that’s currently the case. The feature is available on MacBook Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPad Pro — there’s a pattern here.

Yet, I don’t care about this logic, because there’s one more device that would make it an instant buy for me if ProMotion came to it.

A mini promotion

I’ve had a complicated history with the iPad as a whole. The tablet used to be my main device for everything. Then it became a device to type up notes on, as well as a device for reading a bunch of books and comics and watching plenty of videos. Now, it’s just a YouTube device. Its software has felt confusing to me in recent years — with Stage Manager for iPad, Apple’s latest effort at multitasking on the tablet, being very frustrating to use.

Throughout all of this though, I’ve always considered the iPad mini to be the best of the bunch. It’s the best iPad for reading, and its great battery life makes it the one that I always recommend to family and friends. However, the absence of ProMotion on the tablet holds me back from declaring it the perfect iPad.

Imagine an 8.3-inch display that can show content at 120Hz just like the high-end iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. Swiping through apps, watching videos, and reading Marvel comics at a high refresh rate in bed with an iPad mini is very appealing to me. Not to mention it would fix that awful jelly scrolling issue. I can’t see it being a matter of cost for Apple anymore — it’s been seven years since ProMotion first appeared, so bringing it to other models definitely feels overdue. Again, I can’t help but feel like the name ‘ProMotion’ has given it a connotation that makes it forever trapped with the Pro models. And that’d be a shame.

Instead, the ProMotion name could be given a course-correct. For future ‘Pro’ models, the refresh rate could be 240Hz, with a ‘ProMotion 2’ moniker. For non-Pro models, ‘ProMotion’ stays, as well as the 120Hz benefit. It splits the feature up, but it’s the best of both worlds for everyone.

There are potential solutions, like the above — so let’s see 120Hz come to all the models Apple, and soon!

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Apple’s iPad mini is one of the company’s most iconic products, the tiny tablet becoming the choice of readers, young children, the elderly, and everyone else in between. Yet it’s also often the forgotten child of the iPad family, having only been updated three times since 2015. Apple routinely waits two or three years between new iterations, which means that the iPad mini 6 from 2021 is fast coming into focus as one of Apple’s products that’s ripe for a new version. 

After an entire year’s drought that saw no iPads released in 2023, we’re expecting at least two brand-new iPads to debut in 2024, and possibly even more than that. We’re reportedly just weeks away from a brand new iPad Air 6 and an OLED iPad Pro, and we’ve got a pretty good idea of all the new features coming to both. A little further off, however, is the report that Apple will debut a new entry-level iPad and a new iPad mini 7 in the coming months, possibly before the end of the year. 

The iPad mini 6 was a substantial upgrade to the previous model, with an exciting new design language, Touch ID, 5G, USB-C, a new chip, and more. While we aren’t expecting such a dramatic overhaul this time around, there are several new features we’d really like to see: And one vital fix Apple must deliver if the iPad mini 7 is going to be a success.

Five features we’d like to see in the new iPad mini 7

Thinner bezels

I’m not hopeful for any sweeping design changes to the iPad mini 7’s chassis. I think Apple’s iPad lineup is in a really good spot when it comes to design language, so I’m not desperate for another shakeup. There is one thing that leaves me wanting, however; the iPad mini 6’s massive bezels. There’s something about the size of the device and the front display configuration that really just makes those bezels ook comically large. I’m sure they’re broadly similar to the iPad 10, but that device’s display is so much larger that the bezels feel like less of an issue. It’s all about the proportions. The iPad mini 6’s bezels look way off, and I’d really like to see them trimmed down — maybe Apple could even borrow some of the fancy rumored bezel tech from the iPhone 16? 

Face ID 

Apple’s iPad mini 6 features Touch ID built into the device’s top button, so the next logical step would be a face ID sensor for iPad mini 7. Face ID makes a ton of sense for a small, lightweight tablet that does a lot of commuting and moving around. As you pick up your tablet and put it down, take it in and out of your bag or rucksack, and move from room to room in your house, you’re likely locking and unlocking it an awful lot. Face ID would simplify the process, and the tech has been around a sufficiently long time that it should be low cost enough to manage on the cheaper iPad mini.  

Landscape camera 

While I agree that the iPad mini lends itself much more to portrait use than any other iPad thanks to its size and form factor (that’s what makes it the best iPad for reading), a landscape-oriented camera for Face ID and video-conferencing seems like it would make more sense than a portrait camera here. It wouldn’t preclude Face ID, and given that I often find myself picking my iPad up and covering the camera in its normal position anyway, it might make for a more useful position in the long run. More importantly, it would make the iPad mini even better for FaceTime and videoconferencing, and could be a vital complement to the next feature on my wishlist…

A Magic Keyboard 

The fact that there are already so many good keyboards for iPad mini proves that there’s a good market for one of Apple’s coolest (and most expensive) accessories for iPads. It already makes its own superb Magic Keyboard Folio for the iPad 10, and the dazzling Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro M2 and the iPad Air. Heck, even a smart keyboard from an older model would be an improvement. I think a fully-fledged Magic Keyboard would probably be overkill, and certainly too expensive to justify buying. But a Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad mini could turn the 8.3-inch tablet into a tiny typing powerhouse for taking notes in class or just jotting down some ideas. Sure, the keys might be small, and the keyboard a little cramped for users with larger hands, but there are plenty of successful iPad mini keyboards on the market that prove this is a viable option.  

Apple, please fix this

Jelly scrolling

All of these wishlist features pale in comparison to the one upgrade the iPad mini desperately needs: A fix for jelly scrolling. Days after the iPad mini launched, a display quirk dubbed “jelly scrolling” quickly became a hot-button issue amongst iPad mini owners. The problem revolves around the iPad mini’s refresh rate. It seems that one side of the iPad mini’s display refreshes quicker than the other. When you scroll up and down on a page, this manifests itself as a wobbly-looking “jelly” phenomenon. It’s a real flaw of an otherwise fantastic tablet. Thankfully, there are rumblings that Apple is looking to address the issue by rotating the display internally. Apple says the issue is normal behavior for LCD displays, but it really soured the iPad mini 6 experience for many — including some on team iMore. The obvious fix would be a move away from LCD toward LED, but this might add too much weight, cost, and power consumption to the iPad mini. However Apple decides to tackle it, I just hope it gets fixed. 

The recipe for success

So there we have it, five ways Apple could improve its iPad mini for 2024. There are other possible upgrades we’ve not mentioned here, the M1 chip being an obvious contender. However, the iPad mini is not slow, and more processing power for what is essentially an e-reader/Kindle alternative isn’t a high priority. Being small and portable, the iPad mini is also the iPad that would most benefit from a camera upgrade, because it’s actually small enough to be useful for taking photos, but this seems unlikely. The latest reports indicate the iPad mini 7 could possibly debut before the end of this year. In the meantime, Apple has a new iPad Pro, an iPad Air, and of course, iPadOS 18 at WWDC 2024 to keep us ticking over. 

Despite no new iPad Mini models since September 2021, Apple is still looking to develop a seventh-generation model.

As per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, a new iPad Mini, and a new lower-end base iPad, are in development, but neither is likely to arrive before the end of the year "at the earliest".

Gurman notes that while the new full-sized iPad will likely be a "cost-reduced version of the 10th generation model from 2022", the seventh generation iPad Mini "won’t include much more than a processor upgrade."

Given that the iPad Mini (Sixth Generation) is running on the A15 Bionic chip also seen in the iPhone 13 phone lineup, it seems ripe for an upgrade, but Gurman stops short of suggesting it could move to an M-series chip like the iPad Pro or iPad Air.

The curious case of the iPad Mini

Despite running an older processor, the iPad Mini remains an excellent tablet.  In our review, we awarded it 4.5 stars out of 5 and said "With a modern design, USB-C, and the power of the A15 Bionic chip all packed into a super-portable form factor, fans of the iPad mini should rejoice at the sixth-generation model."

Still, with new iPad Air and iPad Pro models coming in May, many had hoped we'd see a new Mini, too, but as per Gurman's reporting, we'll have to wait. Still, with a price increase expected for the iPad Pro, other models, including the Mini, could become even more popular.

I've written at length about how the iPad Mini deserves to be even better on account of it standing alone in the iPad lineup for its blend of power and portability.

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As companies like Samsung and Google lean into the foldable phone market hard, Apple is yet to get involved which means that its iPhone has remained stubbornly rigid. It's likely to remain that way for some time as well, especially if the recent reports of Apple's foldable plans are any indication.

While we never expected the upcoming iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro to bend in the middle, a new report suggests that the first foldable with an Apple logo on the back won't actually be an iPhone at all. Instead, it could be a replacement for Apple's smallest iPad.

That's according to a new report which suggests that the 8.3-inch iPad mini could be the device that sees its days numbered. Apple is reportedly working on a foldable device that could take its place in the lineup, however there is some confusion around that claim. We are told that the device will have a display of between seven and eight inches, a size that would make it perfectly suited to eating the iPad mini's lunch.

Bendy iPad incoming

The report, coming via the Korean website The Elec, claims that Apple will have the new foldable tablet ready for market around 2026 or 2027 which suggests that we might not have to wait all that much longer before we get to see what Apple's first foldable device will look like.

"Apple is reviewing the launch of a late 7-inch to early 8-inch foldable device. The product launch is expected to be around 2026-2027," the Korean report says via Apple's machine translation. "The product, which is likely to be Apple's first foldable device, is also expected to replace the tablet's 8.3-inch iPad mini model."

However, there's a wrinkle to be considered here. The report also notes that Apple continues to work on a new OLED iPad mini alongside the foldable device, a move that suggests Apple is yet to fully commit to its plans for the product.

The Elec's report goes on to say that both Samsung Display and LG Display are the two companies providing prototypes that could be used in a future foldable tablet device in the six and seven-inch size range.

The iPad mini isn't the only tablet going OLED of course. Apple is already strongly expected to launch new OLED iPad Pro tablets in two different sizes this year. Reports have so far suggested that the new tablets could arrive before the end of April.

Back in the world of foldables, The Elec also notes that Apple continues to work on a 20.5-inch foldable device, a product that has been the subject of rumors for a good long while at this point. The device is thought to potentially be a foldable MacBook, but it's still unconfirmed.

Apple's late entry into the foldable device market isn't all that surprising when you consider its history. The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone and the Apple Watch wasn't the first smartwatch. But Apple tends to wait until it believes that it can produce a product that won't suffer from the issues facing companies that beat it to the punch. In the case of foldable devices, the crease that is so familiar to foldable phone owners could well be something Apple has been trying to eradicate before entering the fray itself.

Before any of that happens of course we can look forward to plenty of new products including the aforementioned iPhones. But with the Vision Pro now on sale and the Apple Car project continuing to stall, Apple may now be able to focus on getting a foldable device into its stores sooner rather than later.

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I’ve owned a 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro for a couple of years, and although it’s one of the best iPads I’ve owned, I’ve reached a point where I don’t see the need for it. The tablet’s 120Hz ProMotion screen and four-way speakers have been great while watching videos, but I’ve recently been using it far less, ever since iPadOS 17 arrived in September.

Apple has consistently angled the iPad Pro to be the best in its tablet lineup, but I see the iPad mini as being more worthy of that title. You see, I’ve always seen an iPad as more of a consumption device rather than one for productivity. Indeed, you can write a novel with a writing app like Ulysses, or edit a video with Final Cut Pro but iPadOS still feels like the crux to the iPad’s success.

The iPad hardware is fantastic, but there comes a time when the software can’t meet my needs, so I go back to the Mac to finish off the work. I’ve come across this wall several times when writing something or using Stage Manager, iPad’s latest answer to multitasking — it crashes, it lags, and some apps have a lack of features compared to the same ones you can use on macOS.

I was hoping to see an iPad mini 7 by this point in the year, but rumors scuppered that hope. To now see a 64GB purple iPad mini 6 for £527, down from £569 as Cyber Monday wraps up for another year, has me tempted to make the switch from an iPad Pro to the smaller model. Apart from its size and price, the smaller design offers other benefits that make me think it will fit better into my life than the larger iPad Pro.

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I have an early New Year's resolution to read far more than I have this year. I have a Kindle, but I find it cumbersome due to its design and how laggy everything feels when browsing my library. I’ve also been wanting to resubscribe to Marvel's Unlimited service, where I can download a bunch of graphic novels featuring Spider-Man, X-Men, and more. With an 8.3-inch display, the iPad mini is a perfect size for reading all kinds of stories from different genres. The 120Hz ProMotion display is also absent in the smaller tablet, but I don’t see the need for it when I’m reading static pages.

Watching videos on the iPad Pro has always been a great experience, but since owning an iPhone 15 Pro Max, I’ve found myself watching more videos on that 6.7-inch display instead. Combine it with an Anker MagSafe Battery Bank that props the iPhone up at an angle, you've got my preferred way to consume content.

Lastly, there’s also the size factor. I usually have a bag with me that houses my MacBook Pro, a bunch of USB-C wires, Sony XM5 headphones, and my Steam Deck for gaming. When you add an iPad Pro it’s overkill. Software-wise, the Mac does everything I want that you can do in an iPad Pro anyway, and at times, better — much in part to what you can do in macOS compared to iPadOS. From installing applications that aren’t available in the Mac App Store, to a desktop experience that’s been refined ever since the arrival of Mac OS X in 2000. It’s simply nicer and more enjoyable to use for me.

The size of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, especially when it’s combined with the Magic Keyboard, adds a heft of weight to the bag as well. It all feels unnecessary when I have other devices that are smaller in size, but more useful in the software they offer.

When factoring in all of these points, I can imagine an iPad mini fitting in well with all of these devices in the bag. It’ll be a dedicated reading device, first and foremost — but if my iPhone runs out of battery, I can switch to the tablet to carry on watching something on YouTube as a backup plan.

A £42 discount may seem small, but much like the iPad mini, it can make a big difference in how it can benefit me and how I use my daily devices. Regardless of what Apple may be cooking up for iPadOS 18 next year, I’m happy to go in blind, and simply enjoy what the iPad mini, the best option in the lineup for me, can offer.

The iPad mini turned 11 years old this month. It debuted on November 11, 2012, and while the latest sixth-generation version is undoubtedly the best iPad mini yet, you won’t find Apple crowing about it.

That’s largely down to the fact that this model is over two years old now, but there’s still an element of confusion about just what Apple wants the iPad mini to be. Granted, it’s powerful, but not as powerful as its bigger brothers — and it’s portable, but not as portable as an iPhone. It’s also missing some of the features of recent iPadOS updates.

And yet, there’s an argument that, not only does the iPad mini need to be on par with Apple’s other tablets — it also needs to be the best of the iPad lineup.

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It’s not about the size

The iPad mini is an excellent small tablet, especially in its most recent incarnation. While many manufacturers have seemingly moved away from launching smaller tablets such as Samsung, Apple remains a great way to get into the iPad — or the tablet ecosystem as a whole.

The ninth-generation iPad is surely not long for this world after being on sale for two years now. The tenth-generation iPad is priced at just $50 less than the iPad mini — it’s fair to say I’ve been asked more than a few times of which one is better.

Despite the base iPad’s larger display, I’d almost always suggest plumping for the iPad mini. It’s got a faster chip, the same camera (which is easier to use on a smaller device), and it supports the Apple Pencil 2nd Generation — which means no jamming one end of it into your tablet.

It’s a great entry-level tablet that can slide into your jeans pocket and be ready for note-taking in seconds, but it’s time for Apple to make it a must-have.

A PC in your pocket

I’ve been using an iPad Pro for years, and much like my MacBook Pro confession, I don’t need it — I just can’t imagine giving up the display.

That makes it an ancillary device that, for the most part, I use as an extra monitor, an occasional games console, or a lightweight way to get work done without lugging a MacBook everywhere.

The iPad mini, if priced a little lower, could be a perfect way to get that same functionality in a drastically smaller package. And, while the A15 inside isn’t exactly slow, it’s not quite up to the laptop level of performance offered by an M-series chip.

Apple has an opportunity, even if it doesn’t change the iPad mini’s price, to make it a must-have for portable working - give it an M2 (or the M3) and get it running Stage Manager. For those unaware, this is Apple's latest effort to bring multitasking to the iPad, but this feature has not been without struggles since it debuted in iPadOS 16.

In iPadOS 17 however, Stage Manager saw plenty of its bugs squashed, and you could move apps around the display more freely. When you consider this paired with the USB-C port already found on the iPad mini, this could feasibly lead to a scenario where you can pick up the smallest iPad, plug it into a display, and have a bona fide computer that, when you’re done, will fit in your pocket.

Of course, iPad mini can already be mirrored to an external display, but the addition of Stage Manager, and extending the display rather than mirroring it, would mean being able to properly work or play on a larger display, all hooked up to a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

There are other improvements I’d like to see for the iPad Mini in 2024 (thinner bezels, the camera on the landscape edge, maybe even ProMotion), but an upgrade to an M-series processor could make the iPad mini a must-buy for newcomers to the ecosystem - and tempting for those already entrenched in it.

What do you think? Am I asking too much from Apple for its mini tablet? Let me know your thoughts in the iMore Forums.

Rumors of a next-generation iPad mini have circulated for a while now, yet we’re still waiting for an upgrade to Apple’s tiny tablet. According to a new report, the iPad mini 7 will be released slightly later than anticipated in 2024 alongside another affordable iPad.

Ming-Chi Kuo, writing on Medium, reports that the iPad mini 7 will enter mass production in the second half of 2024, a slight delay on the previously reported Q1 2024 prediction. This hints at a potential Autumn release, perfect for the holiday season.

The iPad mini 6 was released in 2021 and is starting to lag behind the other iPads in Apple’s lineup due to an older A15 Bionic chip compared to the M-series chips found in the iPad Air and iPad Pro models. Not only is the hardware showing its age, the iPad mini 6 suffers from “jelly scrolling” that causes a wave-like effect when scrolling through pages.

According to Kuo, the iPad mini 7 will be joined alongside a new 11th-generation iPad that will likely enter production around the same time. New refreshes to the mini and the iPad will overhaul Apple’s iPad lineup, with the company expected to discontinue the iPad 9th generation by the end of 2024.

2024, the year of the iPad?

With rumors of a new larger 12.9 inch iPad Air and a massive OLED display upgrade coming to the iPad Pro in 2024, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to Apple’s tablets. That said, for years, the iPad’s hardware has outpaced the software experience of the device, so hopefully, if Apple plans to refresh the iPad landscape in 2024, we’ll also get some major changes to iPadOS 18.

If you’re looking to pick up an iPad before the end of the year or maybe purchase one as a holiday gift, Black Friday is just around the corner, and iMore has you covered for all the best iPad Black Friday deals.

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It's great to be back in the wonderful world of iPad mini.

When Apple announced its "Scary Fast" event, it was obvious that the event would be focused around the Mac. Apple made that painfully obvious by even including the Finder icon in the teaser for the event. However, there was a late rumor that the company — in addition to unveiling new chips and new Macs — might also mention an update to the iPad mini.

While the M3 chips, new MacBook Pro, and new iMac all came true, a new iPad mini unfortunately didn't. I was disappointed. I have been holding on to my 5th generation iPad Air for a while now, knowing that I wanted to make the switch to the iPad mini instead. But, after thinking through it, I decided to make the leap anyway and traded my iPad Air in for the current 6th generation iPad mini.

Here's why.

I'll get that sweet screen when it's ready

When I think about what I was hoping for in a 7th-generation iPad mini, an upgrade to the display was at the top of my list. Specifically, I've been hoping that Apple would finally upgrade the mini from an LCD display to an OLED one.

I'm a sucker for OLED. After buying my first OLED television a few years ago, I've been completely sold on the incredible contrast, colors, and true blacks that you get from an OLED. LCD displays, especially when trying to show darker colors, have been completely ruined for me. I love having an OLED display on my iPhone 15 Pro, so I've been hoping the company would bring the display technology to the iPad mini as well.

Don't get me wrong. I will be immediately upgrading to a new iPad mini if it comes with an OLED display. That one thing will get me to upgrade. However, I'm not losing any display quality by switching from the Air to the mini right now anyway. I'm just getting a smaller display which is part of the whole point.

What I want from an iPad has changed

When I bought the iPad Air, I had an older MacBook Pro and had bought into this idea that I would use the iPad to do a lot of work — like writing — especially since Apple makes that really sweet Magic Keyboard. I was going to try living in that weird "what's a computer" world and the iPad would become my primary device.

For me, that experiment failed — especially after I bought my M2 MacBook Air. I found myself barely ever using the iPad Air and Magic Keyboard to do anything productive. Whether it be work-related or personal, I found myself using my iPhone and my Mac as my main devices. The iPad Air started to sit, encased in the Magic Keyboard, slowly draining battery life.

In fact — most of the time — the iPad would be dead when I finally thought up a reason to use it. That made it pretty easy to know that the iPad's role in my life had changed. When I thought about what I wanted to do that my Mac and iPhone were great at, I came to a very quick conclusion: reading.

I love reading and even subscribe to Apple News+ through my Apple One subscription, but I found myself barely using any device to read news, books, or magazines — even my iPad Air felt weird since it felt huge. I missed reading all of these things, so the decision became very easy for me.

There was one area of my life that wasn't solved by my iPhone or my Mac, but there was an iPad that could solve it: the iPad mini.

I'm loving living with mini

I'm about a week into the switch now and can confidently say that I made the right call for myself here. The iPad mini is perfect as a reading device and I'm already finding myself reading more news from Apple News, magazines from Apple News+, and books from Apple Books. I'm also using the device to watch YouTube or Twitch while I'm working on something at my desk, which has been a nice addition.

The real test will be when I fly. I can't deny that the iPad Air with the Magic Keyboard was a fantastic laptop replacement for flying, so this will be the one area in which I will lose some previous functionality. However, if I'm being honest, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I used that time to relax and read rather than find another way to keep working.

While time will tell, I think the iPhone, MacBook Air, and iPad mini are the perfect setup for me.

The iPad mini 6 is over two years old, and each passing day makes me shed a tear that I still can’t use my favorite iPad form factor because of one silly issue that I just can’t overlook.

I remember buying the first iPad mini in 2012 while I was still at high school, working weekends to fund the Apple products that I could never properly afford. The iPad mini was my first ever iPad, and I loved it. It was so cool to have a much bigger experience than my iPhone without forking out (what felt like at the time to teenage me) crazy money for the larger iPad.

Nearly ten years later, I purchased an iPad mini 6, and I fell in love again with the form factor, perfect for checking the web while I watch TV or playing fun games with a way more ergonomic form factor. It was one of my favorite ever Apple purchases, but I sold it two months later.

I’m a sucker for refresh rates, and whatever Apple did with the iPad mini 6 is just horrifying for someone susceptible to motion sickness and smooth scrolling. Jelly scrolling, as it's called, is a phenomenon present on the mini 6 that means that using the device has an almost wave-like effect. It renders the device almost unusable for me because one side of the Retina display refreshes significantly slower than the other. It’s awful and renders an incredible piece of kit essentially useless for many people.

So when Apple announced an October event, I hoped for the iPad mini 7 to appear…

I need a hero

I waited with bated breath, hoping that the rumors of an iPad mini 7 that came out of nowhere just a few days before the event were true. Unfortunately for me, just like every other iPad mini owner wanting to update their small iPad, the event came and went with no iPad mini to show for it.

As someone who loves the iPad mini form factor, I’ve been waiting so long for Apple to not only put the same specs as some of the larger iPads into the smaller device but also fix this issue that has plagued the iPad mini for over two years. I’d love an iPad mini 7 with a ProMotion 120Hz display and an M2 chip, or maybe even the brand-new M3 chip, but who am I kidding? 

The next iPad mini will never have the same specs as an iPad Pro, and while that makes me sad, I just want an iPad mini without the nauseating wave that Apple hasn’t addressed for far too long.

So please, Apple, make 2024 the year of the iPad mini, where the unloved smaller sibling gets a huge refresh and a display that’s fit for purpose. Not only would you make this Scotsman very happy, but I’m pretty sure there are many people waiting for their next iPad, and they don’t want to be sailing the seven seas as they use it.

Apple has today announced not just one, but three new chips. Say hello to the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max.

This is the first time that Apple has unveiled three new chips at the same time with Apple going all-in on TSMC's new 3nm manufacturing process. That's the same process that was used to build the A17 Pro chip that powers the iPhone 15 Pro.

In terms of performance, Apple says that we can expect a "monstrous" performance improvement over the M1 chips still powering some of its machines, while also using around half of the power. That should make the chips particularly impressive when used in portable machines like the MacBook Air, for example. Each chip features local memory, dynamic caching, and more.

So long M2

Apple's M2 chip was no slouch, unveiled in June of 2022, the base chip brought with it an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. The M2 Pro has a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU, while the Max offers the same CPU core with either 30 or 38 GPU cores. Still at large is the impressive M2 Ultra, two M2 Max chips connected to create a 24-core CPU and up to 72 GPU cores.

However, things are getting moved up a notch for the M3 family of devices.

In terms of the M3, that comes with a 10-core GPU and an 8-core CPU which Apple says makes it a 65% faster chip than the M3.

Moving on to the M3 Pro, that comes with up to a 12-core CPU and 18-core GPU with Apple claiming a speed boost of 45% over the M1 Pro.

At the top of the lineup, we have the M3 Max — a chip that comes with up to a 16-core CPU and a massive 40-core GPU. All of that means that these will be the fastest chips that Apple has ever offered.

All of these new chips are set to power Apple's latest round of devices including new laptops like the updated M3 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros. Apple also finally updated the 24-inch iMac to add an M3 chip, making it a considerably better buy than the outdated M1 version from 2021.

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A resubmission to a battery database has given credence that a new iPad mini could be revealed at Apple’s 'Scary Fast' event later today.

According to MacRumors, a few resubmissions were made to a Chinese regulatory database for batteries last week. Included in these were for a MacBook Pro, a keyboard accessory, and an iPad mini.

It goes on to state that battery submissions were previously made for the Apple Watch Series 9. But it was filed under the Series 8, due to both having the same battery capacities. The same applies to these submissions, so we may be seeing a new iPad mini with the same battery capacity as the iPad mini 6.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that we may be seeing all three of these new products at Apple’s event later today. The company is set to announce the new Apple silicon M3 chip, which will allegedly be part of a new iMac and new MacBook Pros. So a new keyboard for the new iMac would make sense.

An iPad mini 7 was previously rumored to arrive by the end of the year, so seeing this later wouldn’t be a surprise to some. But as it’s not seen an update since 2021, many are hoping to see some big upgrades to the smallest iPad rather than an iterative one.

A big deal in a small package?

While the iPad mini 6 is no slouch, many want to see ProMotion land on the tablet. It’s in the MacBook Pros, the iPad Pros, and the iPhone 13 Pro models and up which runs displays up to 120Hz, resulting in a much smoother experience as you scroll through your apps and more. 

The difference between using an iPad that has this feature, and one that doesn’t, can be very noticeable as you play a game or even browse the web. There’s also the ‘jelly scroll’ effect that’s in the iPad mini 6 as well. So while it’s likely that we may see an A16 chip come to the new model, seeing ProMotion and a fix to ‘jelly scroll’ could tempt plenty of users to upgrade to a new iPad mini.

Apple’s event looks set to be filled with a bunch of announcements that will please many users. From gaming to iMac fans, it looks to be a fantastic watch once it starts later at 5 PM PT.

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An iPad refresh has been long overdue, with some models like the iPad Air and mini set to get new chips. While there have been several rumors about the refresh for a while now, there hadn't be a clarity on when exactly to expect them. A fresh set of rumors now muddies the waters, with conflicting information coming from different reputed sources.

A fresh rumor today from Supercharged claimed Apple is launching new iPads this week, specifically upgrades to the iPad Air, mini, and base iPad, with announcements happening as early as October 17. However, top Apple insider Mark Gurman, in his latest Power On newsletter, said that they're coming this year, but not this month.

New iPads (or not) next week with refreshed chips

The refreshed iPad, iPad Air, and mini will come with fresh chips, says the report by Superchagred, aligning with previous reports. The announcement will apparently happen via planned media briefings with select media members. The report has also been corroborated by 9to5Mac through its own sources.

However, Gurman said in his latest newsletter that the launch positively won't happen in October. Gurman wrote, "More often than not, the company debuts new laptops and iPads in October — about a month after the latest iPhone and watch get out the door. And while I reported in July that Apple was planning such a release this year, the latest indications are that it won’t happen this month."

While the trajectory would definitely line up, Gurman is often on top of releases, especially something this sizeable. However, Supercharged and 9to5Mac seem confident with their reporting. The best thing to do would be to wait until the next week to see if Apple actually launches these new iPads.

The new iPads likely won't get much more than the newer chips, but Apple is apparently looking to fix the jelly scrolling display issue with the next iPad mini. The iPad Air 6, one of Apple's best iPads, is also rumored to get two variants this time.

Rumors of the iPad Pro making the switch to an OLED display in 2024 have been rife for months now, and it looks increasingly likely that the tablet will be the best iPad to date by some margin. But it looks increasingly likely that we might not have to buy an iPad Pro to get an OLED display in the future.

That's because a new report builds on previous claims that Apple intends to bring OLED displays to more of its tablets including the iPad mini and iPad Air. It's unlikely that OLED will arrive in time for the next iterations of those tablets, but it might be ready in time for the one after that.

If so, it's possible that the majority of Apple's tablet lineup will have OLED displays within the next few years — starting with that 2024 M3 iPad.

OLED for all

This is all according to the Korean social media website Naver and a user who has so far proven relatively accurate with previous reports. The post was first reported by MacRumors and claims that both the iPad Air and the iPad mini will follow in the iPad Pro's footsteps and use OLED displays in the future.

This matches a previous report by the research outfit Omdia which claimed that Apple was indeed looking to bring more iPads over to OLED.

In terms of timescales, it looks increasingly likely that we will see the iPad Air 6 and iPad mini 7 within the next few months which means the OLED models would likely launch around 2026, but Apple's plans could change between now and then. Neither of the new models are expected to bring wholesale changes to the table and will likely instead be simple specification bumps with upgraded chips.

The current iPad mini 6 has been around since September of 2021 which means that it's getting a little long in the tooth at this point. The release of the iPad mini 7 will surely happen eventually, but it appears we should start to temper our expectations ahead of that happening.

That's after a new leak which suggests that the new tablet will be little more than a simple spec bump, with no big upgrades en route. And in particular, those hoping for an upgraded display should probably start looking elsewhere.

In particular, cold water has now been poured on any hope that the iPad mini will get a feature currently only offered on the best iPads — 120Hz ProMotion.

No fast refresh rate for you

ProMotion is currently only available on iPad Pro models, including the latest M2 iPad Pro. It's a feature that gives the iPad a variable refresh rate that can go all the way to 120Hz for a buttery-smooth scrolling and animation experience. But that now seems unlikely to come to the iPad mini next time out after leaker @Tech_Reve posted on X to claim it simply won't be on the iPad mini 7's spec sheet.

The report notes that while 120Hz ProMotion won't be added, the new iPad mini will get an upgraded A-series chip but that seems to be all. Hopes of a big new design refresh will likely be dashed, not that there were many to begin with given the fact the current model matches Apple's iPad's latest design language.

The obvious question now is whether Apple will have made changes to the display under the hood in an attempt to deal with the uneven refresh rate issue found on the iPad mini 6. That issue causes one side of the display to appear to move before the other when scrolling, an effect dubbed "jelly scrolling." Apple said in 2021 that this was simply a byproduct of using LCD technology, but here's hoping that some software magic will be employed to minimize the impact.

It’s been more than a year since we got a new iPad Air model, with the M1 revision of Apple’s premium-but-not-Pro tablet option landing in March 2022. The long wait may soon be over though — Apple is said to be planning not one, but two new iPad Air models.

That’s according to a report from 9to5Mac, whose sources suggest a larger model could join the 10.9-inch build Apple already makes. In fact, there’d be four new models, if you’re counting the Wi-Fi and Cellular+Wi-Fi designations as separate.

The iPad Air 6 (if you want to call it that, being the sixth-generation of the iPad variant) could introduce "a more expensive model with better specs” according to the report.

While 9to5Mac concedes Apple’s plans could change, we can’t help but feel that’d be a wise move. Apple’s iPad line-up, consisting of an entry-level iPad, the iPad Mini 6, an iPad Air 5th generation and two different-sized iPad Pro models is already fractured enough. Issues like variations in keyboard cases, Pencil compatibility and more make it already easy for consumers to feel choice paralysis for Apple’s tablet range, and this move wouldn’t help that.

What is a worthy question to ask though is whether or not the proposed new iPad Air will land this side of 2024 or not — if it slips back to a launch window early next year, you’d imagine buyers might wonder if the M3 chipsets will be waiting just over the horizon. If Apple can get an iPad Air out before the end of the year, it might represent one last hurrah for the M2 silicon. The report puts a release window of “between now and WWDC 2024 in June”, so it’s anyone’s guess…

iPad Mini and a new keyboard too

In addition to the new iPad Air models, the same source states that the long-awaited iPad Mini 7 is still on its way, set to launch ‘soon’ too. It’s by far the iPad most in need of an update at this point, having not been refreshed since September 2021 and packing an underclocked A15 Bionic chip.

Finally, a previous rumor of a revised Magic Keyboard for iPad is further strengthened, with the source pointing to a new ‘R219’ codename keyboard case. It’s said to have an aluminum shell, a larger trackpad and built in sensors including an accelerometer, with the expectation being it'll be sold as an accompaniment to iPad Pro.

Apple traditionally hosts a Fall event where new entries in the iPad and desktop Mac ranges are revealed, but iPad and Mac product launches seem to have fallen out of step with their traditional windows. Fingers crossed we’ll still see some new gear before the end of the year.

The iPad mini has seen a few deals over the last couple of months, and now it’s reduced by a whopping $100 over at Amazon. Though it’s a slightly older tablet, it’s still Apple’s newest mini, and with no concrete sign of a follow-up device, this is a bargain price that’s well worth taking advantage of.

iPad mini $100 off

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The iPad mini is still an excellent tablet, even as rumors surface that it could receive an update sooner rather than later. With its 8.3-inch display, it’s a stunningly compact device, and the A15 Bionic chip under the hood keeps it running smoothly over the course of its life. There’s 4GB of RAM for all that multitasking, and there are even smart cover accessories like keyboards for those who want a small touchscreen laptop replacement.

It’s the perfect iPad for students as we enter Back to School as well, as you can easily slip it into a bag or rucksack and take it to college or high school. Apple Pencil support is great for some sketching and even note-taking too, and the aforementioned keyboard covers make for a great portable laptop replacement.

This deal doesn’t quite bring the tablet down to its lowest price, but it is only around $25 off that mark. The last time that price was seen was Prime Day last month, although it’s still worth grabbing at this price rather than waiting for another event to come along. The iPad mini could be getting a replacement soon in the iPad mini 7, and the only deals on the tablet then may well be on older, remaining stock — or there simply might not be any available at all, as the new model replaces this one on store shelves.

Don’t be too worried about buying an older device like the iPad mini 6 either — it’s still going to have years of software support, and its powerful chip is plenty enough to run modern apps and games.

If you've been waiting to buy an all-new iPad mini, you might not have to wait much longer.

Alongside hinting towards a new color for both Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, regular Apple product leaker ShimpApplePro has also tweeted that a new iPad mini is coming, likely to be the mini 7.

No more details were given, but their track record in the past leads us to believe that there could be some truth to this. ShrimpApplePro correctly predicted the design of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max back in 2022, for example, and has been sharing information on the ports for iPhone 15.

But it does feel like the right time for the iPad mini to get an update - with the mini 6 being released in September 2021, it could be a great time for students and those looking for a Christmas gift to buy the latest and greatest iPad mini this year.

And while those patiently waiting for an improved iPad mini may be hoping for camera improvements or even new colors, there's one feature that many of us are hoping to see.

ProMotion to the future

Granted, we're most likely to see a chip upgrade in any potential new model, alongside some camera improvements that could give the iPad mini 7, such as Portrait Mode and ProRes recording.

All of these would be great to have for Apple's smaller tablet, but ProMotion could be the one that would make iPad mini the tablet to buy.

For those unaware, it's a display feature that runs certain displays at 120hz, so you can swipe, consume and create content at a silky-smooth framerate. This is a feature that's available on iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and the Pro iPhone models since the 13 Pro.

But to have the mini with ProMotion as you're swiping between comics, playing Stardew Valley on Apple Arcade, and simply browsing the web in Safari, could be a great experience for those who just prefer to have a smaller iPad.

Are you hoping to see an iPad mini 7 also get ProMotion, or something else? Be sure to let us know in the iMore Forums.

Apple's iPad mini is a fabulous little tablet that is perfect for anyone on the go. It's got the superb A15 Bionic chip, and thanks to its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, it's one of the best iPads Apple makes. 

Fun-sized, and with cellular options to boot, this is a great iPad for anyone who doesn't want to lug around a larger tablet. It's also a good bit cheaper than some of its larger cousins, never more though than thanks to this fantastic Amazon Prime Day saving.

Right now the iPad mini is just $379, the lowest price it has ever registered since its release in September 2021, making it not only the best Prime Day iPad deals we've seen thus far, but one of the best Apple deals on Prime Day overall. 

Small tablet. Big saving.

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The iPad mini boasts many of the awesome features that make all of Apple's iPads great. Namely, Center Stage, a great chip, the App Store, USB-C, fetching colors, and support for the Apple Pencil. 

Thanks to its design language upgrade a couple of years ago, it now packs more screen real estate than ever before into its diminutive form factor. It also has Touch ID built into the top button.

That Bionic chip will run iPadOS 17 no bother, and likely provide software updates and support for years to come. 

It might not have the 120Hz display of the iPad Pro, but for the size and the price, this is a tremendous tablet, especially for young children and older relatives, as it's a great starter tablet and the perfect first rung on the Apple ladder. 

Amazon Prime Day kicks off this week, but there are already some great deals to be found on all your favorite tech, if you know where to look.

Right now, we're seeing great prices on three of Apple's best iPads, the iPad 9th generation, the 10th generation, and the iPad mini. 

The latter has a fantastic 20% discount, with a saving of $100 on the base price of $499, now just $399. Likewise, the 10th-gen iPad is down to $399, and the 9th-gen iPad is just $269. While that might not be the best price we've seen on that last one, it's still incredible value for an entry-level tablet. With its Home Button and headphone jack, it's perfect for kids and those who are new to tablet and touchscreen technology. 

Early Prime Day iPad deals

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

If you move fast, you can get a brand new iPad for less and avoid the Prime Day rush. Our pick of the bunch here is the iPad 10th gen, just because of how generous this discount is on one of Apple's newer products. The mini is a great choice for people who want a tiny tablet for on-the-go. 

If you're in the hunt for something heftier, the best Prime Day iPad deals also include savings on the iPad Air and impressive iPad Pro. 

The iPad mini, while the smallest iPad in the range, isn't the cheapest. This deal for buyers in the UK, makes it a great deal more affordable with a £70 discount on full price.

Retailer Argos has dropped the price on the littlest iPad, giving more users a chance to get one for less. It's on all the color options as well, so no matter the iPad mini you're after you'll get the saving.

iPad mini Savings in the UK

The iPad mini 6 is one of the older models in the range, being the first iPad that got the current facelift. First introduced in 2021, it's still a very solid tablet with plenty of power on tap. It easily makes our list of the best iPads, and it's a great option if you're looking for something that's a little smaller than the rest of the line.

You can get all the same iPad accessories for this as you can the rest of the range, including a smart keyboard, and it works with the Apple Pencil 2 stylus. Remember to grab one of the best iPad mini cases and the best iPad mini screen protector to make sure that your new tablet is protected from drops, falls, and other types of damage.

With WWDC 2023 around the corner, we may well see some kind of inkling as to when a new iPad mini might be coming in the future, and if nothing else, we should see some updates to iPadOS. We're only a month away now, so keep an eye out for our coverage.

Apple's iPad mini 7 should arrive before the end of 2024 but don't expect a major overhaul. The iPad mini 6 was a serious upgrade that brought a new design to the table along with the A15 Bionic chip, Center Stage, and 5G. 

To that end, the iPad mini 7 for 2024 is expected to be little more than a processor update, but that doesn't mean it won't be worth your time. But what can we expect from Apple's tiny tablet this time around? It's looking like little more than a processor bump at this stage. Here's everything we know about the iPad mini 7 so far. 

iPad mini 7: Release date rumors

While renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated in December 2022, Kuo reported that Apple was working on an iPad mini and that it would be coming at the end of 2023 or the start of 2024, no new iPad mini has been forthcoming. Apple is reportedly planning a new OLED iPad Pro with M3 and a new iPad Air 6 for a launch in May of 2024. However, we're likely going to have to wait a bit longer for the iPad mini 7. 

Our most recent and best information comes from top insider Mark Gurman. He reports that Apple's iPad mini is in development alongside a new iPad 11, but that neither is likely to arrive before the end of 2024 "at the earliest." As such, a fall launch of the new iPad mini is possible, but don't rule out early 2025 either. 

iPad mini 7: New rumored features

The last update for the iPad mini was a big one so it's unlikely the iPad mini 7 will be quite as seismic. Instead, it's likely to be a more iterative update. Bloomerg's Mark Gurman reported in May that the new iPad mini 7 "won’t include much more than a processor upgrade."

However, there are a couple of features we're hopeful about. Here's what we're thinking.

Smart Connector

The iPad mini lacks a smart connector like the bigger iPad models. If Apple were to add one to the next iPad mini, it would bring its feature set in line. Such a connector would mean you could hook up a keyboard like you can with the iPad Pro or the iPad 10th gen. Count on seeing special attachments to expand your options too if this happens.

A17 processor

Fresh leaks from within Apple's code in July point to the iPad mini 7 getting Apple's potent A17 chip, borrowed from the iPhone 15 Pro. According to reports, Apple is planning two iPad mini models, a Wi-Fi, and a Cellular version, both equipped with the A17 chip.  Apple's A17 Bionic chip comes with six cores, four efficiency and two performance, along with 8GB of LPDDR5. 

It's unclear if Apple will use the A17 Pro chip from the iPhone 15 Pro, or a slightly dumbed-down version dubbed A17 Bionic. If it's the fully-fledged Pro version, the new iPad mini 7 could support hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and Apple Intelligence. If it's not the whole hog, some features might not make the cut. 

Design

Given that the iPad mini 6 was a big design shake-up, it's unlikely that the outward appearance of the tablet is going to change at all. More likely is a selection of new colors. The latest iPad 10th gen comes in cool shades like yellow so we might see that with the new iPad mini. Leaks regarding the iPhone 15 Pro suggest a new deep, wine-like red color so we could see the iPad mini 7 available in this color scheme too.

Display

One of the biggest problems with the previous iPad mini 6 was the Jelly Scrolling that came with its screen. Users found that when scrolling on the iPad mini 6, there was a small delay on the screen that created a wobbling effect akin to Jelly. It’s due to the refresh rate of the LED screen.

There are reports that Apple won't update the iPad mini 7 to a 120Hz ProMotion display. Instead, Apple is expected to rotate the display materials to make jelly scrolling less pronounced in portrait mode. 

There is a new rumor as well that the next iPad mini might have the OLED panel from the recently released iPad Pro M4 models — and according to reports, it looks like Samsung has already started screen creation ready to be checked by Apple. That could also mean we might see ProMotion, and the final nail in the coffin of the Jelly Scrolling phenomenon.

iPad Mini 7: Price

The iPad mini 6 costs a lot more than the iPad mini 5, so it's unlikely we'll see much of a price increase with the iPad mini 7. Apple tends to increase prices substantially when it's revamped something like with the iPad 10th gen. Iterative updates generally cost similar sums to the previous model. 

If that happens, the iPad mini 7 would retail from around $499, with increases for the cellular version and more storage.

If the rumors about the OLED panel are correct, however, then we might see a rise in the price tag. The newly released iPad Pro models with OLED panels both saw the prices rise by $200, so we might see something similar with the iPad mini 7.

What we’d like to see from the iPad mini 7

The iPad mini continues to be one of our favorite tablets in the iPad lineup, easily deserving its place among the best iPads. Rumors around what might happen next only make us more excited for an update. In the meantime, if you're looking for a currently released iPad, the best iPad deals can help.

Should I buy an iPad mini 6 now, or wait for the 7?

The iPad mini 6 is still on sale at the moment, but if you want the most up to date model then you should wait for the iPad mini 7 to be released. It looks like it will be coming later this year, so you don't have long to go iPad-less.

Of course, if you want to save money instead then now is a great time to buy an iPad mini 6, as the prices are dropping. Those prices could drop even further over the course of the year so it's well worth keeping an eye on them.

If you've been watching the iPad mini for a little while, then now is your time to hit the buy button. It has returned to its lowest-ever price, with a $100 discount at Amazon. This price has reared its head a few times before, but it soon heads back up to full price. It's unlikely to see much more of a drop than this either, so if you're after a small tablet at a great price, then now's your moment.

If you're looking for one of the other iPad models, then we've put all the best iPad deals and sales in one place, so that you can find one that works for you.

iPad mini back at lowest ever price

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The iPad mini is a little powerhouse of a tablet. The smaller 8.3-inch screen means that it's even more portable than its big siblings, and the A15 Bionic processor means you can get actual work done on it. It's compatible with the second generation Apple Pencil as well for the artists amongst us.

It's the perfect iPad for students too, fitting effortlessly into a school bag or rucksack. There's a camera on the back as well, so you won't get caught without one when you're out and about. Of all the iPads, it's possibly the most versatile, fitting a wider variety of use cases than the other models.

When you pick one up, make sure you remember to grab one of the best cases for iPad mini so that it's good and protected.

Anyone hoping to pick up a fresh new iPad this year might be best waiting until 2024, if a new report turns out to be accurate.

That report claims that Apple's 2023 iPad refreshes will feature minimal improvements — if those iPads are refreshed at all. Instead, it's thought that Apple will have its big new updates ready for 2024 with the iPad Pro, in particular, benefiting from a new display technology.

Those hoping for a larger iPad will also have to wait a little while longer.

Waiting game

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing via the weekly Power On newsletter, reports that he doesn't expect any major updates to the iPad lineup in 2023. That means that those holding out for a new design or big new features might be better off holding onto their money for another year.

Gurman writes that while we've heard rumors of new, larger iPad tablets, they won't be ready this year. He says that he's been "told not to expect those this year." Apple had been rumored to have designs on a 14-inch iPad, but that now seems unlike to arrive any time soon.

As for the iPad Pro, Gurman writes that the 11-inch and 12.9-inch tablets won't get a new refresh until the first half of 2024. However, those updates might be worth the wait with a new design and OLED displays thought to be in the cards. The use of OLED would be the first for any iPad and could allow for improved color reproduction and better contrast.

As for the iPad mini, iPad Air, and base model iPad, Gurman points to minor spec bumps as the likely case for 2023. But he does also suggest that we might not see any new updates at all, although that seems unlikely.

With Apple possibly having a year off in terms of big iPad updates, all eyes will be on the rumored AR/VR headset that is now expected to debut within the next few months.

Prolific Apple analyst and insider Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is planning a new iPad mini for the end of 2023 or the first half of 2024 that will see a new processor feature as its main upgrade. 

In a new leak posted Tuesday, Kuo first took time to quell any rumors that a new foldable iPad would be a replacement for the iPad mini in 2025, stating the price of a folding iPad would be "significantly higher" than the iPad mini. 

Kuo then went on to tease a new upgrade for the iPad mini coming at the end of next year. 

2023/24 iPad mini

"Apple is currently developing a new iPad mini (the main selling point is to be equipped with a new processor), which is expected to ship in large quantities by the end of 2023 or 1H24," Kuo stated in a tweet on Tuesday.

This seems to indicate we can expect a fairly long wait before Apple's next iPad mini. Apple's current iPad mini was unveiled in September 2021 alongside the iPhone 13. It remains one of the best iPads for portability and ease of use thanks to its size and low price. 

In terms of a processor upgrade, the iPad mini currently sports an A15 Bionic chip with a 6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, a 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. 

Possible upgrades could include the A16 from the iPhone 14 Pro, or the M1 or M2 chip from Apple's Mac line that has more recently been pushed to both the iPad Pro and the iPad Air. 

Given Kuo's timeframe, it seems most likely this iPad could debut in Apple's fall event lineup in 2023, or perhaps at the early spring event in 2024, given the wide range given by Kuo this definitely doesn't seem locked in at this point. 

Given a new processor is the "main selling point" of the new iPad mini, it seems unlikely this version will herald any major design changes or groundbreaking new features. 

As Christmas draws ever closer, so does the need to find a gift in the nick of time - thankfully, there are loads of deals on the hottest kit. One such deal this Christmas period is this $100 saving on the iPad Mini - making it a great big gift for someone special. This is still the lowest price we've seen on the tablet, and we can't see it going much lower any time soon - and stock is well known for not lasting very long with this tablet, so if you're looking to get one wrapped up this year, you'll likely have to move fast.

Grab an iPad Mini for Christmas this year with $100 off

• More iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Walmart 

The iPad Mini 6 may be small, but it's packed with features. While Apple's 'all-screen' design may not be as 'all-screen' as its competitors, it's still shrunk the bezels around the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display enough for them to be less of an eyesore, and the A15 Bionic chip keeps everything buzzing away with aplomb. For artists, there's support for Apple Pencil 2, so it's the perfect gift for the sketcher on the go, and it's the perfect size to read comics and magazines on as well.

When you grab the iPad Mini as a gift, don't forget to stick one of the best iPad Mini 6 cases and one of the best screen protectors for iPad Mini 6 under the tree - it's always a good idea to keep these devices protected. There are loads of other Apple deals around in the run-up to Christmas, and we know to find all the best iPad sales and deals. 

Another iPad is being ferried across the waters of Lake Vintage straight toward Obsolete Island.

In an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, the company announced that it would be adding all WiFi and Cellular models of the third-generation iPad mini to its list of obsolete products. According to the memo, the change hasn't been made just yet but will in a couple of weeks, so Apple seems to be giving its teams a heads-up to be ready for the change.

The report notes that "a specific cellular variant of the ‌iPad mini‌ 3 is marked as obsolete" already, but that is now being extended to the entire third-generation lineup.

What happens if my iPad mini is obsolete?

Once the third-generation iPad mini models are officially on the obsolete list, they will no longer be able to receive hardware service from a repair center, meaning that customers can no longer get them repaired by Apple or one of its Authorized Service Providers. They can still get it repaired by a third party, but those repairs will no longer be backed by Apple's warranty.

Products that are obsolete are different than those that have been added to the company's vintage list. You still have some support options with Apple when your product becomes vintage. Owners of an iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, or Apple TV can still get service or parts for the device from Apple or a third-party service provider for at least five years after the company last sold the device. In some cases where the law requires, that amount of time jumps to seven years for parts and service.

However, that ship has sailed for the third-generation iPad mini. Have one? The iPad mini 6 is out now and is an enormous upgrade from that model. In fact, it's a huge upgrade from the fourth and fifth generation as well, so just pick that up no matter which other iPad mini you have.

You're the proud owner of the compact powerhouse, iPad mini 6 and loving how speedy it is for the size. While technically you can use any keyboard with your mini 6, you don't want some big and bulky keyboard that takes away the diminutive iPad mini 6's portability advantage. We've rounded up some mini keyboards sized just for the littlest tablet as well as some full-sized (but streamlined) keyboards. 

Here are the best keyboards for the iPad mini 6 that are sure to make you more productive on the move. You can even use them with other devices like your iPhone 15 Pro too. If you haven't bought an iPad mini 6 yet, consider checking out the latest iPad mini 7 rumors to see what to do.

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Q & A

The iPad mini 6 is great on its own, but if you do a lot of typing, you can boost your productivity with a keyboard. Any of the best wireless keyboards will work, but since you chose a smaller iPad, you'd probably prefer a smaller or more streamlined keyboard to keep the iPad mini ultra-portable.

I actually prefer keyboards that work with a variety of devices, as opposed to being tied to a single device. The Logitech Keys-to-Go is a classic keyboard that you can use with your iPad mini 6 and plenty of other devices, including iPads that you may buy in the future such as the iPad Pro (2022).

If you prefer a keyboard (and possibly a case) specifically for the iPad mini 6, the BORIYUAN iPad mini 6 Keyboard Case gives you the best of both worlds. It is a keyboard case, but the keyboard can be removed if you want to use the case without a keyboard or vice versa.

You can't go wrong with any of the keyboards on this list. Just don't forget an iPad mini 6 case and screen protector so your device remains free from damage.

For probably a very limited time, Amazon is offering the iPad mini 5 for $100 off the regular price. The deal isn't technically part of Prime Day, which means it's for anyone who visits the Amazon.com website. The promotion covers all iPad mini 5 versions, including the 64GB and 256GB models, with and without cellular. 

Launched in March 2021, the latest iPad mini has a lot of things going for it, starting with its incredible 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display that offers True Tone and wide color. The well-reviewed tablet is a premium device with Touch ID in its Sleep/Wake button for secure authentication and Apple Pay, a 12MP Wide back camera, a 12MP front camera with Center Stage, and landscape stereo speakers. It also supports ultrafast Wi-Fi 6. The iPad mini 5 comes in purple, Starlight, pink, and Space Gray. 

Currently, Amazon is offering huge discounts through its second Prime Day event of the year. However, unlike the July event, this one has a lot of deals on Apple products. They include $50 off the all-new Apple Watch Series 8 and the new lowest price for the 2022 AirPods Pro 2. In addition, the M1 MacBook Air is also available at its lowest price to date at the online retailer. 

And yet there's more. You can also find iPhone deals, Apple TV deals, and more.

The Prime Day event runs through tomorrow, October 12. So be sure to visit iMore often; we'll let you know when new deals get discovered — and whether these deals are worth it or if you should wait until an even better one posts later in the holiday shopping season. 

What you need to know

• Apple has made two more of its products 'Vintage'.
• The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 are now considered vintage products, having stopped sales more than 5 years ago.
• The iPad mini 2 was the first to feature a Retina display.

Apple has today made its iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 officially 'vintage' products.

As noted by MacRumors both have now been added to the list of Vintage products, designated as such by Apple when a device has not been on sale for more than five years but less than 7 years. From Apple's website:

The iPad Air 2 was Apple's sixth-generation of the tablet, building on the original iPad Air, designed to be a lighter and more mobile version of the original iPad. Released in October 2014, it featured an A8X processor and a 9.7-inch screen, powered by iOS 8.1.

The iPad mini was first launched in 2012 but came with a lowly A5 processor and no Retina display upgrades Apple reserved for the iPad mini 2 which came out in 2013. The iPad mini 2 featured an A7 processor. First dubbed the 'iPad mini with Retina display', it was renamed the iPad mini 2 following the advent of the iPad mini 3 the following year. Strangely, the iPad mini 3 was added to the vintage list by Apple before its predecessor.

Both the iPad mini 6 and the iPad Air continue to be two of Apple's best iPads today, and some of the best tablets in the industry.

What you need to know

• Otterbox has a new iPad mini 6 case for kids.
• It's called the EasyGrab 360° Tablet Case.
• It has a stand, antimicrobial properties, and great protection.

Otterbox has this week announced a new child-proof tablet for iPad mini.

The new Otterbox EasyGrab 360° Tablet Case helps to protect your iPad mini 6 from bumps, drops, scrapes, food, and more thanks to Otterbox's trademark protection. The EasyGrab has been designed especially for use with small hands to make it more accessible.

It also features antimicrobial properties to stop the build-up of germs and diseases, and the case has been designed for easy and frequent cleaning and sanitization. The Tablet Case also comes with a multi-use stand that gives you hands-free viewing angles and convenient carrying.

The case has a durable construction with a built-in screen protector, tested to outlast and heavy-duty use. It has grip ridges for easy holding and raised edges to protect both the screen and the camera. It also has an Apple Pencil slot for easy charging access.

The new case is available from Otterbox for $60 and comes in two fun colors, Galaxy Runner Blue and Martian Green.

The rugged design could make Otterbox's EasyGrab one of the Best rugged cases for iPad mini 6 in 2022. Apple's iPad mini was released last year in September, sporting an all-new design, the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, Center Stage, 5G, and more.

The best accessories for iPad mini 6 could be a case to keep it protected, a pencil to draw on it with, or an audio source to listen to videos at any point. The iPad mini 6 is a small powerhouse with the still quite good A15 Bionic chip, Ultra Wide 12MP front camera, and that 8.13-inch Liquid Retina Display, so it's worth getting some extras. 

Given that the appeal of the iPad mini 6 is its small size, you will want to pick out accessories that don't make it too bulky, whilst making it a more efficient, or more secure machine. 

The best keyboards for iPad mini 6 will add to it if you plan on using it on the go but this list will be focused on a broad range of accessories in all their forms. 

Here are the best accessories you can find for iPad mini 6.

Quick List

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Q & A

The iPad mini 6 is a great machine, and different people will find different ways to use it. The essential accessories for you will absolutely depend on how and where you use your iPad mini 6. If you're going to be doing a lot of creating, (hand) writing/note-taking, drawing, sketching, or painting, you'll certainly want an Apple Pencil 2 to go along with your iPad.

My iPad does quite a bit of traveling with me, so choosing one of the best cases for your iPad 6 is important. Choose the one that suits your needs the best, but I'm traveling with the ESR Ultra Slim Trifold iPad mini 6 Case right now and it's perfect for popping into my carry-on. It adds very little bulk to my iPad mini 6 and yet I feel the tablet is well-protected. It comes in a handful of nice colors from which to choose.

Keep in mind that the iPad mini 6 has a different form factor from all of the previous models. That means that any older cases or other form-fitted accessories are unlikely to fit.

Since its debut, deals on the iPad mini 6 have been incredibly hard to find. The diminutive tablet has rarely deviated from its retail price, even throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

However, Amazon is giving you the chance to save $50 on one right now with the 256GB model falling to $600 there. This is a match for the steepest discount we have ever seen for this iPad mini 6 model and the deal applies to space gray and starlight colorways right now.

Score the best price yet on Apple's cellular iPad mini

With the sixth-generation model, the iPad mini got a complete design overhaul. The device now has an edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display, similar to those found on the iPad Air 4 and latest iPad Pro models, and its screen size has increased to 8.3 inches without the overall footprint getting any bigger.

Gone are the 'forehead and chin' bezels, replaced by an all-screen design and Touch ID built into the top button. The device has also gained support for Apple's more advanced Apple Pencil 2 for note-taking and sketching.

It's just as significant an upgrade on the inside, too, with the jump to Apple's A15 Bionic chip. The new system-on-chip allows for 40% faster raw CPU performance and an 80% boost to GPU performance compared to the previous-gen iPad mini. iPad mini 6 also has USB-C connectivity and 5G support in the cellular models making it the best iPad to use on the go no matter how heavy your workload is.

What you need to know

• Apple is being sued over 'jelly scrolling' on its iPad mini 6.
• A Colorado resident says Apple's mini tablet is defective, and that Apple has misled consumers.
• He is seeking damages on behalf of everyone who bought one in the U.S.

A Colorado resident has sued Apple over claims that its iPad mini 6 is defective because of a 'jelly scrolling' issue with the tablet's display.

In a court filing Wednesday spotted by MacRumors, Christopher Bryan launched his action against the company over the iPad mini 6. While the device is considered one of Apple's best iPads in recent years it has been marred by a defect that causes the screen to wobble, an issue Apple says is "normal behavior."

The action states:

The suit notes a multitude of complaints about the issue on Amazon review pages and online forums. The suit goes on to say that Apple's actions are unlawful because it acted " in an unethical, unscrupulous, outrageous, oppressive, and substantially injurious manner", promoting devices it knew to be defective and selling them against customer expectations that this would not occur. It also claims Apple failed to test the device properly before launch and seeks damages on behalf of everyone in the U.S. who bought the device.

Announced and released in the fall of 2021, the iPad mini 6 is the latest tiny tablet to come out of Cupertino — but don't be fooled by its size! The new mini is more powerful than ever, packing an A15 Bionic chip, edge-to-edge Liquid Retina Display, USB-C, 5G, and more.

Though its display got a little larger this year, up to 8.3 inches from 7.9 inches previously, the overall form factor actually got a little smaller thanks to shrinking bezels. Its new bigger canvas of the iPad mini 6 makes it the perfect digital field notes device to take on the go, and, for that use case, the Apple Pencil is a must-buy accessory, but which Apple Pencil should you buy?

Whether you want to sketch and draw, take handwritten notes, or just use the device as a pointing tool, you're going to want to get the Apple Pencil 2 for your sixth-gen iPad mini. The new iPad mini does not support the older Apple Pencil. If you are upgrading from the iPad mini 5 or another iPad model that utilizes the first-gen Apple Pencil, you're going to have to upgrade your stylus.

Having to upgrade your Apple Pencil is an obvious drawback if you just spent a decent chunk of money to upgrade your tablet. The Apple Pencil 2 costing more than its predecessor is another notch in the con column. However, the Apple Pencil 2 is the superior device, and your experience of using it will be better than the original model.

Firstly, the pairing and charging the Apple Pencil 2 is much more elegant. Rather than clunkily connecting it to your iPad's Lightning port, the newer Apple Pencil instead magnetically attaches to the side of your iPad mini 6 (or iPad Air 4 and latest iPad Pro models). That's it! The first time you do it, the Apple Pencil will pair to your iPad, and it sits there, securely held by magnets, charging up, so it's always ready to be grabbed and used.

Of course, there are other noteworthy features of the Apple Pencil 2. It features low latency precision drawing and writing, a flat edge that you can double-tap to change tools without setting the pencil down, and a battery life of up to 12 hours.

If you already have the first-gen Apple Pencil and want to continue to use it, it is still officially supported by Apple's entry-level iPad line with the latest 2021 iPad having maintained support for it. It's still a good stylus for sketching, writing, or just tapping around the UI, but it has been relegated to just the base iPad with the mini, Air, and Pro lines now all adopting the Apple Pencil 2.

Of course, there are many Apple Pencil alternatives out there to work with whatever iPad you have. While these might not be as fancy and feature-packed as the first-party Apple offerings, they may do the job just fine for what you need and can cost a lot less. If you want the absolute best iPad stylus for your iPad mini 6, you're going to want to get the Apple Pencil 2.

Designer Kate Spade New York is known for girly, cute styles and this appealing iPad case fits right into the product lineup. But it's not just pretty: the PC (polycarbonate) folio case offers four-foot drop protection. Plus, it folds back into a stand that can be used at a higher angle for viewing videos or a lower angle for typing. It also has a slot for stashing your Apple Pencil or other stylus when not in use. The case has some quirks but it's definitely worth checking out.

Kate Spade Protective Folio Case: Price and availability

The floral case can be purchased for the iPad mini 6 at Verizon for $55. Normally, the iPad mini 6 case is also sold on Incipio's website at the same price, but at the time of writing, it is sold out. You can find it in the 10.2-inch iPad size at Target and Best Buy. For the larger iPad size, this case is also available in a chic leopard print.

Kate Spade Protective Folio Case: What's good

I'm always looking for the best iPad mini 6 cases, and I absolutely love the look of this one. The clear, hard plastic back feels quite protective. It's adorned with pretty off-white flowers that have pink and sparkly centers. The floral pattern, called Hollyhock, is inside the plastic, so it's totally smooth to the touch and there is nothing you could potentially scratch off.

The folio portion of the case is a pale pink faux leather with a soft microfiber interior to prevent scratches. You can fold the folio back and tuck it into the tab, which has the Kate Spade New York logo printed in gold foil upon it. Once tucked, it's secured. You can prop the iPad mini at a high angle for watching videos or making FaceTime calls, or at a low angle for typing on the screen. When you close the case, you also tuck the folio into that tab to keep it closed. If you like the Hollyhock pattern, you would be interested to know that there is a matching iPhone case as well.

Inside the flap is a sleeve for carrying your Apple Pencil or another similarly-sized stylus. There is a cutout for the camera module, and the flap covers the camera when it's closed. There are cutouts for all of the speaker holes, the Sleep/Wake button, volume buttons, and the USB-C port. The entire side that has the Apple Pencil magnetic connector is open, so you won't need to remove the case in order to charge your Apple Pencil.

Kate Spade Protective Folio Case: What's not good

The Kate Spade Protective Folio Case has some odd quirks. For one, I think it's the first case I've reviewed in years that doesn't have Sleep/Wake functionality. In other words, you actually have to wake it up and put it to sleep manually upon opening and closing this case. Not that it's hard to do, I've just gotten used to cases that have that functionality built in.

When folded into a stand, it's quite stable on a hard surface. This is despite the fact that the iPad is suspended in the air slightly, not resting on the surface. However, this does create a balance issue on soft surfaces, such as a pillow. I use my iPad as an e-reader in bed, and it definitely tips over more frequently than with other cases I've tried.

Kate Spade Protective Folio Case: Competition

The Spigen Urban Fit iPad Case is also pink, protective, and folds into a stand. It does have Sleep/Wake functionality and I found the stand a bit more stable on soft surfaces. It's also less expensive than the Kate Spade Protective Folio Case, though it's not quite as pretty.

For price and lightweight protection, you can't beat the Fintie Slimshell Case. It's my go-to case because it adds so little bulk to my iPad mini and it does everything I need it to do. It's modeled after Apple's Smart Case and functions much the same way.

Kate Spade Protective Folio Case: Should you buy it?

• You want a stylish designer case for your iPad
• You want great protection
• You want a folio case that folds into a stand

• You want Sleep/Wake functionality
• You need it to stand up on a soft surface
• It's out of your price range

This is a great case for the person who wants solid protection and loves a designer look. It's even better if you want a folio case that folds into a stand, but not if you want to use that stand on a pillow or you expect Sleep/Wake functionality. The price may also put it out of reach for some people.

This might be the prettiest iPad case I've reviewed to date, with its fashionable floral design. It's definitely the case to show off when out in public. The tab on the front keeps the case securely closed, and it also keeps the folio folded back securely into a stand for watching videos or typing. However, when the folio is folded back, the iPad doesn't touch the surface, rendering it a bit top-heavy. This is only an issue when standing your iPad on a soft surface like a pillow, but it's something to be aware of. It does lack Sleep/Wake functionality, which isn't a huge inconvenience but is almost expected these days.

I've never really been much of a reader. Once I am into a book or series, I enjoy it, but picking up a book has always been lower on my priority list with so much other media available to consume. I'm far more likely to binge a TV show, watch a new movie, or play a video game than I am to spend hours with my nose in a paperback. Audiobooks never found a space in my life either, beaten out by the amount of podcasts and music I listen to. Plus, because I have to read and write many words for work, reading in my spare time can feel a bit like more work.

There are always books that sound interesting to me, both fiction and non-fiction, and I buy a few per year, but I rarely get a chance to immerse myself in them. The iPad mini 6 has changed that, though, and I've read more since owning one than I had for a long time prior. It's clearly the best iPad to use as an e-reader, and it might just be the best e-reader period. Here's why.

Why the iPad mini is the perfect e-reader

Since it arrived, the iPad mini has become my favorite way to read books. It makes sense to me for quite a few reasons, and it might make sense to you too.

The most obvious reason the iPad mini 6 is excellent for reading is its compact size and lightweight design. However, weight is perhaps the most crucial aspect. At 0.65 pounds, it's slightly lighter than the iPad mini 5 and much lighter than other iPad models. The weight is distributed evenly across the whole device, too, which means you can comfortably hold it for hours without your arm getting tired.

It's also small enough to keep on your nightstand or take on the go in a bag or even in your jacket pocket. That added portability makes it a better pick than any other iPad for reading, whether you want to take it on your next flight or carry it daily on your commute.

Not only is the iPad mini 6 a joy to hold for extended periods due to its size and weight, but Apple has also managed to fit more screen into an overall smaller form factor. With a slightly taller display, you can get more text on the screen at once, which suits a text-first task like reading.

But that's not the only reason the iPad mini 6 display is great for reading books — it's also the highest resolution iPad display currently available. At 2266x1488 pixels, it maintains the 326 pixels per inch resolution of the iPad mini 5 despite the display growing to 8.3 inches from 7.9 inches. That makes it sharper than even the iPad Pro's display, so the text looks super-sharp.

It's also a backlit display, unlike many (but not all) e-readers or, you know, actual paper books that rely on external light to make them readable. With True Tone, you even get a page that is easy on the eye no matter your lighting conditions.

I don't know about you, but to form a habit, I need some reward. Maybe it's my dumb brain, but something like a goal, streak, or digital medal is more than enough to get me to change my behavior which is why the Apple Watch activity rings have clicked so well for me.

In the Apple Books app, there's a similar, if a little more basic, offering in the form of Reading Goals. Here, you can set daily and yearly targets to encourage you to read more often. You might just put it at 10 minutes per day, but keeping that daily streak going is pretty motivating and adding books to your list of finished titles feels like a real achievement.

Of course, this feature could be fleshed out further, and there are other goal-based systems on Kindle and Kobo, but it's a nice-to-have feature for the iPad mini 6.

Introduced in iPadOS 15, the new Focus modes are like Do Not Disturb on steroids which is excellent for blocking out distractions when you want to focus on your current book. Better yet, Focus allows you to set a particular Focus based on what app is in use. That means, as soon as you open the Books or Kindle app, you can have the system automatically turn off any alerts you don't want to see.

Fans of dedicated e-readers often espouse the unitasking nature of a device like the Kindle as a real plus point since it removes any opportunity to be distracted. If used correctly, I think a Focus mode serves just as well for this purpose and even goes one better by syncing your notification settings across your Apple devices. Just because you have your Kindle or Kobo in hand doesn't mean your phone or Apple Watch can't ping you. With Focus, you can achieve notification-free zen status everywhere with one tap.

Even though Focus can lock down your iPad (and other devices) to offer a dedicated reading experience, you still have a fully-featured tablet at the end of the day.

As well as reading words on a page, you can use your iPad mini 6's Liquid Retina display to read other visual media like magazines, comics, your favorite websites, email newsletters, and more. While E Ink is terrific for battery life, it's not great for scrolling or displaying much other than text. The iPad mini 6's multi-touch LED display can do it all.

Plus, when you're done reading, you can kick back with a movie, enjoy a podcast, play some Apple Arcade games, or use it to get some work done with the powerful A15 Bionic chip inside. Though it's smaller, it can do anything its larger iPad siblings can. Since many folks don't want or can't afford a dedicated device for reading, it makes total sense for the iPad mini 6 to be your do-it-all tablet device.

Why the iPad mini 6 is not so great as an e-reader

With all of that said, the iPad mini 6 isn't perfect, and there are reasons to consider a standalone e-reader. So let's take a look at why the iPad mini 6 might not work for you before you rush out and buy one.

For me in the northern hemisphere, I'm all for hunkering down for the winter with a good book right now. The iPad mini's display is perfectly bright at 500 nits peak brightness in indoor settings. If you want to use it outside, though, it's not as great. It's certainly usable in most places, but it might let you down at the beach or by the pool in the height of summer, and an E Ink display would serve you better.

Another use case that does not suit the iPad mini 6 is in or around any body of water. Whether you like to dip your feet in the pool mentioned above or relax with a good book in the bathtub, the iPad mini is not a device you should consider. It has no formal water resistance rating, so any steam or splashes could be potentially harmful.

Instead, you ought to check out one of the latest Kindle devices or something like the Kobo Forma for a more rugged e-reader with up to IPX8 protection. Or take a paper book with you in these scenarios if you don't mind your pages getting all wavy.

There's no denying that $499 is expensive for a tablet, let alone an e-reader. Amazon's (not so great) Fire tablets start at 10% of that price, and its (actually very good) Kindle e-readers are not much more. So if you want a device that will only ever fulfill the duties of an e-reader, you can be well served for less money.

Suppose you want a top-tier Apple experience, including the premium physical design, software smarts, and all that an iPad can offer in addition to digital books. In that case, you might prefer to punt for an Apple tablet.

Time to pick up a good book

If you already own an iPad mini or you're considering one for digital reading, or you're a die-hard Kindle user, now's a great time of year to get reading. For me, being able to take the iPad mini 6 with me anywhere in the home and the comfort of reading on it versus my iPad Pro or iPhone has meant I've read more books in the last few months than I have the rest of the year. So that makes it a real winner in my book.

I've been a mobile gaming fan since I got the original Game Boy in the mid-90s. The ability to play games anywhere — or as long as those four AA batteries had juice — was a game-changer for me as a young kid and the industry as a whole. Of course, fast forward to 2021, and mobile gaming has primarily been taken over by phones and tablets.

I've always had at least a few games on my iPhone, but only in the last few years has the hardware and software has caught up to my wants and needs as a gamer, which has caused me to download far more games on my devices. So much so that I got an iPad mini 6 a few weeks ago, and it has quickly become my favorite device to game on. Not only is it the best iPad for gaming, but it's everything I want in a mobile gaming device.

Compact and powerful

Let's start with the obvious: When it comes to mobile gaming, being mobile is an essential part of the experience, and there is no more mobile tablet than the iPad mini 6. It's incredibly light, and the beautiful display (although not OLED) still looks excellent in most conditions. It's so easy to pop the iPad mini 6 in your knapsack, purse, or even a larger pants pocket and have access to all of Apple Arcade and any other games you've downloaded via the App Store.

To top of its compact design, the A15 Bionic chip that powers it all does a ton of heavy lifting, making gaming experiences smooth. In fact, plently of Apple Arcade titles can reach the iPad Mini 6's max 60hz refresh rate and stay there with no issues. It can even run full-fledged games like Divinity Original Sin II with no hiccups at all.

Lots of ways to play

Ever since the Nintendo Switch launched years ago, the idea of the hybrid console that can be played multiple ways has come to the forefront. You might say that Nintendo is leading the pack when it comes to offering some unique gaming experiences, but I would argue that the iPad mini 6 gives it a run for its money.

Of course, you can simply play games on your iPad as a handheld, but because of AirPlay, your Mac, TV, or other AirPlay display can also serve as a way to game on your iPad. This flexibility is super appreciated because it makes gaming on your iPad feel much grander when you want it to. For example, if you're playing an epic adventure game, you can easily play on a much larger screen to make the adventure come to life even more.

On top of that, the iPad mini 6 excels at offering different ways to game when it comes to inputs. Of course, any iPad game — Apple Arcade or not — can be played without additional accessories, just using touch controls. However, with the wide variety of game controllers compatible with the iPad mini, it's easy to have a more traditional console-style controller at your disposal.

The Apple Pencil 2 also offers a unique way to enjoy games on the iPad mini. I find it's an excellent tool for puzzle games or games that require any drawing or line making. It's fantastic to play an Apple Arcade title like tint. — where you have to draw lines with paint — with an actual device that is meant for drawing. Plus, for other games like point-and-click adventures, having the ability to tap the screen precisely is a huge benefit.

The game library has never been bigger

Not only is mobile gaming pretty accessible, but the number of games and the types of games offered also seem to be increasing with each passing year. My library of games on the iPad mini is triple the games I have bought and downloaded onto my consoles. Apple Arcade is a huge help with that, offering a library of well over a hundred premium games, but services like xCloud have helped the iPad break into the worlds of AAA games like never before.

If you set up xCloud on your iPad — or any other cloud gaming service — your iPad mini can become a portable console, playing some of the best games from big studios that have come out recently. Cloud gaming has blown the roof off of what's possible on iPads, making them even more versatile and having access to even more games.

Mobile gaming isn't going anywhere, and it's getting better

The fact of the matter is that mobile gaming is a huge and very profitable industry, and while there are many annoying things in mobile games — like pay-to-win mechanics — there are a ton of great mobile games that avoid all that nonsense. Mobile gaming keeps getting better.

With iPads and other mobile devices getting more powerful each year, developers are taking notice. Big games from big studios are developing gorgeous games that have advanced textures and much more fluid graphics on devices like the iPad. Games like NBA 2K21 on Apple Arcade look and feel amazing on the iPad mini 6, and it's so close to a console experience it's downright magical.

While console gaming isn't going anywhere, it's clear that mobile gaming is a massive part of the industry, so much so that I wouldn't put it past Apple to be working on an iPad that is focused on gaming. Perhaps with even more power and better ways of dealing with heat, to really push those great Apple chips to the max. But, until then, the iPad mini 6 is a great gaming device on top of being a fantastic tablet, and that's a combination that's a real winner in my book.

The newly redesigned iPad mini 6 is finally here. If you plan on picking one up or you've already ordered one, you're going to want a case. Whether you want lots of protection, a case with a stand, or something clear to show off your beautiful new iPad mini, a great case will go a long way in making your iPad mini 6 the best iPad it can be. Here are the best cases for the iPad mini 6. While you're adding to your arsenal, now may be the time to consider one of the best keyboards for iPad Mini 6 too.

Our recommendations

The iPad mini 6 is the first big redesign to the iPad mini since the product first launched, and by all accounts, it looks absolutely gorgeous. Getting a great case goes a long way to help it keep it looking gorgeous. Plus, the right case can make using the iPad — especially in landscape mode — much more enjoyable.

I really like the ESR Magnetic case because it does everything you need without being too expensive. It has a tri-fold making it double as a stand. It takes advantage of the auto sleep/wake feature. It even offers some decent protection without adding bulk. It's everything you need, and it keeps the Appel Pencil close by as a bonus.

Also, if you plan on typing on your iPad mini 6, it's hard not to suggest you pick up a keyboard case like the ProCase keyboard case. Not only does it come with a full QWERTY keyboard, but it also can easily be detached via magnets, meaning if you don't need the keyboard on any given day, you can leave it at home.

We know you don't want to wrap your iPad mini 5 with a bulky case all the time, but still want to protect it your tablet when you're on the move or when you're not using it. That's where a slimmer iPad mini sleeve can come in handy. These form-fitting solutions can still protect your precious pad from liquids, drops, dents, and dings, plus they are incredibly portable. Here are some of our favorites that can help you decide which one is right for your needs.

Slim sleeves

iPad sleeves are a great combination of protection and portability, with form-fitting options available in tons of different colors and materials. When you're commuting to work or just traveling in general, the Lacdo Tablet Sleeve is a great choice because of its water-repellent properties. It's nice to know that if you get caught in a drizzle, your iPad mini 5 will be just fine.

Want a little more protection without the bulk? Then the Pawtec iPad mini Shockproof Sleeve is the one for you. This shockproof sleeve has a bubble-padded interior that prevents dings and dents. This case also comes with an affordable price tag and additional storage for all of your accessories.