We’re now just hours away from the Apple event in San Jose, where the popular tech company is widely expected to announce a new, smaller version of its popular iPad tablet.
The new tablet should be called the iPad Mini and will feature a screen 7.85″ across the diagonal, making for a device about half the size of an iPad. This new form factor will be thinner and lighter too, making for a more portable iPad that is perfect for operating one-handed.
Tablets running Google’s Android operating system like the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 have found great success at the 7″ form factor and the $200 (£159) price point, and Apple will be keen to position the iPad Mini as a premium alternative.
We’ve seen quite a few leaks of iPad Mini parts over the months leading up to its launch, giving us a good idea of what we can expect from the announcement. For example, we know that it has a 4:3 aspect ratio 7.85″ display and features the new Lightning connector introduced with the iPhone 5. It’ll run iOS 6, and will overall look very similar to the larger iPad.
We also know that Apple will be focusing their event on education, playing off the smaller form factor’s suitability for textbooks and other educational materials. Apple are even expected to announce that they will sell the iPad Mini in packs of 10 to education providers.
We can also make some reasonable assumptions to fill in the gaps – a dual core A5X or A6 processor, a hefty battery, 1 GB of RAM and a host of supporting iPad Mini accessories. These will include smart covers and iPad Mini cases.
There are still some big questions left unanswered though. Probably the most intriguing to nerds like myself is the resolution of the screen, with two options seeming the most likely.
The first option is that Apple equip the Mini with a screen with the same resolution as the first and second generation iPad, 1024 x 768. This will guarantee compatibility with the largest number of apps, and will allow Apple to keep the price of the tablet down as well. Beyond just including a cheaper to produce screen, a lower resolution means that Apple can get by with a less powerful processor, and by extension doesn’t need to include as high capacity a battery.
The second option is that we’ll see the same resolution as the third generation iPad, 2048 x 1536. This would result in a screen with a pixel density the same as the iPhone 4 and 5, meaning that Apple could potentially use the same sheets to produce the iPad Mini’s display. That would keep costs down somewhat, but not as much as using the lower resolution display. Of course, with a greater screen resolution the iPad Mini will need a more powerful processor and larger battery to keep pace and this again will raise the price.
The most inexpensive iPad Mini model is expected to cost from $200 to $329* (£125 to £200), with the latter option being the most likely according to 9to5Mac. That would position the Mini above comparable Android tablets, but Apple have never shied away from offering a more costly option and their emphasis on quality has won them many fans.
It’s expected that the iPad Mini will be represented by a wide range of models, taking into account storage size, connectivity options and colour. With four storage size options (8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB), three connectivity options (Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G LTE) and two colours (black and white), there are 24 permutations overall. From the supposed $329 (£200) starting price, adding more storage will cost $100 (£62) for each tier, while moving from Wi-Fi to 3G or LTE will cost an extra $130 (£80).
*Note that the pound figures listed here are based on exchange rates, and Apple’s pricing tends to be slightly more expensive than the exchange rate alone would indicate.
The iPad Mini could prove to be a big seller for Apple, as it is set to provide Apple hardware at a lower point of entry than their full size iPad or Macbook products. That is expected to be a continuing theme for Apple during the event, with a new smaller 13″ Retina-equipped Macbook Pro and Mac Mini also on the cards for announcement tonight.
The Apple event takes place at the California Theater in San Jose at 10 AM local time. This is equivalent to 6 PM in the UK. We’ll be covering the launch live via Twitter, Facebook and the blog, so please return near 6 PM if you’d like to read our coverage.
Of course, we’ve already brought a large number of iPad Mini accessories online over the last few weeks and we’ll have many more once the tablet is officially announced. Be sure to stay tuned for all of the latest information on iPad Mini accessories across a wide range of categories, including protective items like screen protectors and cases, car items like holders and iPad Mini chargers, and functional items like docks and stands.
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