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  Apple Unveils Seventh-Generation iPad Mini with A17 Pro and Apple Pencil Pro
                                 Compatibility

   Adam Engst

   In the lead-up to a rumored event focusing on new Mac models, Apple
   announced a [1]minor update to the iPad mini, the company's smallest
   iPad. The seventh-generation [2]iPad mini is essentially a spec bump
   from the previous model, released in 2021, with the following
   improvements to bring it up to date:
     * A17 Pro chip: Apple replaced the A15 Bionic with the A17 Pro,
       previously used only in the iPhone 15 Pro, which will give the iPad
       mini access to Apple Intelligence features once those start to ship
       in a few weeks. It will boost performance across the board, though
       that may be noticeable primarily to gamers. [3]It's surprising
       Apple didn't switch the iPad mini to the M-series, as it has done
       with the iPad Air and iPad Pro lines. What will the next base-level
       iPad use?
     * Apple Pencil Pro support: The seventh-generation iPad mini supports
       the $129 [4]Apple Pencil Pro (see '[5]Apple Unveils New iPad Air,
       iPad Pro, Apple Pencil Pro, and Magic Keyboard,' 7 May 2024) and
       the $79 USB-C Apple Pencil. Apple didn't mention the
       now-discontinued second-generation Apple Pencil, so its
       compatibility will require testing.
     * Increased Storage: Previously, the iPad mini started at 64 GB. The
       new model comes with 128 GB; you can upgrade to 256 GB (+$100) or
       512 GB (+$300).
     * 10 Gbps USB 3: The new iPad mini doubles the USB 3 performance of
       its USB-C port from 5 Gbps to 10 Gbps. It's nice to see an
       improvement here, especially given the USB 2 speeds (480 Mbps) of
       the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
     * Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3: Apple is keeping pace with wireless
       connectivity improvements, upgrading the iPad mini from Wi-Fi 6 and
       Bluetooth 5.0 to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. They should improve
       performance, reliability, and efficiency, though likely not in
       hugely apparent ways.
     * eSIM only: The new iPad mini provides only eSIM support, whereas
       the previous iPad's Wi-Fi + Cellular models supported both a
       physical nano SIM and eSIM.
     * Smart HDR 4: The previous iPad mini's front and rear supported
       Smart HDR 3, so photos from this new model are one Smart HDR unit
       better. Exciting!

   The seventh-generation iPad mini is physically unchanged, apart from
   trading the sixth-generation's pastel pink color for pastel blue and
   updating its pastel purple color. Starlight and space gray remain in
   the palette, and Apple sells matching $59 Smart Folios. The new iPad
   mini still sports an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina screen, and its camera
   remains positioned on the portrait edge, unlike other recent iPads that
   have it on the landscape edge for more natural video calls.

   Despite the additional storage, the iPad mini's price remains
   unchanged, starting at $499. Cellular connectivity adds $150. You can
   pre-order now, with availability starting on 23 October 2024.

   Overall, there's nothing wrong with the seventh-generation iPad, and it
   continues to fill an essential slot in Apple's iPad lineup for those
   who prefer a smaller form factor. However, these changes just bring it
   up to date with the hardware necessary to match Apple's current Apple
   Pencil lineup and emphasis on Apple Intelligence, along with minor
   tweaks to keep pace with the overall tech world. I doubt many iPad mini
   fans will trade in their older models for a largely tepid update.

References

   Visible links
   1. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/10/apple-introduces-powerful-new-ipad-mini-built-for-apple-intelligence/
   2. https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/
   3. https://sixcolors.com/post/2024/10/the-new-ipad-minis-surprising-not-new-processor/
   4. https://www.apple.com/apple-pencil/
   5. https://tidbits.com/2024/05/07/apple-unveils-new-ipad-air-ipad-pro-apple-pencil-pro-and-magic-keyboard/

   Hidden links:
   6. https://tidbits.com/uploads/2024/10/seventh-generation-iPad-mini.jpg

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