All the information you need on the iPad mini 2
By Jim Martin | PC Advisor | 14 August 13
Will the iPad mini 2 get a Retina screen?
When will Apple launch the iPad mini 2? Only Apple knows, but it’s almost certain a new model will arrive this year. We’ve rounded up all the iPad mini 2 release date, price and specification rumours. Update on 14/08/13 .
Even though Apple was never supposed to launch a smaller version of the iPad, it did. And now the iPad mini has been around for a while and we’ve got a new model of the Nexus 7, all eyes are waiting to see the iPad mini 2.
iPad mini 2: Release date
The original iPad mini was announced last October, shortly after the iPhone 5 and along with the iPad 4. See also : iPhone 6 release date.
There have been various different rumours throughout the year on when the iPad mini 2 will arrive, but the most likely months for a launch and release dates are October and November. This would follow the expected launch of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C in September.
See also : iPhone 5S launch 10 September: 5 things we expect to see.
The latest report, from Bloomberg, says that Apple will launch a new version of the iPad mini in time for Christmas along with an iPad 5.
See also: iPad mini video review.
iPad mini 2: Screen
One of the main complaints about the original iPad mini was screen resolution. It’s by no means bad, but after the Retina iPad launched in March 2012, it felt like a step backwards.
One rumour suggested that second-generation iPad mini won’t have a Retina display until 2014, but Apple will still launch a new model this year.
If that’s true, the fabled iPad mini 2 will have the same 1024×768 resolution as the current model, albeit with a likely contrast and colour gamut boost (that’s what Apple typically does with iPhones when not changing the resolution).
The rumours suggest that unspecified problems with the Retina screen mean mass production may not start until November 2013, pushing the launch of a supposed third-gen iPad mini into 2014. More rumours say that there’s more chance of seeing an iPad 5 before an iPad mini 2.
Contradictory to these rumours, the same Bloomberg report cited above states that the new iPad mini will have a ‘high-resolution’ screen, suggesting it will be given the Retina treatment.
Our opinion at PCA is that the iPad mini 2 will come with a Retina display in order to complete with rivals on the market.
See also: iPad mini cases and covers roundup
iPad mini 2: Design
The iPad mini brought a new design to the iPad range, with thin side bezels and squarer edges compared to the 9.7-inch iPad’s chamfered sides.
It’s likely Apple will stick with this design, but potentially with a thinner casing and narrower bezels around the screen.
If the iPad mini 2 does have a Retina screen, Apple might have to install a bigger battery to maintain a 10-hour battery life. This could mean the iPad mini 2 is thicker and heavier than the original – something we saw with the iPad 3, which was the first to get a Retina screen.
iPad mini 2: Processor and performance
Another gripe about the original iPad mini was that it didn’t get the faster processor of the 9.7-inch iPad. Instead, it shared a part with the older iPad 2. That’s an area Apple is bound to address in the next iPad mini.
We’d expect something like an A7 processor, possibly still dual-core with quad-core graphics. The iPad mini 2 may, of course, simply get a hand-me-down from the iPad 4 and use the proven A6X chip, which is more than quick enough for most tasks, including gaming.
iPad mini 2: Cameras
The rear camera on the original iPad mini was a 5-megapixel snapper, so an upgrade to an 8-megapixel sensor is expected. For the front camera, which is 1.2 megapixels currently, could also be upgraded to shoot 1080p video, rather than 720p.
iPad mini 2: UK price
At Apple’s launch events, the company loves to boast about the upgraded specifications and then announce that the price will be the same as the outgoing model.
That’s likely to happen with the iPad mini as the original base model was more expensive than many people expected at £ 269.
Whether the iPad mini 2 base model will still have 16GB of storage remains to be seen. It’s possible Apple will shift to a 32GB baseline for the iPad mini 2 and iPad 5.
We’ll keep you up to date with iPad mini 2 rumours and release date when we have more information.
Add Jim Martin to your Google+ circles and follow Jim Martin and @ PCAdvisor on Twitter.
No comments:
Post a Comment