Images posted online might be our first glimpse of the next iPad mini. A new version of this small tablet is rumored to be out this year.
While the leaked pictures reveal a few details about the iPad mini 5, they don’t answer some pressing questions.
The images were posted on Twitter. They come from Mr-white, who has a modest history of leaking details of upcoming Apple products.
https://twitter.com/laobaiTD/status/1082649105892102147
It’s possible that these images are of a prototype that Apple never released. Or an out-and-out fake.
iPad mini 5 rumors
Two of the images supposedly show the back of the next 7.9-inch iPad. The only apparent difference is the cellular-wireless antenna.
The current iPad mini 4 came out in 2015 and the LTE-enabled version uses an antenna design that Apple no longer puts in new iPads. The leaked images of the fifth-generation model indicate that this model will have the newer antenna.
The unit appearing in third picture doesn’t have a screen attached, but the internal connection for a Home button seems to be included. The front-facing camera is there but no additional sensors, so it appears this tablet won’t have Face ID. The low-cost iPad Apple introduced last year also lacks Face ID.
An earlier tweet from Mr-white indicated the iPad mini 5 will use an Apple A9 processor from 2015. The current version has an even older A8 chip. The latest iPad Pro tablets use an A12X processor, but the inexpensive 9.7-inch model that debuted in 2018 uses an A10. Obviously, Apple doesn’t have a problem including older chips in its budget tablets.
Other recent rumors indicate that the fifth-generation iPad mini will be out in the first half of this year. Pricing is still unknown, but it’s likely to be below the $329 price of the 9.7-inch iPad.
