Apple reveals iPad mini: 7.9" display, 7.2mm thin, starting at $329

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller took the wraps off the much-anticipated iPad mini on Tuesday, with the new device featuring a 7.9-inch display, a slim and lightweight 7.2 mm body and a starting price point of $329 for a 16-gigabyte Wi-Fi-only model.

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Apple's new iPad mini fits in the palm of your hand.

Features

At 7.2-millimeters thin, Schiller said the iPad mini is as "thin as a pencil," and tips the scales at a slight 0.68 pounds. In comparison to the newly-announced fourth-generation iPad, the mini weighs 68 percent less, light enough to be carried easily in one hand. It seems that Apple intends this is the way most people will interact with the small form factor tablet, especially given the new automatic scrolling mode in iBooks that basically allows for hands-free reading.

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Schiller boasted that the device can be held with one hand, as it features a thinner bezel on the sides.

As for colorways, the iPad mini takes its cues from the iPhone 5, and is available in black and white colors. Like Apple newest handset, the 7.9-inch tablet features "black and slate" and "white and silver" options, the former featuring an anodized back shell, the first time an iPad's aluminum has been colored.

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Because the mini's display has the exact resolution of the iPad 2, it can access more than 275,000 applications written for the iPad platform. A number of side-by-side shots of the iPad 2 and the iPad mini running various iPad-centric apps illustrated there was no interpolation going on, and the smaller unit's display is noticeably sharper.

The iPad mini's internals feature an A5 chip, FaceTime HD camera, 5-megapixel iSight camera, LTE connectivity, faster Wi-Fi, and the new Lightning connector. It also features what SVP of Industrial Design Jony Ive calls the single thinnest battery cell Apple has ever used, boasting 10 hours battery life to match the fourth-generation iPad.

Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) 802.11n Wi-Fi is built in and supports channel bonding to reach download speeds of up to 150 Mbps. As for cellular data LTE is offered out of the box, along with GSM/UMTS protocols HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA. Mobile hotspot functionality is also an option, though pricing and availability depend on carriers.

Also high up on the list of features is Siri functionality, something that even the 9.7-inch iPad 2 still lacks. The mini can tap in to Apple's virtual assistant over Wi-Fi or cellular data and offers the same functionality as its iPhone and full-size iPad counterparts.

In a comparison with the Nexus 7, Schiller noted that the iPad mini is made of metal and comfortable to hold in one hand. The iPad mini also has a larger 7.9-inch display that gives 29.6 square inches of space, compared to just 21.9 square inches for the Nexus 7.

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"The iPad mini is actually over a third larger display area," Schiller said.

When Android controls are taken into account, the display area of a website is 49 percent larger on the iPad mini in portrait as well. And in landscape orientation, the iPad mini offers 67 percent more screen real estate.

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He also compared what the Yelp application looks like on the iPad mini, designed specifically for tablets. In contrast, the Android-based Nexus 7 features an application written for smaller smartphone screens.

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It also has its own entirely new Smart Cover that does not have a separate aluminum hinge like those made for the full-sized iPads, and is made of just one material.

Pricing & availability

iPad mini with Wi-Fi models will be available in black & slate or white & silver on Friday, Nov. 2, for a suggested retail price of $329 (US) for the 16GB model, $429 (US) for the 32GB model and $529 (US) for the 64GB model.

iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular will start shipping a couple of weeks after the Wi-Fi models, beginning in the US with partner carrers AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. Pricing for the Cellular models will start at $459 (US) for the 16GB model, $559 (US) for the 32GB model and $659 (US) for the 64GB model.

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Customers can begin pre-ordering all models of iPad mini on Friday, Oct. 26 through the Apple Online Store in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Preorders for the iPad mini, along with the new fourth-generation iPad, will begin this Friday. The Wi-Fi-only model will launch a week later, with the cellular-capable model to follow.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 286


    "…we'd love to, but we don't have enough time…"


     


    … Why? It's your event. Is Apple being shooed out of the theater because they have to get ready for a play tonight?

  • Reply 2 of 286
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member
    Apple delivered in this keynote! Amazing!
    I'm actually more impressed with the iPad Mini than with the iMac. I think the Mac could have been made fatter but without the chin. The design is nice, but I'm not sure I'm going to buy it. The price is very good though!

    The iPad looks great. I actually prefer that size over the bigger iPad. It looks just like a PADD in Star Trek. The slimmer bezels fit it better so that the screen occupies more space in proportion.
  • Reply 3 of 286
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member


    Today's keynote was really, really bad news for the competition. 

  • Reply 4 of 286
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member


    I don't like the $329 price point.  $279 or $249 would have been better.  Its the exact same as the iPod Touch for $130 more (for 32gb)- larger, but non-retina screen is the only difference.


     


    Edit: I still think it will sell like freakin' hotcakes.

  • Reply 5 of 286


    Wow....$329 is a weird price.  My guess it's designed to squeeze and extra $30 out of all the early adopters.  I expect this thing will be $299 in most places before Christmas- could be even less on Black Friday/Cyber Monday .

  • Reply 6 of 286


    Price point is higher than I thought it would be, figured 299.00. 

  • Reply 7 of 286
    nhtnht Posts: 4,522member


    Perhaps $229 next year like how the iPad drops $100 for the last gen.  Being non-retina and an A5 that should be more than doable.


     


    Going to buy one but probably iMac now then iPad 4 and iPad Mini for Xmas around black friday.

  • Reply 8 of 286


    Anyone who's thinking of buying the iPad mini will likely be disappointed come next March, when Apple will release iPad mini 2nd gen with much better internals. Right now, it's still A5, that's just rediculous, it's a processor 2 generations behind! It'll be outdated quickly, and with a lot of competition on the 7-inch space, Apple, will have to upgrade it in March'13 for sure.


     


    I'd hold off buying it for $329 right now. The 4th gen iPad is a much better deal.

  • Reply 9 of 286
    nhtnht Posts: 4,522member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by drobforever View Post


    Anyone who's thinking of buying the iPad mini will likely be disappointed come next March, when Apple will release iPad mini 2nd gen with much better internals. Right now, it's still A5, that's just rediculous, it's a processor 2 generations behind! It'll be outdated quickly, and with a lot of competition on the 7-inch space, Apple, will have to upgrade it in March'13 for sure.


     


    I'd hold off buying it for $329 right now. The 4th gen iPad is a much better deal.



     


    I wonder if they didn't just move the ipad to an october cycle...no ipad update until spring 2014?  That doesn't seem likely.  Another full sized iPad update in six months?  That doesn't seem likely either.  Go to an ARM A15 based A7 processor?

  • Reply 10 of 286
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by drobforever View Post


    I'd hold off buying it for $329 right now. The 4th gen iPad is a much better deal.



    That's an understatement.  Absolutely incredible deal.  The iPad 2 is by far the worst of the 3 in terms of value.  Unfortunately- the form factor of the 9.7 just isn't appealing to some people (like me- I have an iPad 2 that is now 2 years old... I can go pay $329 to get the exact same thing, just smaller w/ better wifi).

  • Reply 11 of 286
    taniatania Posts: 63member


    i agree with most. the $329 is just not a good price.

  • Reply 12 of 286


    I actually enjoyed this keynote far more than the iPhone keynote. Everything introduced is fantastic. The iPad mini at $329 could have demolished the Android tablets if it was $249 but it will still sell like crazy. Sucks to be an iPad 3 owner with the new iPad 4 out 5 months early (based on a yearly cycle) but that's the technology game.

  • Reply 13 of 286
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member


    The only difference on 4th gen is cpu and lightning port.  Small engineering change really.  Still leaves room for something in the spring.

     

  • Reply 14 of 286
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Wall Street doesn't seem to like the $329 price point. I was hoping they could hit $299. And really wish they wouldn't have compared it directly to the Nexus 7. Bad move Apple. Shame too because the device looks really sweet. But all the focus will be on comparing it to the Nexus 7 and calling it a rip off. :no:
  • Reply 15 of 286


    Many of us have guessed between 299 and 349 :)

    at $329 they are just killing the iPad2 anyways. The mini is much more attractive for cheaper price, if you wanted to buy a non-retina iPad.



    The only question is how comfortable is the virtual keyboard on the smaller screen.

  • Reply 16 of 286
    tjwaltjwal Posts: 404member


    Well so much for the 8 gb, thank god.  I do wish they would put GPS in the non cellular versions though.

  • Reply 17 of 286
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GadgetCanada View Post


    I actually enjoyed this keynote far more than the iPhone keynote. Everything introduced is fantastic. The iPad mini at $329 could have demolished the Android tablets if it was $249 but it will still sell like crazy. Sucks to be an iPad 3 owner with the new iPad 4 out 5 months early (based on a yearly cycle) but that's the technology game.



    I'm not at all disappointed with my iPad 3. I'll probably upgrade next year. They apparently wanted all the iPads released together in time for the holiday season, and it will most likely remain so for the foreseeable future. Mini looks great. I'm definitely getting a cellular version in white.

  • Reply 18 of 286
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Wall Street doesn't seem to like the $329 price point. I was hoping they could hit $299. And really wish they wouldn't have compared it directly to the Nexus 7. Bad move Apple. Shame too because the device looks really sweet. But all the focus will be on comparing it to the Nexus 7 and calling it a rip off. image


    Who cares about Wall Street or bottom feeder Nexus buyers? Phil went out of his way to show you why buying a Nexus is just wasting your money.

  • Reply 19 of 286
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    mac-user wrote: »
    Many of us have guessed between 299 and 349 :)

    at $329 they are just killing the iPad2 anyways. The mini is much more attractive for cheaper price, if you wanted to buy a non-retina iPad.


    The only question is how comfortable is the virtual keyboard on the smaller screen.

    iPad 2 is still $399- they killed the 3....
  • Reply 20 of 286
    512ke512ke Posts: 782member
    I only saw the live blog but did he really boast as one of the features "left and right speakers" ?
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