IPad. Apple created a little surprise during its September 14 back-to-school keynote by presenting a new iPad mini. A model still as compact, but significantly improved, which will be available from September 24.
During its September 14 back-to-school conference, when the public was especially waiting for the iPhone 13, Apple surprised by presenting two new iPads. The first, simply referred to as iPad, is a minor update to the brand's entry-level tablet that keeps its 10,2-inch screen and relatively tight price tag of 389 euros, but with an A13 Bionic chip, more powerful and above all a basic storage capacity of 64 GB, finally worthy of its price and current uses. On the other hand, the new iPad mini - known as mini 6 or sixth generation - appears much more interesting as it incorporates new features and improvements in a still compact format, some inherited from more high-end models. A rise in power that comes at a high price, at least in the most muscular versions.
What are the specifications of the iPad mini 6?
A design inherited from the iPad Air
But the real star was the 6th generation iPad mini and its brand new design, straight borrowed from the 4th generation iPad Air presented in October 2021. Exit therefore the rounded edges under the fingers of the iPad classic and hello flat sides, which have also been the hallmark of the iPad Pro for several generations. This modernization of style allows the 6th generation iPad mini to be lighter than the one it replaces (293 grams against 300,5), less tall (195,4 mm against 203,2) and of identical width, while yet embedding a larger screen: 8,3 inches diagonally against 7,9 for the 5th generation iPad mini. On the other hand, it is a chouïa thicker, going from 6,1 to 6,3 mm. Another loan from the iPad Air 4 is its on / off button located at the top right when you hold the iPad in Portrait mode, and which now includes the TouchID fingerprint sensor. Normal since the round button under the screen has disappeared. And the iPad mini 6 also inherits the USB-C port (but not Thunderbolt like the iPad Pro) which replaces the aging Lightning port, which only equips the entry-level iPad (and also the iPhone, but This is an other story !).
Bigger screen
Like the iPhone and iPad Air before it, the iPad mini 6 accommodates a larger screen in an overall similar footprint by reducing the bezels around it. Gone are therefore the rather unsightly "forehead" and "chin" of the iPad mini 5: it is now a relatively fine border which surrounds the screen with now rounded corners, thus following the current canons of Apple design. This increase in diagonal, from 7,9 inches to 8,3 is accompanied by an increase in definition: 2266 x 1488 pixels for the iPad mini 6 against 2048 x 1536 pixels for the iPad mini 5. But the resolution remains the same, at 326 dots per inch (dpi). It is also necessary to note a change of proportion since the screen of the iPad mini 6 gains especially in height. Suddenly we go from the traditional screen in 4/3 format which already fitted the very first iPad, to a format very close to 16/10. In other words, the black bars above and below the videos will also be thinner. Note that the screen refresh of the iPad mini 6 is limited to 60 Hz and therefore does not benefit from the ProMotion technology of the iPad Pro and the brand new iPhone 13 Pro allowing them to go up to 120 Hz.
A more powerful processor
We can easily forgive the new 6th generation iPad mini for its (very) slight thickening when we realize that it is affording the luxury of carrying a more powerful processor than its big brother the iPad Air 4. Indeed, the latter is based on the A14 Bionic chip from the iPhone 12, while the iPad mini 6 is powered by the A15 Bionic from the iPhone 13, which Apple brilliantly demonstrated during its keynote speech.
Better photo sensors
The iPad is not necessarily the camera that we take most naturally to take a landscape photo. That said, the iPad mini being so practical to take everywhere that we appreciate to see its unique rear photo sensor go to 12 Mpx, against only 8 Mpx on the iPad mini 5. Same rise in definition for the front camera , intended for selfies and video calls, which also range from 7 to 12 Mpx. The iPad mini 6 is thus compatible with the Centered Frame function which is responsible for keeping you in the center of the image when you make a video call. Or even to frame several people at the same time so that they all stay in the field.
For the rest, the iPad mini 6 is available in four colors: Space Gray, Pink, Mauve and Starlight, a metallic finish of aluminum type tinted with gold. Once you have chosen the color, it will be the turn of the storage capacity: 64 or 256 GB. And finally, you will only have to choose between a Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + Cellular model, otherwise capable of connecting to the mobile network via a specific subscription with an operator such as Orange, SFR, Bouygues or Free. And the iPad mini 6 Cellular is the first to be compatible with 5G networks.
What is the price of the iPad mini 6?
The base model of the 6th generation iPad mini, only Wi-Fi with 64 GB of storage, is offered at 559 euros, regardless of its color. Add 170 euros to go from 64 to 256 GB of storage, for a total of 729 euros. The option to switch to the Wi-Fi version with 4G-5G mobile connection is also billed at an additional 170 euros. In other words, the most complete iPad mini 6 is sold for 899 euros in the catalog, which makes it one of the most expensive tablets on the market. And to exploit its full potential, it is possible to add a 2nd generation Apple Pencil stylus with which the iPad mini is now compatible. The bill is also steep, because you have to pay the non-modest sum of 135 euros. Apple is clearly getting comfortable with this model, offered at far higher prices than what can be found in the Android world, including the all new Xiaomi Pad 5, which has similar characteristics with a 120 Hz screen and 128 GB of storage. for 349 euros ... Note that we find the old iPad mini (said 2021 or 5th generation) at a much lower price at the moment.
What is the release date of the iPad mini 6?
Orders for the 6th generation iPad mini were open on the Apple site at the end of the keynote, so as of September 14, around 20:30 p.m. And the manufacturer has indicated that deliveries will begin on September 24, date also availability in store. It should quickly be found in online stores and online merchants (Amazon, Fnac, Darty, Boulanger, etc.), which currently only offer the old version. Apple's sales forecast - which has ordered tens of millions of iPhones 13s - is not known, but it appears that there is no issue with a production issue related to the shortage of electronic components that has hit the IT industry - but also the automotive industry - since the start of the Covid pandemic. There is no doubt that, despite its high price, this new high-end tablet will find its audience by the end of the year ... And that the iPad mini 5, even less attractive, will delight those on a tighter budget because it is already significantly more affordable.
Summary Main features of the iPad mini 6 Price of the iPad mini 6 Release date of the iPad mini 6 During its September 14 back-to-school conference, when the public was especially expecting the iPhone 13, Apple ...
