What to Expect From Apple's 2024 iPad Mini 7

[mrnoark]

Given its size, the mini would be perfect as gaming device if they give it an A17 Pro (for ray-tracing), ProMotion and of course, bigger storage.

 

[iAppleOrchard]

Instead, Apple is likely to go with the A17 Pro that was used in the iPhone 15 Pro models, or some other A17 variant.

Welp, I am not getting a new iPad ig.

An M series chip is the only way for me to upgrade my iPad mini just so I can be productive on my iPad with desktop class performance.

 

[sublunar]

To get WiFi 6e Apple might have to use a17 cpu (since the a17 pro that went into the 15 pro iPhones are the only ones that offer that.

If apple have to use a17 they could design a version of it to use the n3e modern architecture rather than the n3b ‘dead end’ that the a17 pro was based on.

Alternatively since I believe the a15 in the mini 6 is slower than ones used in comparable iPhones could apple actually go with binned a18 CPUs if they don't want to go to the effort of making a17 on the new process? Might mean lower clock speed, fewer cores but latest tech. An a18 ‘pro’ with full speed and all cores might be reserved for iPhone 16 pro this year.

Would make for interesting speculation over what the appletv might use if it doesn’t launch at wwdc.

If they intend to ‘fix’ jelly scrolling by reorientation of the display controller then it suggests that Apple expect more users to use their mini in portrait orientation.

There’s probably less incentive to go with a camera down the long edge for landscape calls (a keyboard in landscape mode makes less sense too) and they might consider the usb-c pencil or Apple Pencil 2 sufficient for mini users who want a pencil.

That’s a lot less engineering there which might enable Apple to introduce the 128gb base storage tier while using a very capable cpu.

If the screen etc doesn’t change could there be scope for a price cut too?

I imagine pilots would use the mini in portrait mode but correct me if I am wrong there.

I wonder how gamers might be affected by reorientation of the display controller though.

 

[dumastudetto]

Clearly iPad Mini sell well enough to justify regular spec bumps. So I’d transition it to being an 8.4” version of the iPad Pro without tandem displays but with ProMotion and the M4 chip. Starting price $50-$100 less than the 11” iPad Pro.

 

[dampfnudel]

IMO this doesn't need a landscape camera. What it needs is a processor that isn't cut down for no real reason.

Just give it a full A16 and an OLED Display and WiFi 7 and 128GB base storage.

It’s not getting an A16 (too insignificant of an upgrade from an A15), no OLED until the iPad mini 8, and why would it need WiFi 7 when WiFi 6E is more than adequate.

 

[dampfnudel]

They did not give the new iPad Air’s OLED, so they will not give the new iPad Mini’s a OLED screen. It will just be a A18 standard chip upgrade and a standard single lense camera upgrade and nothing else

For some of us that’s enough. The standard A18 could allow for console gaming. Imagine playing Death Stranding or a bunch of other console games on a mini.

 

[Boil]

The perfect portable digital sketchpad...?

• A18 SoC
• 12GB RAM
• 1TB SSD
• 9" miniLED ProMotion display w/nano-texture glass
• Apple Pencil Pro

 

[originalsk]

OLED would make it $699 and kill it.

In Europe it already costs 599 EUR for base 69 GB model and 769 EUR for 256 GB model. They already have huge margins on storage for no reason, lets just say that current price of Mini should be lower than it is.

 

[Chlloret]

So every one who paid $100 for the pencil 2 has to buy a new pencil? All those spec bumps are hardly worth to upgrade. As long as the mini is not getting real upgrades, I stick with my trusty 2021 model.
Real upgrades:
more storage, I mean, WAY more storage, costs pennies.
USB 3+ or thunderbolt.
a few hundred nits more brightness
and, most important of all
give the cellular version the phone app. So that whatsapp works.And regular phone calls work. And sms.
The hardware is in, it is artificially blocked.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

IMO this doesn't need a landscape camera. What it needs is a processor that isn't cut down for no real reason.

Just give it a full A16 and an OLED Display and WiFi 7 and 128GB base storage.

Why do you wish for WiFi 7? WiFi 6E is quite competent.

 

[Ctrlos]

It needs a hefty price cut. As it stands you’re paying $500 for less iPad than the $349 iPad 10. Yes it has the slightly better processor and anti-reflective coatings but these differences should at least cut the difference.

The A16 model should be $349.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Your mileage may vary, but all I really need is a cheaper price and more base storage. I don't know what other consumers would use their Mini for, but for me it's not a productivity device.

The Mini would be an excellent companion for commuting and business trips for reading, watching shows and movies, FaceTiming my wife and still being compact enough to not be in the way.

It's just too expensive for that and 64GB is ridiculous for a new device in 2024.

For me it is a productivity device, so competence is more important than lower price.

 

[unregbaron]

Face ID and I'll buy.

 

[Mega ST]

I had an early iPad mini and very much liked the "perfect" size, light weight, battery life and portability. However without a "professional" use case for me iPads are sort of expensive to use purely for entertainment. I would like to toy around with the pencil and such and use it to surf and maybe watch video on the go (in trains or on flights) but it must be affordable as I already have my iPhone for the basic stuff with me.

It would be great to have an optional slim but robust fold out keyboard that can be connected to it.

 

[zombierunner]

Private customers don't buy enough iPad minis to make it worth their while. The real market for this are the corporate customers who buy it for use in business and workplace. They will want something that is cost effective.

 

[sublunar]

In Europe it already costs 599 EUR for base 69 GB model and 769 EUR for 256 GB model. They already have huge margins on storage for no reason, lets just say that current price of Mini should be lower than it is.

Very good point actually, and with iPad Air M2 starting at 699 EUR there's a strong argument for Apple only upgrading SoC to A16 while rotating the display controller and leaving everything else the same except for a 100 EUR price cut (and maybe a storage bump to 128Gb for base).

A price cut would probably move sales more than big spec bump and would probably make a 2026 OLED model even more of an upgrade when the time comes to boot.

 

[Abstract]

Realistically, the only upgrades will be:

1. A17 or A18
2. Jelly scroll fix
3. Base storage 128GB.

Anything bigger than that will come alongside an OLED screen in 2026.

 

[sublunar]

Private customers don't buy enough iPad minis to make it worth their while. The real market for this are the corporate customers who buy it for use in business and workplace. They will want something that is cost effective.

I imagine there's a number of corporate users who might not be that bothered about extra bells and whistles if they use it as POS/checkout devices.

If it started at £399-£449 with 128Gb base storage and A16 SoC (the same one in the non-Pro iPhone 15) I imagine that Apple could call that job done with a minimum of engineering investment. I'd expect street prices to come in at less than that.

The A16 wouldn't come with Wifi 6e though. You'd need an A17 for that I suspect.

 

[jimmy_uk]

Switching the orientation alone to fix jelly scroll isn't enough, it needs a better-quality LCD and controller. (Not interested in another OLED product that will cause eye strain!)

 

[Silverlox]

Yeahhhh they would have to keep it $499 and give it all those changes to make it compelling IMO.

Agree on the above but for me the most compelling reason would be to go back to the original size. My mini 5 is ideal in width and height. Don't like the new taller and reduced width of the current one. I use it mainly for travelling and reading books and web access so it doesnt have to be quicker although that would be nice.
Hoping my mini 5 will keep going for a few more years yet.

 

[Saturn1217]

I wonder how gamers might be affected by reorientation of the display controller though.

It won’t impact gamers or anyone watching videos. It only impacts scrolling which you don’t really do while playing games. Most activities that are landscape only (like games and video) aren’t impacted at all if jelly scroll is moved to landscape orientation. Which is why apple’s choice to optimize for landscape scrolling is so frustrating on a device that I think many would agree is too narrow (kind of like a phone) to really be good for scrolling content in landscape.

I tested an iPad mini 6 very recently. As long as I wasn’t scrolling jelly scroll was a nonissue. But when scrolling through webpages or an app like instagram/reddit/etc it is instantly REALLY noticeable. It’s not a subtle thing like 120 vs 60Hz where you can tell when you compare with another display. 5min of testing in a store was enough for me to notice and feel it was an issue.

 

[Moukee]

This iPad mini won't get a single feature that's better than what the iPad Air has. So it will have a 60 Hz IPS display for sure. I hope they do more than just rotate the display controller to address jelly scrolling though. I've heard way less complaints about it with the iPad Air, even though it should technically happen there as well.

They have to bump the base storage up to 128 GB and make it cheaper. Currently, the price difference to the iPad Air at the same storage (256 GB is the only storage option both devices have) is a joke.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

iPad mini is close to perfect as it is. Update the processor and… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’ll buy it.

I won’t be disappointed with other changes/improvements. Jelly scroll? Meh, never notice it but tbh I’m practically always in landscape so, sure - fix that. Pencil Pro 2? Eh… fine, I get that it’s the new standard & it wouldn’t make sense to have the mini be the oddball in the line. 120Hz and/or OLED? Love to see it but wouldn’t love to see the new price. 128GB storage? Not everyone needs it, but I’ll be buying upgraded storage anyway so whatever. Face ID? Sure, why not, but Touch ID is fine too.

One thing I would love to see, but don’t expect since the other iPads didn’t get it, is MagSafe charging.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Agree on the above but for me the most compelling reason would be to go back to the original size. My mini 5 is ideal in width and height. Don't like the new taller and reduced width of the current one. I use it mainly for travelling and reading books and web access so it doesnt have to be quicker although that would be nice.
Hoping my mini 5 will keep going for a few more years yet.

5 is probably “just fine” until gen 8 or 9. My hop was 2 to 6… mostly because 2 finally had main use apps no longer working in full. So you can prob ride that 5 to gen 8 in about 2026-27 or even gen 9 in about 2029-30. To quote CSN&Y: “Love the one you’re with.”

 

[Abstract]

this rumour is coming at the perfect time for me, because, very coincidentally, I was at the Apple Store today waiting for my wife to purchase an iPhone 15, and it was probably the first time I have ever played with an iPad Mini in store.

I used it for a good 15-20 minutes (my son was playing on the Mini next to it), and I only just realized how fantastic it is. I have an older 11” iPad Pro that I never use for casual browsing on the couch because so much of my casual use involves typing messages and apps like Reddit, or Internet forms of some sort. I can’t do that easily with my iPad unless I also use a physical keyboard, which doesn’t feel so “casual” to me. The iPad mini would allow me to browse, and type on the on-screen digital keyboard like I would on a phone!!