iPad Mini Week: Release date, price and complete rumor roundup
It was only a month ago when we were doing this rumor roundup, but for the iPhone 5. This week, it’s all about the iPad Mini.
On Tuesday, Apple will host a special media even that will unveil its smaller tablet, appropriately called the iPad Mini. Or will it be the iPad Air? I suppose we’ll find out Tuesday.
Here’s a nice little roundup to hold you over until the 12 p.m. PT event.
What is the iPad Mini?
The iPad Mini will feature a 7.85-inch screen and a significantly thinner body. The smaller size will make it a great tablet for avid e-readers. It could potentially be the top e-reader on the market.
So why is Apple doing this? The iPad Mini is expected to heavily compete against the likes of Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD and Google’s Nexus 7. How well it competes against it will depend on any secret features that haven’t leaked to the tech blogs and its price, which is still up in the air.
But we can expect the iPad Mini to include a Retina display, come in options of WiFi only and WiFi + 4G LTE, and hopefully a slick new Smart Cover/Case combo. Maybe a reflective cover to make reading in the sun easier?
The iPad Media will be great at consuming media, and will likely be pushed toward education sectors, in addition to the commuters, children and first-time tablet buyers.
iPad Mini Release Date
When is this great new — and smaller — tablet coming out? With Apple likely announcing the iPad Mini this Tuesday, we can expect preorders to begin either Thursday or Friday and being released a week later — likely on Nov. 2.
This will make sure its ready in time for the holidays, as it should be a popular stocking stuffer.
It’s unclear if Apple will allow preorders just through the Apple store, or if they’ll let you preorder a 4G model from Verizon and AT&T as well.
How Much Will The iPad Mini Cost?
This is the biggest question surrounding the iPad Mini. Will Apple surprise us with a $250 price tag? Probably not.
Many rumors have pointed to a starting price of $320 for a 16 GB WiFi model, which would make sense because Apple’s 5th-generation iPod Touch is starting at $299.
That price will increase by at least $130 to add 4G LTE capabilities and even more for higher storage — but that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
All of our questions will be answered this Tuesday.
Are you buying an iPad Mini this week?
