iPad mini 6th Gen: Five key upgrades coming in Apple's new compact tablet
Apple iPad mini 5th gen was announced way back in March 2019 and since then, Apple has upgraded most of the premium (iPad Pro & Air series), and standard iPad series too, twice, but there has been no new mini iPad.
Just when we thought Apple may have given up on compact tablets, it sprung a surprise by launching a powerful iPad mini 6th gen and actually garnered more attention than the new iPhone 13 series and Watch Series 7 models at the California streaming event last week.
The new iPad mini comes with an all-new slim bezel design, faster A-series chipset, bigger display, and better camera, and more compared to the predecessor.
Here are five key upgrades coming in Apple Mini 6th Gen:
Design: The most discernible change we see in the new iPad mini is the display panel. It now features a uniform slim bezel around the edges compared to the predecessor, which had a thick non-functional strip around the screen. At the base, it houses the signature circular Touch ID sensor and now, the new model, the Touch ID has been moved to the top, which also doubles up as the power button. On the opposite side, in the same lane, there is the volume rocker and a stereo speaker in the middle, which is ergonomically placed to view content in landscape mode. At the base, there is another stereo speaker.
On the right side, the frames don't feature any buttons. However, on the left side, it features a SIM slot (only in LTE models) and a magnetic connector to dock the smart keyboard or cover. On the back, it features an improved camera and the trademark bitten Apple with a leaf logo at the centre.
As far as the display is concerned, it sports a bit bigger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display (2266 x 1488p) with True Tone technology. It comes with a pixel density of 326 ppi (pixels per inch) and offers a peak brightness of 500nits. The predecessor comes with a 7.9-inch Retina Display screen with True Tone tech.
For the first time ever, the iPad mini now supports Apple Pencil. Owners can use Pencil (2nd Gen) to doodle or write notes on the iPad.
Type-C port
The new iPad mini 6th gen comes with Type-C port data cable-cum-charger. It promises 10-times faster data transfer speeds compared to the 5th gen model. Also, with this, users will be able to connect to cameras and other gadgets without the need for buying any extra Type-C-to-Lightning cable accessory as such.
Processor
Another big upgrade we see in the iPad mini 6th gen is the 5nm class 64-bit architecture Apple A15 Bionic chipset (6‑core CPU + 5-core graphics), which also comes integrated with a new and powerful 16-core Neural Engine.
Compared to the predecessor, the new iPad mini promises to deliver 40% faster CPU performance and a whopping 80% leap in GPU performance.
Camera
The old iPad mini (5th gen) comes with 8MP camera on the back and 7MP FaceTime snapper on the front. Now, the new iPad mini received massive upgrades. It sports a 12MP Wide camera (f/1.8) with 5x digital zoom, 3x zoom, high-resolution Slow-Mo 1080p at 120fps (frames per second) or 240fps, Smart HDR for photos and is backed by Quad-LED True Tone flash on the back. It also supports 4K at 24fps, 25fps, 30fps, 60fps, or 1080p HD at 25fps, 30fps, 60fps, also can offer extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps.
On the front, it features 12MP Ultra Wide (f/2.4) camera with Retina Flash, Smart HRD 3 for photos, support for full HD (1080p) video at 25, 30, or 60 fps, and Center Stage. The latter is coming with the iPadOS 15 and this enables the device to zoom-in on the person and keeps him/her at the center of the frame even while moving around. It comes in handy during attending video conferences.
Must read | Apple iPadOS 15: Key features you should know
5G Connectivity
The new iPad mini 6th gen is Apple's first mini tablet series to come with 5G connectivity. It supports 5G NR Bands-- n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79. It also offers an e-SIM option as well.
Additionally, It supports 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO and Bluetooth 5.0 technology.
Apple iPad mini 6th gen comes in two storages-- 64GB and 256GB- and with Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi+ LTE options with prices ranging from Rs 46,900 and Rs 74,900. The Wi-Fi only 64GB model costs Rs 46,900 and the LTE model is priced at Rs 60,900.
On the other hand, the Wi-Fi only 256GB model costs Rs 60,900 and the LTE variant is priced at Rs 74,900. All the models are available to order on Apple online store and can be purchased off-the-shelves from September 24 onwards.
Apple iPad mini 6th gen comes in pink, starlight, purple, and space grey finishes.
Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) is available for purchase separately for Rs 10,900.
The new Smart Folio for iPad mini is available for Rs 5,500 in black, white, dark cherry, English lavender, and electric orange.
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