We mark October 22 on the calendar and canceled our appointments . We were almost sure that Apple would hold itssecond gloam keynoteon that mean solar day and unveil new Macs and iPads . But then , just when we were gestate an invitation , Cupertino send off us or else a press release with details of the 7th - gen iPad mini … and nothing else .
To be clear , I mean it ’s undecomposed news that we ’re last getting a new 8 - column inch tablet three years after the last update . And Apple was clear about the cardinal innovation in its promulgation : theiPad mini 7is made for Apple Intelligence , which is why it fix the A17 Pro processor from last year ’s iPhone 15 Pro . ( Admittedly , in view of the fact that we still have to wait a while for Apple Intelligence in the EU and probably even longer for Apple ’s productive AI to exploit in German , this does n’t strike hard my own personal socks off . But I receive it for my U.S. sidekick . )
Not much else has changed . Even the front - facing tv camera remains in portrait format , although this is less of aclear - burn design erroron the mini than on larger iPads because it ’s used more as a selfie camera . The colouration are also slightly different , with pastel shades somewhere between the voguish iPad 10 and the serious iPad Pro . But colour is seldom a reason to bribe .
Where does this leave the iPad?
The new iPad mini will certainly find a market , just like its predecessor . The note has had unexpected wins in certain professing : it ’s pop in aviation , for instance , save flying crew from have to carry heavy manual in the cockpit . In medical specialty , the stocky tablet fit perfectly into the pocket of a science laboratory coat and ply Dr. with all the information they necessitate during their rung . Thanks to the iPad miniskirt it ’s no longer necessary to impress out X - rays .
For that matter , anyone who sets the text on their Kindle to the largest size of it should consider the iPad miniskirt for reading books . Graphic novels in fussy benefit enormously from the miniskirt ’s razor - sharp , gamy - contrast screen . The young iPad mini is also highly urge as a notepad and drawing board for those in school , university , or professional training .
But the first serious question raised by the seventh - gen iPad mini is particularly relevant to the latter target group . Where does this pull up stakes the stock iPad ?
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Apple has n’t update the vanilla extract iPad since 2022 , but it was a memorable ( ifdivisive ) launching . The Lightning connection gave fashion to a USB - deoxycytidine monophosphate port , the home button disappear in party favour of a larger screen , and Touch ID was imbed in the on / off switch , following the model of the iPad Air and iPad mini . More surprisingly , Apple took the chance to experiment with a new camera position on the long edge . This was ostensibly well received by customers , despite the reaching of anannoying novel adapterfor the first - gen Apple Pencil . But last year , there was no new iPad at all , which is unusual for a machine that Apple has update every year since its retort in 2017 .
So what hold back Apple from launching the 11th - gen iPad this calendar month , alongside the new iPad miniskirt ? Of of course : it ’s the Apple Intelligence issue .
The chip in the tenth - gen iPad was a generation older than the one in the contemporary iPad mini , even though the iPad itself was a year younger . That makes signified , given the price gap . But if Apple were to keep that system , and found an iPad 11 with a chip that ’s a multiplication older than the A17 Pro in the new mini – presumably an A16 – then where does that leave Apple Intelligence ? It would n’t be supported . Apple Intelligence ask 8 GB of RAM , which stand for it needs an A17 Pro or high or an M - class micro chip .
That leaves Apple with only three options for the 11th - gen iPad , none of which are attractive . Install an A16 and manage without Apple Intelligence ? certainly not — Apple wants education datum for its raw AI program , and that intend getting as many users as possible . practice the M1 instead ? Could be obnubilate for customer , but feasible . Wait another yr to launch the 11th - gen iPad ? Perhaps this is the best choice , because so many of the iPad ’s target market , in schools and the public sphere , plainly do n’t need a new manikin every year .
What about the Mac?
There ’s a second important head raise by the seventh - gen iPad miniskirt . Where does this leave the Mac ? Especially the MacBook Pro M4 , and the Mac miniskirt M4 ( Pro ) . When will they get announce ?
We had been expect a detailed October keynote with newsworthiness about the Mac and iPad . With the lozenge seemingly covered by the new iPad mini proclamation , will Apple go forrader with a Mac - only show ? And if it does , for sure there would have been time to mention the new iPad at the end of the result ? The pressure release bemuse everything into doubt .
What we do know is that a Mac outcome is certainly need : the Mac mini M4 ( Pro ) is almost as overdue as the iPad miniskirt 7 was , and the MacBook Pro M4 has already turned upon the Russian grey marketplace . But with sentence ticking on the previously look escort , we may require to push back our expectations to October 28 .
Then again , maybe Apple will present the new machines on Halloween , just like last year . We ’re putting it on our calendar . And we ’d better invalidate our appointee , just to be sure .
This article originally appeared on our sister publicationMacweltand was translated and localise from German .
