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We’re almost two years on from when the iPad Mini was last graced with an update and its successor is rumoured to be arriving very soon. So, what do we know about the iPad Mini 6? Read on to find all the latest news and rumours surrounding Apple’s smallest tablet. 

The iPad line is easily the most successful tablet line available right now. Here at Trusted Reviews the iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro and the iPad Mini have claimed four of the seven spots in our best tablets roundup, and we can’t see any Android rivals taking over anytime soon.

Apple used to update its iPad Mini more regularly, but 2019’s update was the first we saw in four years. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound as though we’ll have to wait that long for its successor, with rumours suggesting we could see the iPad Mini 6 as soon as next month.

One of the biggest updates we hope to see is in the size of the display. Apple has slowly been slimming down the size of the bezels across its iPad line to make room for a larger display in the same sized device, and rumours have us optimistic the iPad Mini could be next in line for this treatment.

Keep reading to discover everything we know about the iPad Mini 6 so far, including when it’ll launch, how much it’ll cost and what specs the tablet will pack. Don’t forget to bookmark this page too, as we update it as more leaks and rumours come in.

iPad Mini 6 (8.5-inches) release date and price – when will the tablet be available?

We expect the iPad Mini 6 to launch very soon. Last summer, reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated in a recent research note (via MacRumors) that the iPad Mini 6 will launch in the first half of 2021.

We saw the iPad Air 4 and the iPad 8 launch late last year, which leaves the Mini next in line for an update. 

The iPad Mini 5 was released in March 2019, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Mini 6 hit shelves in March 2021, two years after the last model. The update brought Apple Pencil support to the tablet (no keyboard, though), along with the faster A12 chip inside. 

As far as price is concerned, right now we’re looking toward the previous model. You can nab the current-gen iPad Mini for £399/$399 if you opt for the basic 64GB model. A 256GB version is available too, as is one with cellular connectivity. We would anticipate the price to rise for the new model if some of the below rumours do turn out to be true, but we still think it’ll be a mid-price slate.

iPad Mini 6 design – a new size

Perhaps the most exciting rumour we’ve heard so far is that the iPad Mini 6 could come in a new, slightly larger, 8.5-inch size. For reference, the current Mini 5 features a 7.9-inch display. Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors) predicts that the display size will be either 8.5 or 9-inches.  

An 8.4-inch display has more recently been suggested by Mac Otakara (via MacRumors). According to the sources, the design will be similar to the iPad Air 3 and will include a Touch ID home button and Lightning port.

The move doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll have to squeeze a larger tablet into our bags, as Apple has increased the display sizes of its iPads before by simply slimming down the bezel. We expect the Mini 6 to more closer resemble the latest iPad Pros, allowing the tablet to keep the same compact dimensions with a bigger, more spacious screen.

Apple products have been rumoured to be getting a Mini LED makeover for a while now. These new displays would replace the LCDs in the products and would offer an experience more akin to OLED.

A rumour from last March suggested Apple would be including the new screen tech in a future iPad Mini, however this also said it would be a 7.9-inch device which goes against what we know now. Still, that 8.5-inch display could now be Mini LED.

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iPad Mini 6 specs and features – what else do we know?

Little else is known about the iPad Mini 6 at this stage, even though it makes sense for it to follow previous iPads and use the same internal chip as the iPad and iPad Air.

Apple Pencil support was added for iPad Mini 5 and we expect it to stick around, possibly with support for the second-gen Apple Pencil. A keyboard folio accessory would be nice, though whether it would work as well on a far smaller tablet could be an issue.

Another rumour suggests the iPad Mini 6 might stick with the Lightning port, rather than jumping to the USB-C standard you’ll find across the iPad Pro range.

If the iPad Mini 6 does arrive in early 2021 then it’ll come running iOS 14.

The post iPad Mini 6 (8.5-inch): Everything we know so far appeared first on Trusted Reviews.