iPad Mini 3 Release: Date, Specs And Price

Almost a year ago, Apple released iPad Mini 2. Most people are expecting the release of iPad Mini 3 in October as iPad Mini 2 celebrates its first birthday, as the releases usually happen around this time in the year. It was largely expected that Apple would hint on what to expect when iPad Mini 3 is released. The company steered clear of that, instead choosing to only discuss the iOS 8 and iPhone 6. The rumors of the iPad Mini 3 release date have soured even as details start to emerge on the specs of the eagerly awaited device.

Name

One of the rumors making rounds is about the official name that will be given to iPad Mini 3. It is expected that Apple will name it iPad Mini Air. This stems from the fact that in the past, the variants of any device that Apple has released have had “Air” in their official names. Some of the examples are iPad Air and Macbook Air. The new tablet is expected to be lighter than iPad Mini 2 and almost twice as thin.

Release Date

It is highly speculated that Apple will release iPad Mini 3 before the end of this year. Media reports have been inconsistent with some suggesting that Apple might push the unveiling of the device to 2015. The details of iPad Mini 3 release date are extremely sketchy at this time. If Apple’s history of iPad launch is anything to go by, the release date of the iPad Mini 3 might fall on October 21, 2014. Some sections of the media are reporting that Apple will hold an event on this date and announce the release of two iPads; iPad 6 and iPad Mini 3. Similar announcements were made in 2013 and 2012.

Specs

Hardly anything is known for sure about the specs of the iPad Mini 3. Analysts expect the new iPad to have a fingerprint sensor for identification (TouchID). Apple’s new A8 processor is likely to be a prominent addition to the iPad Mini 3. This 64-bit chipset is more powerful and will enable higher display quality. The display is expected to remain the same, at 7.9 inches and the resolution at 2048 x 1536. The device is expected to have an iSight camera of 8MP. The device will most probably be available in 128, 64, 32 and 16GB storage options. It is still expected that Apple will not introduce microSD card slot in this iPad, just as it has been in the past.

Price

iPad Mini 3 is expected to be in the same range as iPad Mini 2 which is sold at £319. This is because there are no major upgrades or new features that are expected in iPad Mini 3 from what consumers enjoy with iPad Mini 2. iPad Mini 2’s price was a considerable jump from £269. The £50 increase in price was due to the quality upgrade to the Retina screen.

While the iPad Mini 3 release date, specs and price remain little more than rumors, clearer details of the device are expected in the next few weeks. For now, all those waiting for iPad Mini 3 continue to eagerly wait for that official announcement.

Originally posted 2014-10-01 13:22:21.