Apple iPad Mini 4: Release Date, Specifications, Price And Features Roundup

With the iPad Mini 4 release date reportedly set in October, speculation is running high surrounding the specifications and features of the tablet. The forthcoming slate will house an advanced processor unit manufactured by Samsung. Here is a list of iPad Mini 4 configurations and the expected price:

Specifications And Features

Apple has struck a partnership with Samsung in order to build key components for the iPad Mini 4. The A9 processor that's believed to be part of next-generation Apple devices will reportedly be built by Samsung. Bloomberg, citing an anonymous insider, reported: "Samsung will start making Apple A9 processor chips at its Giheung plant in South Korea. Additional orders will go to Samsung’s partner Globalfoundries Inc.”

As for Mini 4 specifications, the website NWE says the lock/mute switch housed in the slate will be replaced by a microphone hole. In addition, the speaker grill will reportedly come with a single row of big cutouts, as seen in the iPad Air 2. However, this arrangement is seemingly in contrast with the smaller double row of speaker holes present in the iPad Mini 3. In the meantime, the iPad Mini 4’s aluminium panel will be slimmer when compared to the current-generation compact model, the Latin Post reports.

VCPost, on the other hand, says the iPad Mini 4 will feature a 7.9-inch display. Under the hood, along with the reported A9 processor, 2 GB of RAM configuration can also be expected. Plus, the device will reportedly run on the upcoming iOS 9. As with other Apple devices, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor is believed to be part of the slate for authentication, as well as for online mobile-based payments via Apple Pay. In any case, readers should note that, Apple has not confirmed the iPad Mini 4 specifications thus far.

Pricing

PC Advisor says the iPad Mini 4 could be priced around 300 British pounds ($470) for the base version. As the release date nears, the iPad Mini 3 will likely get a price cut.

Reaction

The iPad Mini 3, released in 2013, garnered only a lukewarm response. When the tech giant released the Mini 3 alongside the bigger iPad Air 2, many reviewers were reportedly critical of the compact slate, Business Insider reported. The reason: The iPad Air 2 appeared to be faster, thinner and comparatively more secure with the introduction of the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The iPad Mini 3 features the same fingerprint sensor, and the rest of the specifications are similar to the Mini 2. Despite this, the iPad Mini 3 costs $100 more than the predecessor. Needless to say, critics went ballistic and remarked that the slate did not add much user value.

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