The answer to my main question is a hesitant “I doubt it.” And it's a shame, since I've been a fan of the iPad mini for a long time.
Apple last updated its smaller slate in September 2021, which saw specs improved and some sort of iconic iPad home button removed in favor of narrower bezels and Touch ID integrated into the power button, very similar to the iPad Air. I'm currently using the 6th generation iPad mini, which replaced my decent if a bit long iPad mini 5, and I have no real complaints about the latest mini, other than a 90Hz or 120Hz display.
However, the infrequent updates to the iPad mini and the lack of solid rumors about the iPad mini 7 have me and other TechRadar team members thinking that the iPad mini's days are numbered. I doubt Apple will explicitly eliminate the compact tablet; In fact, little by little you will let him fade into obscurity like that difficult member of the family that no one hears much about and who feels uncomfortable at meetings.
I don't want the iPad mini to be ignored. It's a wonderful little device, serving as a great digital notepad while I'm at events, a decent e-reader, and a pretty stylish gaming device, especially with a growing suite of Apple Arcade games. But then, I'm just one person, and you could say a strange one: I'm usually one of the few tech journalists who jot down notes on an iPad, while others prefer to go old school and put pen to paper or type. . a laptop. So I doubt Apple caters only to my little one.
Additionally, the iPad consistently sells fewer units than its larger siblings, according to data from companies like Research and consumer intelligence partners. This isn't surprising when smartphones have gotten bigger, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max which offers a 6.7-inch screen that isn't too far off in terms of diagonal real estate compared to the 8.3-inch screen on the Current iPad mini. Some of the best foldable phones also work well as Android-based iPad minis, albeit without the robust ecosystem.
Mini tablet, increasingly attractive
So there's the argument that the iPad mini no longer has the place in the market that it once did when smartphones were smaller and tablets bulkier.
I tested this when I was using an iPad Air, which, while not as paperback-sized friendly as the mini, was an excellent digital magazine reader as well as a gaming device; Thanks to its refined design, I got all the benefits of a larger screen without much extra weight, meaning that when I had the Air I didn't pay much attention to the mini.
I'm also not sure where the iPad mini may go next. It's too small to justify the additional peripherals the standard iPad is equipped with. Giving it an improved screen and a lot more power could see it not only move into Air territory, but also bump up to a price (Apple being Apple) that might be hard to justify for a compact tablet. A basic iPad mini already costs $499 / £479 / AU$749, which is more expensive than the 2022 10.9-inch iPad which starts at $449 / £499 / AU$749.
If Apple doubled down on Apple Arcade and turned the iPad mini into a more portable console, say with a dock that added physical controls and a connector to output to a TV, then you could see a gaming-focused future for the iPad. . mini. But the likelihood of Apple doing that when devices like the Apple TV 4K exist is slim.
The 2024 version of Apple isn't the company that comes up with surprises like it once did, but there's always a chance it has something up its sleeve, and ruling out mini wholesale could be unwise. But I am of the opinion that the iPad mini, as much as I like it, is about to disappear.
However, that's no reason not to buy one, as I still think it's a fantastic tablet, especially if you get it at a good price. So if you fancy giving it a spin before it disappears, check out our collection of the best iPad deals to see if you can score a mini deal.
