Updated October 15 with full details of the exact release date and pricing.
Apple has just announced its new iPad mini much sooner than most had expected, including Mark Gurman, whose prediction of an unveiling “around the end of October” has been overtaken by events. Here’s what we know.
As you’ll read below, I thought that today, Tuesday, Oct. 15, was a likely possibility so I happy it turned out to be right. And this now gives us the exact release date.
Apple iPad mini Release Date: Wednesday, Oct. 23
The exact date eluded me: I predicted Friday, Oct. 25, so if you’re keen, you can snag it two days earlier.
Apple iPad mini Pre-orders: Tuesday, Oct. 15
Pre-orders have just gone live, in readiness for next week’s onsale date.
Apple iPad mini Pricing
The dollar numbers are the same as last time around, that is from $499 for the wi-fi model and from $649 for the model with wi-fi and cellular. But there’s a change worth noting: the previous model had 64GB storage in its lowest-capacity version. This now doubles to 128GB.
It also comes in versions with 256GB and 512GB storage.
Prices in the U.K. are from £499 and £649 for the 128GB storage models with wi-fi and wi-fi and cellular respectively. Read on for what and when was predicted before now.
Apple iPad mini Release Date: Earlier Than Expected?
The iPad mini is predicted to go on sale on Friday, Nov. 1, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, suggesting that the announcement will take place “around the end of October,” alongside new models of MacBook Pro.
That makes sense, but I wonder if Apple may opt for a different schedule.
Last October, Apple unveiled new Macs at a pre-Halloween event it called “Scary Fast”. It may be that Apple will do the same this year, and it may keep the focus of such an event on the Mac only, like last year.
If it did, that would mean the new iPad mini could be launched at any time, and sooner than Gurman is expecting. After all, products released now will be in pole position as holiday gifts, and while Nov. 1 is a good release date, earlier would be even better.
Friday is always the day of the week for an Apple product to go on sale, so if it’s not Friday, Nov. 1, there are two Fridays before then: Oct. 18 and Oct. 25. The first of those may be too soon, and though that doesn’t make it impossible, I favor the latter.
That said, if Gurman’s expectation of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 on Monday, Oct. 28 is correct, it could still point to a Nov. 1 release date.
Apple iPad mini Unveil Date
This would mean that the iPad mini would be revealed by press release rather than a big event and keynote. That’s not to say there won’t be a keynote for the Mac, as there was this year.
But if Apple is seeking to keep that event Mac-only, then the date that the iPad mini is unveiled could be as soon as next week, that is, week commencing Monday, Oct. 14.
Apple likes a Tuesday or Wednesday announcement (though not always: the iPhone 16 was unveiled on a Monday in September this year), so it’ll be worth keeping our eyes peeled on Tuesday, Oct. 15 and Wednesday, Oct. 16, in case there’s an announcement.
Apple iPad mini Expectations
The new iPad mini is likely to look the same as the current one, but in a revised color range. It’ll have a new processor, almost certainly one capable of Apple Intelligence. Expect support for the latest stylus, the Apple Pencil Pro, and an improved 8.5-inch display.
Check back for more as we have it.
