The iPad mini 2 has been officially unveiled following months of leaks and speculation, with the second-generation 7-inch tablet adding the much mooted Retina display.
With the iPad mini follow-on having been tipped to add Apple’s trademark display panel since the original model was launched last year, the iPad mini 2 has now been formally showcased as part of the Cupertino company’s October 22 launch event.
“We’ve been working hard on the next-generation of iPad,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the tablet’s formal unveiling.
Apple’s Senior Vice President Phil Schiller added: “iPad is delivering a new vision for mobile computing unlike anything that has come before. Today we think we have the biggest step yet in delivering the vision that is iPad.”
iPad mini 2 Features
Although the inclusion of a Retina display is sure to appease many wannabe owner, it is not the Google Nexus 7 rivals only new addition.
Wrapped within the same body as its predecessor, the new iPad mini 2 with Retina display, like the iPhone 5S and new iPad Air before it packs in Apple’s new 64-bit A7 processor. Offering PC-esque speeds, the A7 CPU is, according to Apple, four times faster than its predecessor, with graphic performance improved eight times.
Like the 9.7-inch iPad Air, the new iPad mini 2’s Retina display will sport a stunning 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, answering the only major gripe from the original iPad mini.
Although the tablet does not play host to a TouchID fingerprint scanner like some had suggested it would, the iPad mini 2 boasts a 5-megapixel rear-mounted camera alongside a FaceTime HD snapper up front.
Set to land in both silver/white and space grey/black colour schemes, the iPad mini 2 will be made available in both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi plus 4G cellular options. Costing more than the original model, the iPad mini 2 with Retina display will be sold alongside the first-gen iPad mini.
iPad mini 2 Release Date and Price
Given the tablet’s new additions, the iPad mini 2 price is considerably higher than that of its predecessor. While Apple’s original 7-inch tablet cost from just £269 ($329), the iPad mini 2 price will start from $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model and $529 when adding cellular options.
Although the tablet has now entered the realms of reality, the iPad mini 2 release date is still some way off. Confirming recent rumours, the tablet will not go on sale until “later in November”, a particularly vague date that suggests limitations in Apple’s supply line.
The original iPad mini price has been dropped to $299 in the US to accommodate the new arrival.
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