We marked October 22 on the calendar and canceled our appointments. We have been virtually sure that Apple would maintain its second fall keynote on that day and unveil new Macs and iPads. However then, simply once we have been anticipating an invite, Cupertino despatched us as a substitute a press launch with particulars of the Seventh-gen iPad mini… and nothing else.
To be clear, I believe it’s excellent news that we’re lastly getting a brand new 8-inch pill three years after the final replace. And Apple was clear about the important thing innovation in its announcement: the iPad mini 7 is made for Apple Intelligence, which is why it will get the A17 Professional processor from final 12 months’s iPhone 15 Professional. (Admittedly, in view of the truth that we nonetheless have to attend some time for Apple Intelligence within the EU and doubtless even longer for Apple’s generative AI to work in German, this doesn’t knock my very own private socks off. However I welcome it for my U.S. friends.)
Not a lot else has modified. Even the front-facing digicam stays in portrait format, though that is much less of a clear-cut design error on the mini than on bigger iPads as a result of it’s used extra as a selfie digicam. The colours are additionally barely totally different, with pastel shades someplace between the fashionable iPad 10 and the intense iPad Professional. However shade isn’t a purpose to purchase.
The place does this go away the iPad?
The brand new iPad mini will definitely discover a market, similar to its predecessors. The road has had sudden wins in sure professions: it’s widespread in aviation, for example, saving flight crew from having to hold heavy manuals within the cockpit. In drugs, the compact pill suits completely into the pocket of a lab coat and supplies docs with all the data they want throughout their rounds. Due to the iPad mini it’s now not essential to print out X-rays.
For that matter, anybody who units the textual content on their Kindle to the biggest measurement ought to take into account the iPad mini for studying books. Graphic novels particularly profit enormously from the mini’s razor-sharp, high-contrast display screen. The brand new iPad mini can also be extremely advisable as a notepad and drafting board for these in class, college, or skilled coaching.
However the first severe query raised by the Seventh-gen iPad mini is especially related to the latter goal group. The place does this go away the usual iPad?
Apple hasn’t up to date the vanilla iPad since 2022, but it surely was a memorable (if divisive) launch. The Lightning connector gave technique to a USB-C port, the house button disappeared in favor of a bigger display screen, and Contact ID was embedded within the on/off swap, following the instance of the iPad Air and iPad mini. Extra surprisingly, Apple took the chance to experiment with a brand new digicam place on the lengthy edge. This was apparently properly obtained by prospects, regardless of the arrival of an annoying new adapter for the 1st-gen Apple Pencil. However final 12 months, there was no new iPad in any respect, which is uncommon for a tool that Apple has up to date yearly since its comeback in 2017.
So what stopped Apple from launching the Eleventh-gen iPad this month, alongside the brand new iPad mini? In fact: it’s the Apple Intelligence subject.
The chip within the Tenth-gen iPad was a technology older than the one within the up to date iPad mini, although the iPad itself was a 12 months youthful. That is sensible, given the worth hole. But when Apple have been to keep up that system, and launch an iPad 11 with a chip that’s a technology older than the A17 Professional within the new mini–presumably an A16–then the place does that go away Apple Intelligence? It wouldn’t be supported. Apple Intelligence requires 8GB of RAM, which suggests it wants an A17 Professional or increased or an M-class chip.
That leaves Apple with solely three choices for the Eleventh-gen iPad, none of that are engaging. Set up an A16 and handle with out Apple Intelligence? Absolutely not—Apple needs coaching knowledge for its new AI platform, and meaning getting as many customers as doable. Use the M1 as a substitute? May very well be complicated for patrons, however possible. Wait one other 12 months to launch the Eleventh-gen iPad? Maybe that is the most suitable choice, as a result of so most of the iPad’s goal markets, in colleges and the general public sector, merely don’t want a brand new mannequin yearly.
What concerning the Mac?
There’s a second necessary query raised by the Seventh-gen iPad mini. The place does this go away the Mac? Particularly the MacBook Professional M4, and the Mac mini M4 (Professional). When will they get introduced?
We had been anticipating an in depth October keynote with information concerning the Mac and iPad. With the pill seemingly coated by the brand new iPad mini announcement, will Apple go forward with a Mac-only present? And if it does, certainly there would have been time to say the brand new iPad on the finish of the occasion? The press launch throws every little thing into doubt.
What we do know is {that a} Mac occasion is definitely wanted: the Mac mini M4 (Professional) is sort of as overdue because the iPad mini 7 was, and the MacBook Professional M4 has already turned up on the Russian grey market. However with time ticking on the beforehand anticipated date, we might have to push again our expectations to October 28.
Then once more, possibly Apple will current the brand new machines on Halloween, similar to final 12 months. We’re placing it on our calendars. And we’d higher cancel our appointments, simply to make certain.
This text initially appeared on our sister publication Macwelt and was translated and localized from German.