Apple introduces iPad Mini and 4th-generation iPad

Press release; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES [Wednesday 24 October 2012]

Apple has introduced iPad Mini, a new design that is 23% thinner and 53% lighter than the third-generation iPad. The new iPad Mini features a 7.9-inch multi-touch display, FaceTime HD and iSight cameras with 10 hours of battery life. Apple also announced the fourth-generation iPad featuring a 9.7-inch Retina display with new Apple-designed A6X chip and FaceTime HD camera. Both iPad Mini and fourth-generation iPad come with iOS 6.

iPad Mini comes in a new aluminum and glass design that is 7.2mm thin and weighs 0.68 pounds. The 7.9-inch multi-touch display has 35% more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets and up to 67% more usable viewing area when browsing the web, the vendor said, adding it comes with a dual-core A5 chip.

iPad Mini features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for speeds up to 150 Mbps, which is twice the Wi-Fi performance compared to previous iPad models, Apple said. iPad Mini is available in Wi-Fi + Cellular models including support for LTE and DC-HSDPA.

iPad Mini and fourth-generation iPad both feature support for the Lightning connector. Existing iPad Smart Covers and the iPad Smart Case are compatible with fourth generation iPad, and new polyurethane Smart Covers custom-designed for iPad Mini are available in pink, green, blue, light gray, dark gray and red for US$39.

iPad Mini with Wi-Fi models will be available in black and slate or white and silver on Friday, November 2, for a suggested retail price of US$329 for the 16GB model, US$429 for the 32GB model and US$529 for the 64GB model. The fourth-generation iPad with Wi-Fi models will also be available on Friday, November 2, in black or white for a suggested retail price of US$499 for the 16GB model, US$599 for the 32GB model and US$699 for the 64GB model.

iPad Mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular and fourth-generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular will start shipping a couple of weeks after the Wi-Fi models, beginning in the US on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. iPad Mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular will be offered for a suggested retail price of US$459 for the 16GB model, US$559 for the 32GB model and US$659 for the 64GB model. Fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will be offered for a suggested retail price of US$629 for the 16GB model, US$729 for the 32GB model and US$829 for the 64GB model. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at US$399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just US$529 for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model where they are sold now.