Apple iPad Mini Axed As iPad Mini Release Date Draws Near

The first iPad Mini was released in October 2012. Apple has now quietly axed it from the online Apple store and its listing from Apple’s website has also been removed. Rumors are rife that the Cupertino-based firm is working on iPad Mini 4 that will come to succeed the Apple iPad Mini 3 that was released last year.

According to Engadget, the original iPad Mini came with a display resolution of 768 x 1,024 on its 7.9 inches screen. It produced a pixel density of 162 ppi. However, the successor models like Apple iPad Mini 2 and iPad Mini 3 support higher display resolution of 1536 x 2,048 pixels and deliver 324 ppi.

9 to 5 Mac states the iPad Mini is powered by the aging A5 processor. However, the successor models, the iPad Mini 2 and the iPad Mini 3 are powered with 64-bit A7 processor and 64-bit A8 processors, respectively. Hence, by discontinuing the iPad Mini, Apple is now only selling iPads and iPad Mini models that are powered with 64-bit processors.

It further adds that the Cupertino giant continue to sell the 16 GB storage variant of the device for $299 in October alongside the iPad Mini 2 and iPad Mini 3. In October 2014, the price was further slashed to $249. In the recent past, it had become very difficult to sell the obsolete tablet as newer tablets from other brands arrived with cheaper price tags.

Engadget states that people who are interested in purchasing a small sized entry-level tablet from Apple can opt for 16 GB Wi-Fi only iPad Mini 2 that is available for $299. Apple is currently selling the 16 GB Wi-Fi only iPad Mini 3 for $399. The second and third generation iPad Mini tablets have the same specs, but the latter comes with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

GSM Arena states that the probable reason behind axing the original iPad Mini is that Apple may soon introduce the all new iPad Mini 4. Some of the unofficial photos of a bumper case of the alleged iPad Mini 4 have been revealed by On Leaks on Twitter. As of this writing, there is no official confirmation on the existence of a newer iPad Mini from Apple.