September 14, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Apple unveils new iPad mini with breakthrough performance in stunning new design
iPad mini features an all-screen design, the A15 Bionic chip, Center Stage, 5G, and more
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced the powerful new iPad mini — with a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display — in four gorgeous finishes. Featuring the brand new A15 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini delivers up to 80 percent faster performance than the previous generation, making it the most capable iPad mini ever. A new USB-C port allows faster connectivity, and cellular models with 5G bring more flexible mobile workflows. New advanced cameras, Center Stage, and support for Apple Pencil (2nd generation) enable new ways for users to capture photos and videos, communicate with loved ones, and jot down their ideas when creativity strikes. The new iPad mini is available to order beginning today, and will be in stores beginning Friday, September 24.
“With its ultra-portable design and wide range of uses from everyday tasks to creative and enterprise applications, there’s nothing else like iPad mini,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With a new all-screen Liquid Retina display, massive boost in performance, new advanced cameras on the front and back, Center Stage, USB-C, 5G, and support for Apple Pencil, the new iPad mini is a huge leap forward that can be held in the palm of your hand.”
New All-Screen Design in Four Gorgeous Finishes
The new iPad mini delivers an amazing experience in a gorgeous new array of finishes — pink, starlight, purple, and space gray. iPad mini features a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with narrow borders, all while keeping the same compact footprint. With advanced technologies such as 500 nits of brightness, a P3 wide color gamut, anti-reflective screen coating, True Tone, and full lamination, images and video will be vibrant and come right up to the surface of the glass. And new landscape stereo speakers, combined with the new display, deliver a great movie-viewing experience.
The all-screen design is enabled by moving Touch ID to the top button of iPad mini. Touch ID delivers the same ease of use and secure authentication users know and love — to unlock iPad mini, log in to apps, or use Apple Pay. iPad mini now supports Apple Pencil (2nd generation), which attaches magnetically to iPad mini for wireless charging and pairing.
A15 Bionic Brings Powerful Performance to iPad mini
iPad mini gets a huge performance boost from the new A15 Bionic chip, with its incredibly efficient design that delivers all-day battery life.1 The 6-core CPU delivers a 40 percent jump in performance, and the 5-core GPU delivers an 80 percent leap in graphics performance compared to the previous generation of iPad mini. A15 Bionic on iPad mini handles even the most demanding tasks — from graphically rich games to pro apps used by designers, pilots, doctors, and more. With its powerful performance and compact design, iPad mini is the ultimate tool users can take anywhere.
Advanced machine learning (ML) functions are powered by a 16-core Neural Engine and new ML accelerators in the CPU, delivering 2x faster ML tasks than its predecessor. Combined with the CPU and GPU, the Neural Engine enables apps to deliver next-level experiences, such as image recognition and natural language learning. With iPadOS 15, powerful new ML features include Live Text, which uses on-device intelligence to recognize text in photos that users can take action on, and even translates text from photos into seven different languages.2
Center Stage Comes to iPad mini with New Advanced Cameras
The Center Stage experience on iPad Pro is now available on iPad mini, so users can enjoy even more engaging video calls. An updated Ultra Wide front camera with a new 12MP sensor and a much larger field of view enable Center Stage, which automatically pans the camera to keep users in view as they move around. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to easily include them in the conversation.
The back camera now features a 12MP sensor with Focus Pixels and a larger aperture to capture sharp, vivid photos. The back camera also features a True Tone flash, perfect for capturing images in low light. With a new ISP in A15 Bionic, users will also see remarkably natural-looking photos with Smart HDR, which improves image quality by recovering details in shadows and highlights.
5G and USB-C for Faster Connectivity
With 5G now available on iPad mini, customers can do even more with faster wireless connectivity on the go. 5G allows iPad mini to reach peak speeds of up to 3.5Gbps in ideal conditions.3 Users can now stay connected and be even more productive wherever they are — from everyday activities like friends playing games, to field service technicians working onsite. Combined with continued support for Gigabit LTE and eSIM, iPad mini offers incredible flexibility when users need to get connected. Wi-Fi 6 ensures even faster Wi-Fi connections as well.
iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up to 5Gbps data transfer, which is 10x faster than the previous generation, and connects to a vast ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras and external storage and displays up to 4K. USB-C enables workflows with high-bandwidth input and output for everyday users and creative professionals alike — perfect for a photographer connecting cameras when shooting on location, or a doctor conducting an ultrasound remotely.
Even More Intuitive iPad Experience with iPadOS 15
iPadOS 15 brings new features that take advantage of the unique capabilities of iPad, helping users be more productive and taking the versatility of iPad mini even further:
- New widget layouts for the Home Screen and App Library offer simple ways to personalize iPad mini and organize apps.
- Notes goes systemwide with Quick Note, and offers new ways to collaborate and organize, whether typing or writing with Apple Pencil.
- The Translate app comes to iPad with new features that make conversations easier and more natural, including Auto Translate and face-to-face view.
- Multitasking is even more intuitive, making features like Split View and Slide Over easier to discover, easier to use, and more powerful.
- Live Text uses on-device intelligence to recognize text in a photo and allow users to take action. For example, a snapshot of a storefront may reveal a phone number and the option to place a call.
- Focus lets users automatically filter notifications based on what they’re currently doing, such as working, reading, exercising, playing games, or sleeping.
- FaceTime calls feel more natural with spatial audio and a new Portrait mode. And now, Group FaceTime provides the option to display participants in same-size tiles in a new grid view.
Accessories
Apple Pencil (2nd generation) turns iPad mini into a digital journal and sketchbook users can take anywhere. With wireless charging and pairing, and support for double tap, Apple Pencil delivers pixel-perfect precision and industry-leading low latency, making writing as easy and natural as pen and paper.
A new Smart Folio designed for iPad mini is a slim, lightweight cover and delivers open-to-wake and close-to-sleep functionality. The Smart Folio now comes in beautiful coordinating colors that complement the new iPad mini finishes: black, white, dark cherry, English lavender, and electric orange.
iPad and the Environment
iPad mini features 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure — marking a major milestone where every single model in the iPad lineup now has a 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosure. iPad mini also uses 100 percent recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board, and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in the magnets in the enclosure and the speakers.
Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations, and by 2030, plans to have net zero climate impact across the entire business, which includes manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles. This means that every Apple device sold, from component manufacturing, assembly, transport, customer use, charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery, will be 100 percent carbon neutral.
Pricing and Availability
- The new iPad mini is available to order beginning today on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 28 countries and regions, including the US, with availability beginning Friday, September 24.
- Wi-Fi models of iPad mini are available with a starting price of $499 (US) and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at $649 (US). The new iPad mini, in 64GB and 256GB configurations, comes in pink, starlight, purple, and space gray finishes.
- iPadOS 15, the powerful operating system designed specifically for iPad, is available beginning Monday, September 20, and ships for free with the new iPad mini. iPadOS 15 will be available as a free software update for iPad mini 4 and later, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and all iPad Pro models.
- Apple Pencil (2nd generation), available for purchase separately, is compatible with iPad mini for $129 (US).
- The new Smart Folio for iPad mini is available for $59 (US) in black, white, dark cherry, English lavender, and electric orange.
- Customers can buy any Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad model directly from apple.com/store or at an Apple Store and get up to $200 (US) back from T-Mobile/Sprint or Verizon with activation. Terms apply. For eligibility requirements and more details see apple.com/shop/buy-ipad. Customers can also trade in their current iPad and get credit toward a new one.
- Engrave iPad with a meaningful mix of emoji, text, and numbers, all for free, at apple.com/store or in the Apple Store app.
- Apple provides customers with a number of services in store and online that make its retail experience uniquely Apple. With personalized support and advice from Apple Specialists, convenient delivery and pickup options, free engraving, and special ways to save with Apple’s carrier offers and great trade-in values, Apple ensures the best way to buy Apple products is from Apple Store locations and apple.com/store.
About Apple
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.
- Battery life varies by use and configuration.
- Live Text language translations include English, simplified Chinese, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.
- 5G wireless plan and coverage required. Speeds will vary. Check with carriers for details.
Press Contacts
Cat Franklin
Apple
(669) 276-1209
Tara Courtney
Apple
(669) 276-2263
Apple Media Helpline
(408) 974-2042
