Apple iPad Mini curious Instapaper findings
Many of you will have been following developments about an Apple iPad Mini and although the talk is still very much based on rumor and speculation it does seem as though the evidence has built so much in recent weeks that an iPad Mini is inevitable. An Apple event on September 12 has been tipped as the time when the smaller iPad will finally be revealed, along with the new iPhone 5, so we may not have too much longer to wait for official news. However we have some information today about the iPad Mini from curious Instapaper findings that may interest readers.
We’ve already posted many articles about the iPad Mini including some purported photos of it but this new information seems to confirm that it is on the way although there are some questions to be answered. Many of you will know that developers often find hints and indications of new devices hidden in logs that they are delving into and also that many companies use prototypes of new products for internal testing. Apple is one such company that carries out internal testing on new products and it seems that one well-known iOS developer has discovered possible proof of the iPad Mini’s existence.
Marco Arment of Instapaper, as reported by Red Orbit, discovered this ‘proof’ with a look at daily stats. Entries in device stats read iPad 2,5 and iPad 2,6 as well as iPhone 5,1. The latter is of course likely to be the new iPhone 5 and Arment points out that whenever a new iOS device has turned up in stats it has ended up being a new and real Apple product. Now this is where it gets a little complicated so bear with me. Developers already know that the iPad 2 WiFi model is referred to as iPad 2,1 while the iPad 2 GSM model is the iPad 2,2 and the iPad 2 CDMA model is the iPad 2,3. A few months ago an iPad 2,4 also showed up at the same time as the iPad 3 was released, being the model with extended battery life.
With all this in mind Arment deducts that the iPad 2,5 and iPad 2,6 might be new iPad 2 models (WiFi and GSM) but at the same times acknowledges this would be curious considering it’s likely that a new iPad refresh will come in March or April. This raises the idea then that the much-rumored iPad Mini may be a smaller iPad 2 with an A5 chip, 512MB of RAM and a non-Retina display. It’s a good point, especially when considering that a smaller iPad using older iPad 2 parts would enable Apple to come up with a tablet at a much cheaper price.
At this time though this is all completely speculative but certainly intriguing and we can’t wait to find out more, hopefully very shortly. What are your thoughts on an iPad Mini being based on older iPad 2 parts to keep the price competitive? Do you think it would serve to further Apple’s dominance in the tablet market or do you think people wanting a smaller iPad would still prefer new top-end specs? Let us know with your comments.
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5 thoughts on “Apple iPad Mini curious Instapaper findings”
I would love a mini iPad. I love mynipad, but it is a bit big while the iPod or iPhone is too small. Would love an in between version for my kids. If apple does release a mini iPad, then I know what Santa will be bringing both of my girls this year! For my 3 year old, the iPad is too big and I’m more afraid of her dropping it, but the iPod is a bit small for her. Crossing my fingers that the rumor is true!!
Do you want a (new) mini iPad with old internals or a new nexus 7 with (new) internals?
I have an ipad 2 and love it , I will buy the ipad mini when it is available if it has 32 gbt of memory if it only has 8 gbt which has been said then I won’t buy it.
I sure hope the iPad Mini is a phone as well, because the apparent new iPhone 5 screen is far too small by today’s standards. Not one size fits all. Imagine if Nokia, Motorola or Sony only had one phone model.
I am extremely excited for a low price iPad. Even if it were similar to the iPad two, I would still buy it. I have been hearing about the iPad Mini for weeks from a co-worker at Dish and now I can’t stop looking for whatever information I can find on it. I really just want it to be able to take it with me out of the house, especially with all the new shows and new fall season coming up shortly, to watch live TV on the Dish Remote Access app so I don’t have to miss any of the shows this season. Even if it is a little more expensive than the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire, I would be willing to buy it. It will be nice to be able to carry it around in my purse and not have it weigh me down like the iPad currently. I can’t wait to hear an official announcement for it.