iPad Mini 7 Launches Tomorrow: Here Are 12 Changes to Know About

By locky On Oct 22, 2024

Earlier this month, Apple announced a new iPad mini for the first time in three years. Ahead of the device launching this Wednesday, we have outlined 12 new features and changes with the seventh-generation iPad mini compared to the previous model.

ipad mini 7 apple intelligence a17 pro feature
Here’s everything new with the iPad mini 7:

A17 Pro chip: Introduced in the iPhone 15 Pro models last year, the A17 Pro chip is now available in the iPad mini 7, although it has a 5-core GPU instead of a 6-core GPU. Apple says the iPad mini 7 offers up to 30% faster CPU performance compared to the previous iPad mini with the A15 Bionic chip.
Apple Intelligence support: The new iPad mini is compatible with Apple Intelligence, which will be available starting with iPadOS 18.1 next week.
Apple Pencil Pro support: The new iPad mini is compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro.
Apple Pencil hover: This feature lets you preview the Apple Pencil’s stroke on the canvas before the accessory touches the screen.
“Jelly scrolling” fixed? Most reviews said “jelly scrolling” is much less noticeable or fully absent on the new iPad mini, but one prominent technology website disagreed, so we await teardowns for further confirmation.
Faster USB-C port: The USB-C port on the iPad mini 7 supports data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps, compared to 5 Gbps for the iPad mini 6.
eSIM only: All cellular models of the iPad mini 7 lack a nano-SIM card slot worldwide and instead rely solely on digital eSIM technology.
Wi-Fi 6E support: The new iPad mini supports the faster Wi-Fi 6E standard, which extends the capabilities of regular Wi-Fi 6 to the 6 GHz band. You will also need a router with Wi-Fi 6E support.
Double the base storage: iPad mini now starts with 128GB of storage, compared to 64GB for the previous model.
Final Cut Pro support: Final Cut Pro is compatible with the new iPad mini.
Improved HDR photos: The new iPad mini supports “Smart HDR 4,” whereas the previous model supports “Smart HDR 3.” Apple says Smart HDR 4 makes photos look “even more detailed and vivid.”
“iPad mini” inscription: The new iPad mini has an “iPad mini” inscription on the back of device. Previous models of the device are inscribed with “iPad.”

Popular Stories

Apple is expected to release iOS 18.1 on Monday, October 28, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks the first significant step forward in Apple’s AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a …

Tim Cook Admits Truth About Vision Pro Following Lackluster Sales

The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Cohen this summer interviewed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the Vision Pro, innovation, Apple Intelligence, and more. Image Credit: Vanity Fair Cook admitted that the Vision Pro headset is not a mass-market product due to its high price. “At $3,500, it’s not a mass-market product,” said Cook. “Right now, it’s an early-adopter product. People who want to have…

iPhone 16 Users Complain About Excessive iOS 18 Battery Drain

Some iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users have been experiencing excessive and unexplainable battery drain, according to complaints on Reddit, the Apple Support Communities, and the MacRumors forums. While many of the reports are from iPhone 16 users, older iPhones running iOS 18 may also be experiencing battery life issues. There is a long-running iOS 18 battery life complaint thread on MacRumo…

iPhone 16 Pro Bug Causing Random Freezing and Restarts

There appears to be a bug with some iPhone 16 models that is causing random restarts, according to complaints on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and the Apple Support Communities. Affected users are seeing their iPhones freeze unexpectedly and then reboot. Reports about the issue have been ongoing since the iPhone 16 models first launched in September, and have continued to this week. The iOS…

Apple Confirms AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Features Launching in iOS 18.1 Next Week

Apple will release iOS 18.1 next week, introducing a suite of advanced hearing health capabilities to the AirPods Pro 2 and the first Apple Intelligence features. The timing of the update was confirmed by reviewers who were given early access to the AirPods Pro 2’s new hearing health features, which are now known to be included in the update. The update will include three core features:…

Will Apple Release M4 Macs Soon? Here’s What the Latest Rumors Say

Apple often releases new Macs in the fall, but we are still waiting for official confirmation that the company has similar plans this year. We’re well into October now, and if Apple plans to announce new Macs before the holidays, recent history suggests it will happen this month. Here’s what we know so far. It’s been 225+ days since Apple released a new Mac, the last being M3 versions of the …

iPad Mini 7 Has Display Hardware Changes That Likely Fix Jelly Scrolling

One of the main complaints about the prior-generation iPad mini 6 was “jelly scrolling” or screen tearing, and it sounds like it’s a problem that Apple may have addressed with hardware updates to the iPad mini 7 display. In the most recent episode of the Six Colors Podcast, Jason Snell and Dan Moren discussed the new iPad mini 7, and shared some information about the display. Snell said that …

All-New ‘iPhone 17 Air’ Rumored to Feature Single 48MP Rear Camera, 8GB of RAM, and More

In recent months, several credible sources have claimed that Apple plans to release a redesigned, significantly thinner iPhone 17 model next year. The device’s name is not yet known, so we are referring to it as the “iPhone 17 Air” for now. There have been conflicting rumors about the design and specifications for the device, but most sources have agreed that it will have around a 6.6-inch…