iPad mini may launch on the same date as the next iPhone

Over the past few months there has been a lot of talk surrounding the launch of a mysterious Apple product, which is being dubbed the iPad mini. Various reports have indicated that it would be unveiled in the second half of this year. Now, a report by iMore claims that the iPad mini will make its debut alongside the iPhone 5 on September 12 at a special event in San Francisco.

Is it going to be launched soon?

In the report, the author Rene Ritchie states, “The iPad mini will be announced at the same September 12 event, as will the new iPod nano. We haven’t heard a release date for the iPad mini yet, but it could be the same as the iPhone 5. It seems likely the new iPod touch will make an appearance on September 12 as well, though we haven’t heard any specific information about that yet either.”

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However, since this is a new product, chances are slim that Apple would launch it on the same date as the other products. It is likely that Apple would want to give it a special event of its own.

A report by iLounge states, “The iPad mini will apparently not be ready to ship at the same time as the new iPhone, and might have its own debut event. Our source says that it could ship by November, which we noted would be really close to year’s end, during a month that typically doesn’t see new hardware releases from Apple; our source stood firm on the target date. On the accessory front, Apple is working on smaller versions of the iPad Smart Cover and iPad Smart Case for the iPad mini.”

Apart from the launch date of the iPad mini, the website also reveals that the fourth generation iPad will be unveiled. It is a successor to the iPad released earlier this year. The report states that it will feature a minor design change, and the new dock connector. This connector is expected to make its appearance on the iPhone 5, which is expected to be unveiled on September 12. The next generation iPad may also feature a rear microphone and ‘spec-improving/ heat-reducing changes to the hardware inside’. The report states, “The rear-side mic might aid in noise cancellation or improve audio quality during rear video recording, and is apparently just like one found on the iPhone 5, between the camera and flash; prototype iPad minis apparently have a mic on the back in the same place.”

It would be really interesting to see if Apple does launch an iPad with a lower budget as the brand has lost a significant amount of market share to 7-inch tablets. The main competitor is the Amazon Kindle Fire, which has eaten quite a bit of Apple’s share in the tablet market, in comparison to other tablets. Former Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, had always been against a smaller-sized tablet as he believed that only the 9.7-inch form factor was the way to go.