iPad Mini Update to Trail Next Full-Size iPad Launch by Several Months?

Late last year, Apple introduced the iPad mini alongside an update to the full-size iPad lineup, with many observers believing that Apple would continue to update the two lines simultaneously going forward.

ipad_5_mini_ciccarese

Mockup of fifth-generation iPad next to iPad mini

A new report from Digitimes claims, however, that the next-generation iPad may appear as much as several months before the next version of the iPad mini.

Volume production of a new-generation 9.7-inch iPad will begin in July-August with shipments in the third quarter estimated at five million units. Meanwhile, a second-generation iPad mini may see its volume production postponed from September to November, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.

The updated full-size iPad is widely expected to see a significant redesign that will take design cues from the iPad mini and be roughly 15% thinner and 25-33% lighter than the current models.

Digitimes believes that Apple may be pushing back the next iPad mini launch in part to give more focus to the redesigned full-size iPad in the face of the iPad mini's popularity, but also due to mass production issues with the iPad mini, which has been rumored to be gaining a Retina display. Today's claims from Digitimes are not necessarily new, but they do provide a fresh direct comparison between Apple's potential plans for the two iPad lines.

Reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously reported that technical challenges would likely see the next iPad mini pushed back from Apple's original internal timeline, with an introduction likely coming in the September-November timeframe rather than earlier as some had thought. Digitimes' claim today suggests that the launch could be at the end of that timeframe, bumping up against the holiday shopping season.

Related Roundups: iPad, iPad mini
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iPhone Air

Report: 'Virtually No Demand' for iPhone Air

Wednesday October 22, 2025 3:22 am PDT by
Apple is "drastically" cutting production of the iPhone Air and shifting focus toward the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models, Nikkei Asia reports. The business publication claims to have learned of a major cut to iPhone Air production motivated by weaker-than-expected consumer interest, nearly to "end of production levels." Despite early reports of the iPhone Air selling out within hours of...
sam sung auction

Former Apple Employee Sam Sung Changed His Name to Avoid Attention

Wednesday October 22, 2025 4:44 pm PDT by
Back in 2012, an Apple retail employee named Sam Sung went viral because his name is similar to Samsung, one of Apple's main competitors. In a recent interview with Business Insider, he detailed that period in his life, how Apple responded, and he explained why he ultimately changed his name. Someone posted an image of Sung's Apple business card on Reddit in 2012, and it spread rapidly....
cadillac lyric infotainment

GM to Remove CarPlay from All Future Vehicles, Including Gas Cars

Wednesday October 22, 2025 11:34 am PDT by
General Motors began phasing out support for CarPlay in its electric vehicles back in 2023, leading to complaints from iPhone users, but the company has no plans to back down. In fact, GM is going further and plans to remove CarPlay from all future gas vehicles, too. In an interview with The Verge, GM CEO Mary Barra said that the company opted to prioritize its platform for EVs, but the...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple's Plan to Launch Three New iPhone Designs Allegedly Revealed

Wednesday October 22, 2025 6:24 am PDT by
Apple plans to launch a new type of iPhone every year for the foreseeable future, according to an Asia-based source. The detailed information was shared by the account "yeux1122" in a blog post on the Korean platform Naver, citing domestic trend and component research companies. Corroborating other reports, Apple will apparently launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026, featuring a...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday October 22, 2025 6:15 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. iOS 26.1 is currently in beta testing. The update will likely be released in the first half of November, and it is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, but some...
ios 26 1 liquid glass opaque

iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Lets Users Control Liquid Glass Transparency with New Toggle

Monday October 20, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass. The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
maxresdefault

Apple's iPhone Air Experiment Fails as Supply Chain Cuts Production by 80%

Wednesday October 22, 2025 10:48 am PDT by
iPhone Air demand failed to meet Apple's expectations and the company's supply chain is scaling back shipments and production, reports Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Suppliers are expected to reduce capacity by more than 80 percent between now and the first quarter of 2026, and some components with longer lead times will be discontinued ...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Report: Apple to Skip 'iPhone 19' Name for 'iPhone 20'

Thursday October 23, 2025 4:28 am PDT by
Apple's new iPhone lineup launched in the fall of 2027 will be called the "iPhone 20" models, rather than the "iPhone 19," according to research firm Omdia. Speaking at a conference in Seoul (via ETNews), Omdia Chief Researcher Heo Moo-yeol corroborated rumors that Apple plans to move the launch of its standard iPhone to the first half of the year and provided some additional clarity about...
iOS 26

What's New in iOS 26.1 Beta 4

Monday October 20, 2025 1:02 pm PDT by
Even though we're at the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple is continuing to add new features. In fact, the fourth beta has some of the biggest changes that we'll get when iOS 26.1 releases to the public later this month. We've rounded up what's new below. Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle Apple added a toggle for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. In Settings > Display and Brightness,...

Top Rated Comments

lk400 Avatar
162 months ago
I find this interesting. Among my friends (I am in college) they are all disappointed that apple doesn't update their hardware as frequently as other companies. To non tech savvy people to wait 6 months to buy a new product is unheard of. They will just go out an buy the top of the line android tablet that came out days ago since they don't want to by a 5 month old device from Apple.

I am now convinced I am getting old. I buy things and keep them - thats why I buy good quality things that last. The idea of something 5 months being "old" scares me. How much life-changing innovation do you think can be done in 5 months?

----------

These people are in the minority I would assume. For most people they are happy buying an iPad every 1-2 years or even longer.

Agree. For many people it would be even more than that. I dont understand the constant micro-upgrade cycle.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleMark Avatar
162 months ago
I think since they appeal to different sorts of people, Steve will want to stagger the releases. It just makes the most sense.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But it is 2013 and Steve is dead.. :rolleyes:
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mackan Avatar
162 months ago
This is going to be bad for me. I made the decision a long time ago that if the next iPad mini received a Retina display, I would be getting that, ONLY if the 5th generation iPad didn't receive a thinner/ lighter bezel to make the physical size smaller. Now I'm at a fork in the road. If this does happen, what do I do? Do I get the iPad mini w/ Retina, or wait a couple of months to see if the 5th gen iPad has a smaller bezel? Ughh

You buy both, which is what Apple prefers.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
the8thark Avatar
162 months ago
I find this interesting. Among my friends (I am in college) they are all disappointed that apple doesn't update their hardware as frequently as other companies. To non tech savvy people to wait 6 months to buy a new product is unheard of. They will just go out an buy the top of the line android tablet that came out days ago since they don't want to by a 5 month old device from Apple.

These people are in the minority I would assume. For most people they are happy buying an iPad every 1-2 years or even longer.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFan23 Avatar
162 months ago
I find this interesting. Among my friends (I am in college) they are all disappointed that apple doesn't update their hardware as frequently as other companies. To non tech savvy people to wait 6 months to buy a new product is unheard of. They will just go out an buy the top of the line android tablet that came out days ago since they don't want to by a 5 month old device from Apple.

I find most non tech savvy people won't particularly follow release dates and are surprised when a new product comes out, "A new one already, I only just bought this"
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dagamer34 Avatar
162 months ago
A. Digitimes.
B. Not gonna happen. Apple would mot likely wait to release both at the same time; they're not exactly going to have two separate iPad events within a month or two of each other.
A) This is the reason why you should not immediately dismiss Digitimes: https://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/06/ipad-4-headed-for-october-launch-with-ipad-3-as-interim-upgrade/
B) They did just that last year?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)