Retina iPad Mini Now Available for Purchase From Apple's Online Store

In something of a surprise move, Apple has begun accepting orders for the Retina iPad mini in the United States and several other countries as of midnight Pacific Time on November 12. Orders for the 16 and 32 GB Wi-Fi versions are currently shipping within 1 to 3 business days while orders for the 64 and 128 GB versions along with cellular models are shipping within 5 to 10 days.

The company did not give any early indication that it would launch the Retina iPad mini today, aside from a mention of the seemingly unlikely November 12 date on its GSX site for service providers just hours ago.

retina_ipad_mini_space_gray_silver
The quiet launch of the Retina iPad mini may be due to constrained supplies, as rumors have suggested that available quantities of the mini will be extremely low due to display production issues. Apple is unlikely to have enough supply of the tablet to meet demand.

Visually, Apple's Retina iPad mini is nearly unchanged from the original mini, though it is both slightly heavier and thicker. The tablet includes a Retina display with a 2048 x 1536 resolution, along with an A7 processor and the M7 coprocessor originally introduced in the iPhone 5s.

The entry-level 16 GB Retina iPad mini will retail for $399 in the United States, with an extra $100 for each increase in capacity and $130 for cellular connectivity.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Caution)
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

KylePowers Avatar
122 months ago
Holy crap forums are backup! That was loneliest ~18 hours of my life!

Ordered a 16GB Wi-Fi and 32GB Wi-Fi, both in white. 1-3 days shipped, estimated arrival of 11/20-11/22, but it's already moved from 'processing' to 'preparing for shipment', so hopefully I'll see 'em sooner :D

So all that stuff about Retina Mini's being in short supply was just Apple trying to fake us all out?
What? Of course it's in short supply. Only 16-32GB are shipping in 1-3 business days (not even immediate availability) and everything else is 5-10 business days. That implies constrained inventory to me, especially on a launch day.

EDIT: I got my order confirmation email at 3:05AM (EST) for those curious
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ElectronGuru Avatar
122 months ago
It does say 3-5 day dispatch, yet the confirmation email states delivery between the 26th November and 3rd December. I ordered it at 9:15am GMT, so maybe the email is wrong?
No hard info, but my impression is that this is essentially a preorder period, allowing them to preview demand. The dispatch is from the factory itself with a longer delivery time than normal launches were standard SKUs are already in country.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SamIchi Avatar
122 months ago
How does having a quiet launch helped with constrained supplies? So there's less media involved? In the end they'll produce as much as they can produce.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleMark Avatar
122 months ago
Thanks MR for the heads up.

Space grey 128GB WIFI & Cellular Mini - Ordered this morning.

I am pessimistic about the 5-10 day dispatch / delivery claim, given the alleged shortages etc, but we will see.…
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aniseedvan Avatar
122 months ago
I went into the MK (UK) store to return something at lunch and it was dead quiet. They didn't have them out on display (lady who helped me thought it would be that afternoon).
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stu.h Avatar
122 months ago
Just ordered mine, however, the UK wasn't listed in the first countries to be allowed to order :confused:

----------

Just ordered one for my sister for Christmas, engraved as well - she'll love it :D

Im from the midlands also, where are you? I'm by the Merry Hell Centre..

With the engraving, won't that affect resale value somewhat?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
original iphone auction

Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction

Friday March 17, 2023 1:08 pm PDT by
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007. The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...
iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Feature

iPhone 12 Pro vs. 15 Pro: New Features to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

Friday March 17, 2023 10:29 am PDT by
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro. If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a...
top stories 18mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Pricing, New iOS 16.4 Beta, Siri vs. ChatGPT, and More

Saturday March 18, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's high-end iPhone models have started at $999 in the U.S. since they first launched back in 2017 with the iPhone X, but could this finally be the year that starting price sees an increase? This week also saw some more rumors about Apple's upcoming headset and the company's explorations in the booming AI industry as well as the release of a new round of beta updates, so read on for all...
iPhone 15 Pro Mock Feature Buttonless

iPhone 15 Pro Max to 'Break Record' for Thinnest Bezels on a Smartphone

Friday March 17, 2023 2:59 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone, beating the record currently held by the Xiaomi 13. That's according to the leaker known as "Ice Universe," who has divulged accurate information about Apple's plans in the past. Both iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have thinner, curved bezels compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, potentially resulting in an Apple...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Launching This Year With These 11 New Features

Monday March 13, 2023 6:47 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 lineup is around six months away, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone 15 Pro models in particular, including a titanium frame and more. Below, we have recapped 11 features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A17...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...