The upcoming sixth-generation iPad mini will feature volume buttons on the top side of the device to accommodate a full-size Apple Pencil, according to images seemingly from an accessory maker shared by the Twitter user known as "Majin Bu."
The images purportedly depict the sixth-generation iPad mini with an iPad Air-style all-screen design, featuring squared-off edges, a Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the power button, and no Home Button, as has been previously rumored. The most noticeable change that differentiates the sixth-generation iPad mini's design from that of the iPad Air is the relocation of the volume buttons, with the buttons being moved opposite the Touch ID power button on the top edge of the device. This is an unprecedented iPad design change, with all previous iPad models to date featuring the volume buttons on the right side of the device.
The main reason for moving the volume buttons appears to be to fit the Apple Pencil on the right edge of the device. The iPad Air and iPad Pro models are able to fit both the volume buttons and a magnetically attached Apple Pencil on the right edge of the device, but this does not seem to be the case on the next-generation iPad mini due to its considerably smaller size. This likely prompted Apple to move the volume buttons elsewhere.
Relocated volume buttons were depicted in previous images of alleged iPad mini aluminum production molds. Third-party accessory makers often get their hands on accurate dimensions for upcoming devices well ahead of launch to develop the likes of screen protectors and accessories so that they are available as soon as the device is released. Given this is the second appearance of relocated volume buttons from accessory makers, the change may be more likely to be accurate, especially in light of the expected need to accommodate an Apple pencil.
Relocating the volume buttons to the top right of the device could also make sense for larger iPads that are often used in landscape mode and with keyboards, since the user would no longer need to lift their hand up past the display to the top edge of the device to change the volume. In landscape, volume buttons in this new location would be much closer to an external keyboard. It is unknown if the relocated volume buttons will expand to other iPad models for consistency in the future.
I dont get why they dont put the buttons on the top right side when held landscape. So above the charging port. Does anyone ever rest or charge an iPad in portrait orientation? I think it would make so much more sense if Apple just accepted its a landscape device and put the front camera on the long edge too.
The iPad mini in particular is an excellent portrait device because you can actually hold it with one hand in portrait and read it like a book.
Not saying it can't also be used in landscape but I prefer using my ipad mini in portrait.
I dont get why they dont put the buttons on the top right side when held landscape. So above the charging port. Does anyone ever rest or charge an iPad in portrait orientation? I think it would make so much more sense if Apple just accepted its a landscape device and put the front camera on the long edge too.
I am a pilot and only use the iPad mini in portrait. That's how it is mounted on the yoke of the airplane and holds all my charts and geo-referenced approach plates. I put the power port at the top so it can be more easily plugged into the aircraft panel to charge.
Thursday September 23, 2021 6:03 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's sixth-generation iPad mini is set to launch this Friday, and ahead of time, the device has started shipping to customers around the world. Track your iPad mini pre-order shipping status with others in the MacRumors forums.
The new iPad mini is essentially an iPad Air mini, as the two devices now share several features, including slimmer bezels, a USB-C port, a Touch ID power button,...
Tuesday September 28, 2021 12:11 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple last week launched an updated version of the iPad mini, which has been entirely overhauled with an iPad Air-like design. The new mini is basically a smaller version of the iPad Air, and we thought we'd check it out and share first impressions after 48 hours with the little tablet.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. With an 8.3-inch display, the iPad mini has a...
Apple is believed to be working on a smaller version of the Apple Pencil, according to recent reports.
In a report outlining the redesign and new features coming to the next-generation iPad mini, the leaker Jon Prosser has revealed insights into what Apple may have in store for a new Apple Pencil model. Sources that are purportedly familiar with the project, speaking to Prosser, have said...
Wednesday March 9, 2022 3:26 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Update: Apple has since confirmed to MacRumors that plugging in a fourth-generation iPad Air or iPad mini 6 into the Studio Display will result in a downscaled 1440p output. According to Apple, the new 27-inch 5K Studio Display supports a range of Macs going back to 2016 MacBook Pro models, but its compatibility with iPads is notably limited to the 11-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro...
The fifth-generation iPad Air will feature a range of significantly upgraded internals, according to an unverified but increasingly plausible report coming out of Asia.
According to a post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, the fifth-generation iPad Air will feature the M1 chip. As a result, the iPad Air is also destined to be paired with 8GB of memory, the post claims.
...
Thursday February 10, 2022 7:56 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Colorado resident Christopher Bryan on Wednesday filed a class action lawsuit against Apple that accuses the company of fraudulently marketing and selling the sixth-generation iPad mini despite being aware of a so-called "jelly scrolling" defect with the device, according to court documents reviewed by MacRumors.
A few days after the sixth-generation iPad mini was released in September, some ...
On his newly launched Front Page Tech website, leaker Jon Prosser has shared renders showing off the alleged design of the next-generation iPad mini, which he says are based on schematics, CAD files, and real images of the device.
In line with details shared earlier this month by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu, Prosser claims that the new iPad mini will feature slimmer bezels around...
Apple plans to release its sixth-generation iPad mini this fall with a new design that features slimmer bezels, a larger display, and improved performance, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reports.
In the latest edition of his weekly "Power On" newsletter, Gurman says the new iPad mini, which is rumored to include an 8.4-inch display, an increase from the current 7.9-inch screen size, is a...
Apple earlier this week announced the discontinuation of the iPod touch, and because it was the last iPod still available for purchase, its sunsetting effectively marks the end of the entire iPod lineup.
To send the iPod on its way, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the most notable iPod releases over the last 21 years.
Original iPod (2001)
Introduced in October...
iOS 16 will include new ways of interacting with the system and some "fresh Apple apps," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said, offering some more detail on what Apple has in store for the upcoming release of iOS and iPadOS set to be announced in a few weeks at WWDC. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman wrote that while iOS 16 is not likely to introduce a major face-lift to...
YouTuber Unbox Therapy has shared a hands-on look at the iPhone 14 Pro Max using what he claims is a one-to-one replica created by third-party case makers with access to detailed schematics and dimensions for Apple's new upcoming flagship smartphone.
As with the iPhone 13 Pro lineup, in 2022, we are expecting a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, but this time the Pro...
Apple today released iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5, the fifth major updates to the iOS and iPadOS 15 operating systems that were initially released in September 2021. iOS and iPadOS 15.5 come a little over two months after the launch of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.
The iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in...
Wednesday May 11, 2022 11:16 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
It's been over 200 days since Apple debuted its redesigned MacBook Pro lineup. Offered in 14-inch and 16-inch display sizes, the new-look MacBooks wowed Apple fans and creative pros alike with their powerful custom Apple silicon, mini-LED screen, and multiple connectivity options. But there are still some things you can't do with a MacBook Pro. Here are five features some Mac users are still...
Apple has launched a special limited-time offer for iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad trade-in that offers customers additional credit when trading in their only device for a new one.
The offer is being run in several countries including the US, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, India, and France. In the UK, Apple is offering up to £50 of extra trade-in credit...
Earlier this week, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple plans to release at least one iPhone 15 model with a USB-C port in 2023. Now, in a follow-up tweet, he has claimed that accessories like AirPods, the MagSafe Battery Pack, and the Magic Keyboard/Mouse/Trackpad trio would also switch to USB-C in the "foreseeable future."
Both the iPhone and all of the aforementioned...
Apple on May 16 released iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5, bringing improvements for Podcasts and Apple Cash, the ability to see Wi-Fi signal of HomePods, dozens of security fixes, and more.
Top Rated Comments
Not saying it can't also be used in landscape but I prefer using my ipad mini in portrait.