A new report by DigiTimes indicates Apple is planning to release a seventh-generation iPad mini before the end of the year. The Taiwan-based publication predicts an uptick in Apple’s share of the market owing to orders for a “small-size” iPad in the fourth quarter.
In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, the report said:
In the second quarter, iPad shipments had a sequential decline higher than those of non-iPad tablets, resulting in iPads’ combined shipment share seeing two consecutive quarters of decline. However, the share will gradually pick up during the second half because of Apple’s inventory replenishment needs in the third quarter and orders for a new small-size iPad in the fourth quarter, the figures show.
DigiTimes sources its information from the suppliers of parts for iPhones and other Apple products. While its sources often provide reliable information, the site sometimes doesn’t interpret the information correctly.
However, the report does jibe with an earlier report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman that an iPad mini minor “spec bump” could see a release in the near future. Also, the leaker known as “ShrimpApplePro” last month indicated that a seventh-generation iPad mini was being worked on, and said that at least one new iPad model was on the way this year.
In related reports, Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in January that he expects Apple to begin mass production of a seventh-gen iPad mini during the first quarter of 2024.
While a minor “spec bump” would likely be a chip upgrade (the current sixth-gen iPad mini is powered by the A15 Bionic chip), we could also see upgrades to the front and rear-facing cameras.
