Whilst the next generation iPhone is the most anticipated device to be arriving from Apple in the next couple of weeks, the purported smaller iPad or iPad mini as it is being called is supposedly hot on its heels. The iPad mini is supposedly being launched to compete against the smaller tablets cropping up in the table market.
There have been plenty of supposed leaks of the ipad mini and the general concensus is that it will look like a big iPod touch. It also looks as if the ipad mini will have a significantly thinner bezel which will make it akin to the iPhone and iPod touch that we have at the present moment. Another thing that is looking promising with the new iPad mini is the possibility of seperate volume buttons. The release date that rumors and reports are suggesting is October/November.
The rumors, reports and leaked images show that the iPad mini has some key advantages over other tablets. The images leaks that we have been priviledged to view so far have shown no sign of a back camera and we feel that the lack of this will be a recurring theme on the smaller, cheaper devices. A front facing camera is essential for FaceTime and although leaks have shown no hole for a camera this could be just the fact that it has yet to be drilled in the images we have seen.
In terms of when the iPad mini will hit the market things are still a little up in the air. Apple will have to be very careful to ensure that they separate it from the launch of the iPhone and the limited number of hardware leaks that we have seen up until now would seem to indicate that there is quite a way to go yet before the iPad mini is ready for mass production. Either way, if Apple can manage to get the iPad mini out for a reasonable fee then it could put a lot of pressure on the current tablet market.
