Alleged Leaked CAD Image Suggests 'iPad mini 5' Will Just Be a Specs Bump

Serial tech leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (@OnLeaks) claims to have received an alleged CAD rendering of Apple's so-called "iPad mini 5," rumored to be launching in the Spring.

Hemmerstoffer has yet to share the image, but assuming the leak is legit, he says it suggests there will be no major design changes to the next-generation ‌iPad mini‌, save for a "relocated mic, centered on the upper back panel."

ipadmini5applepencil
Suggestions that the new ‌iPad mini‌ will look virtually the same as the last model is likely to disappoint some fans of Apple's smaller form factor tablet who may have been hoping for an iPad Pro-style redesign with Face ID and an edge-to-edge display.

However, today's development is in line with multiple reliable sources that claim Apple will release a new version of the ‌iPad mini‌ with affordability in mind, suggesting only upgraded internal specs and a lower-cost display panel in a similarly sized chassis. The 7.9-inch tablet is also expected to continue to have a Lightning connector, Touch ID, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

On the upside, details gleamed from an iOS developer beta could hint that Apple's new ‌iPad mini‌ will feature support for the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

Rumors have suggested both a new ‌iPad mini‌ 5 and an updated ‌iPad‌ will launch in early 2019, and we've seen signs of them in iOS 12.2 and through registration with the Eurasian Economic Commission.

Based on recent years, it's natural to speculate that Apple will announce the ‌iPad mini‌ 5 at its rumored March 25 event, however reports claim Apple's event will be services-focused, suggesting any hardware updates may come in the form of a press release or at another event further down the line.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Tag: OnLeaks
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
mac pro creativity

Apple Launched the Controversial 'Trashcan' Mac Pro 11 Years Ago Today

Thursday December 19, 2024 7:00 pm PST by
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro eleven years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup. The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylindrical design that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan" in the Mac community. All of ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' With 'Major' Design Changes and 19-Inch MacBook Detailed in New Report

Sunday December 15, 2024 9:47 am PST by
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie. The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...

Top Rated Comments

neuropsychguy Avatar
76 months ago
Seems like a missed opportunity with the mini... Would love one with updated design and specs for a reasonable price...
You get to pick 2 of the 3.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sfwalter Avatar
76 months ago
If its just a spec bump then why even update it after all these years?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
braddick Avatar
76 months ago
The older style mini iPad with a significant spec bump is WAY better than the alternative. No new iPad mini at all.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xDKP Avatar
76 months ago
Seems like a missed opportunity with the mini... Would love one with updated design and specs for a reasonable price... A pretty good travel companion for both my days on the road with work and in planes etc.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joeblow7777 Avatar
76 months ago
If its just a spec bump then why even update it after all these years?
It’s what a lot of people have been asking for. People like the Mini the way it is, but the A8 is nearly 5 generations old.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pepe4life Avatar
76 months ago
I wouldn’t buy an iPad unless it were comparable to my iPhone and could pair an Apple Watch. I would never want to feel like I’d have to carry both an iPad and iPhone.
Why would you want to pair an iPad to an Apple Watch?
And no, the iPad has its own uses, it’s not a glorified iPhone, as much as you’d like to believe that.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)