Apple Releases New 'iPad Mini' Featuring A17 Pro Chip

Apple, the iPhone manufacturer, has unveiled the new tablet PC 'iPad Mini' for the first time in three years. It features the A17 Pro processor, which was equipped in last year's iPhone 15 Pro, supporting Apple's artificial intelligence (AI) software called 'Apple Intelligence.'

On the 15th (local time), Apple announced that the new version of the iPad Mini will be released in stores on the 23rd. It has the same size as the previous model, measuring 8.3 inches (21 cm). It supports a 12-megapixel wide rear camera, a base storage capacity of 128GB, which is twice that of the previous generation, and Apple Intelligence features based on iPadOS 18.

Apple equipped the iPad Mini with its self-developed A17 Pro processor, boosting the central processing unit (CPU) performance by 30% compared to the previous iPad Mini. The A17 Pro processor is the same chip used in last year's iPhone 15 Pro. Considering the portability of the iPad Mini, it also supports the latest writing feature, Apple Pencil Pro, which was introduced earlier this year alongside the iPad Pro. Additionally, a 512GB option will be offered for the first time on the iPad Mini.

Apple explained that through the iPadOS 18.1 software update, it will launch the first English version of AI features in the United States this month. Previously, Apple released the latest smartphone iPhone 16 series last month, but AI features have not yet been activated.

The new iPad Mini starts at $499 for the base 128GB model, which is twice the storage of the previous generation. Pre-orders are available starting today in 29 countries and regions, including the United States. The colors are composed of four options, including new Blue and Purple.

Apple's iPad sales showed about 24% growth year-on-year in the second quarter (April to June). On this day, Apple’s stock price on the New York Stock Exchange closed at $233.85 per share, up 1.1% from the previous session, buoyed by the news of the new iPad Mini release.