Apple will soon be sending out press invites to an event focused on their latest product: the mythical iPad mini. However, according to the Guardian, Apple may also be releasing a slightly updated version of their third-generation iPad. If this rumor is true, we’ll see an updated third-generation iPad with international 4G compatibility and the possibility of a Lightning connector.
What else has the Guardian supposedly uncovered? Their sources have also said that the iPad mini will not support 3G/4G cellular networks and will be available in a Wi-Fi variant. This is believable as the iPad mini’s competition, the Kindle Fire and the Google Nexus 7, are not currently available in 3G/4G variants in order to save money on parts to keep prices low. The Guardian‘s statement on both of these rumors can be found below:
Apple’s expected “iPad mini” will only come in a Wi-Fi version – but there will also be a revised version of the iPad with 4G connectivity compatible with the UK’s Everything Everywhere network, and sporting the new “Lightning” connector, industry sources have told the Guardian … Industry sources indicated to the Guardian that they do not expect to see 3G-capable versions of the iPad mini. That would allow Apple to produce it comparatively cheaply and to limit the top price of the product, while retaining mobile broadband connectivity for its pricier iPad line.
Personally, I don’t think that we’ll see an updated third-generation iPad with a Lightning connector until next year when the “iPad 4” is released. This is because the current iPad is less than a year old and the iPad mini would be announced on the same day, causing buyers to be stuck between the two tablet choices.
Source: The Guardian via Cult of Mac
