Apple launches its new generation of the iPad mini on Tuesday with a slew of new AI features, including writing tools and an improved Siri assistant.
The new “single-handedly awesome” iPad mini is powered by Apple's A17 Pro chip – used in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models – giving the device a “huge boost in performance,” Apple boasts.
As the iPhone maker races to boost its devices with artificial-intelligence capabilities, Apple said it would roll out the first set of AI features in the US version of the English language this month through a software update with iPadOS 18.1.
Besides Siri’s ability to understand personal context, the iPad mini's advanced writing tools allow the user to proofread, summarize, and rewrite different versions of text.
Nicknaming the pint-size iPad a “portable powerhouse,” the device incorporates Apple Intelligence, has superfast Wi-Fi, and touts improved features such as a 12P wide back camera with Apple True Tone flash that improves photos in low light.
Apple said the next-gen mini comes equipped with its Apple intelligent Image Playground, giving it the power "to create new images based on descriptions, suggested concepts, and even a person from your Photos library.”
The A17 Pro also features a new ISP enabling Smart HDR 4 for capturing images that are “more detailed and more vivid than ever.”
Video calls on the iPad Mini will further get a boost with its Center Stage feature, in which its camera automatically pans to keep the subject centered in the frame.
With a six-core central processing unit, the A17 Pro would boost CPU performance by 30% with 25% faster graphics compared to the current generation iPad minis and is central to running Apple Intelligence, Apple's AI software.
The iPad mini’s 16‑core Neural Engine is up to 2x faster than the previous generation with all-day battery life, the tech company said.
Features will be available for iPads with A17 Pro or M1 chips and later generations, Apple said, adding it will roll out additional features including image-generation tools, Genmoji, and ChatGPT-powered capabilities over the next several months.
Apple in September unveiled its long-awaited, AI-boosted iPhone 16 lineup, but with the AI features still in test mode, the company failed to excite some investors while early sales data raised some questions around demand.
Still, research firm Canalys on Monday said the iPhone 16 would help Apple's sales in the fourth quarter and drive momentum into the first half of 2025, after Apple reached a record high third-quarter shipments.
The iPad mini, starting at $499, is available for pre-orders starting on Tuesday and will begin arriving to customers and Apple store locations next week, Apple said.
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