New iPad mini may emerge as surprise guest at Apple's Scary Fast event

There may not be long to wait for a new pint-sized iPad

Hands holding an iPad mini 6, playing a racing game
The current generation iPad mini was launched in 2021
(Image credit: Apple)
John McCann
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published
in News

We could be just mere hours away from the next generation of iPad mini, if the latest rumours turn out to be accurate.

Apple's Scary Fast event is slated for today, October 30, and while we expect to see a new slew of M3-powered Mac devices announced, the iPad division may have a pint-sized surprise for us as well.

That's according to MacRumors, which spotted filings by Apple to the Chinese regulatory database for batteries already used in 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, Magic Keyboard for the Mac, and the current-gen iPad mini 6.

So far, so nothing - but MacRumors notes that it's witnessed battery refilings before, with Apple following the same process ahead of the Apple Watch 9 launch as it resubmitted the Watch 8 battery documents to the same regulatory body. The latter's battery ended up being reused in the former smartwatch.

So you're telling me there's a chance...

Lloyd Christmas saying "So you're telling me there's a chance"

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

It's the faintest of signs that a new iPad mini may arrive later today then, but this isn't the first we've heard of a potential tablet announcement. 

In early October an 'industry insider' told 9to5Mac that the iPad mini 7 was still on track for the "coming months", which adds a little more fuel to this fire.

Add to that the fact the current sixth generation iPad mini launched in 2021, two years after the fifth generation installed arrived in 2019, and we're currently sitting in the window for a two-year refresh of Apple's smallest slate.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
iPad mini launch history
YearModel
2021iPad mini 6
2019iPad Mini 5
2015iPad mini 4
2014iPad mini 3
2013iPad mini 2
2012iPad mini

However, things are far from certain. This news goes against reports from last month which said there would be no iPad mini 7 (or any new iPad) this year (nor no new Pro models), and this backs up comments from Bloomberg's often-reliable Apple analyst Mark Gurman, that we will be waiting until 2024 for new iPad models.

So take this latest report with a healthy pinch of salt. The good news there isn't long to wait to find out if a new iPad mini is about to break cover as Apple's 'Scary Fast' event kicks off at 5pm PT, 8pm ET on October 30 (that's 12am GMT on Ocotber 31 for those of you in the UK).

John McCann
John McCann

John has been a technology journalist for more than a decade, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He’s reported on pretty much every area of consumer technology, from laptops, tablets, smartwatches and smartphones to smart speakers, automotive, headphones and more. During his time in journalism, John has written for TechRadar, T3, Shortlist, What Laptop, Windows 8 magazine, Gizmodo UK, Saga Magazine and Saga Exceptional, and he’s appeared in the Evening Standard and Metro newspapers.

Outside of work, John is a passionate Watford FC and Green Bay Packers fan, enjoys a Sunday afternoon watching the F1, and is also a Guinness World Record Holder.

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