Most Apple fans have likely been waiting with uber-high anticipation for Cupertino to unveil a smaller iPad Mini. And I’m willing to bet that almost all thought Apple would be launching the Mini with the usual three or four storage variants, along with a WiFi only and LTE enabled options.
Of course we should know soon enough, as Apple recently sent out official invites for an event on October 23 where the smaller iPad is expected to be unveiled a number of other products, such as a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, a revamped iMac and perhaps even a next-gen Mac Mini.
In the meantime, 9to5Mac has published a list which allegedly shows a number of iPad mini SKUs. If the SKUs are to be believed, there will be a total of 24 models or variants of the iPad Mini. Indeed, the list highlights four primary variants: P101, P103, P105, and P107. From what I can tell, it looks as if there will be four distinct models of the smaller iPad mini in each storage capacity and color.
The models in the list leaked list show versions labeled as “good,” “better,” and “best.” Presumably, that means there’ll be three different storage capacities and black or white versions of the tablet available. It would be no stretch to assume that one or more of those capacities will also feature mobile broadband connectivity built-in. We think about two colors, possibly three storage capacities, and versions with or without integrated mobile broadband; you can get to 24 different SKUs rather quickly.
Although Cupertino has yet to officially acknowledge the existence of an iPad Mini, the tablet is expected to feature a 7.85-inch display, a screen resolution of 1,024-by-768 pixels and a smaller bezel.
Additional specs are thought to include a forward and rear facing cameras, as well as the new smaller Lightning connector found on the iPhone 5 and the latest iPods.
The new iPad Mini will undoubtedly boast a lower price point than its larger counterpart, enabling the device to more effectively compete against rival tablets like Amazon Kindle Fire and B&N’s Nook.
