The Inquirer

iPad Mini to be binned as firm makes room for 10.5in iPad Pro

Source claims pint-sized tablet has been 'sized out of its own category'

iPad Mini to be binned as firm makes way for 10.5in iPad Pro
RIP iPad Mini
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THE PINT-SIZED iPad Mini is reportedly set go go the way iPod Classic, with Apple said to be planning to "phase out" the tablet. 

So says BGR, which has heard from a myserious "source" that Apple plans to discontinue its miniature iPad, which has been "sized out of its own category" likely thanks to the iPhone 7 Plus. The source notes that the sales numbers are "very clear" and are the primary reason why the company plans to bin the iPad Mini.

The report adds that it's not yet clear if Apple plans to continue selling the iPad mini for a period of time without further updates, or if it will pull the device at some point in the near future. Either way, if you want an iPad Mini 4, you should probably pick one up sharpish. 

If the rumours are true (Apple hasn't commented, naturally), the discontinuation won't come as a surprise to many. Apple hasn't updated its iPad Mini line since 2015, and recently introduced a stripped-back 9.7in tablet that, at £339, is cheaper than the iPad Mini 4. 

What's more, reports have long speculated that Apple plans to soon introduce a 10.5in iPad, alongside new versions of its 9.7in and 12.9in tablets, which would make the 7.9in tablet even more obsolete. 

While it's unlikely that any new iPads will be unveiled at next month's WWDC, Apple is reportedy planning to unveil three new MacBooks at its dev-focused event. This includes a Kaby Lake-powered MacBook Pro, which Bloomberg reports could debut Apple's rumoured homegrown ARM-based chip, which will work alongside the Intel CPU to manage low-power tasks.

Apple will also take the wraps off an upgraded 12in MacBook and a new 13in MacBook Air, according to the report. µ

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