Apple isn’t done with announcements this year, because following the recent launch of the iPhone 15 line, the Apple Watch 9, and a separate announcement for a new Apple Pencil, the company is now about to hold a ‘Scary Fast’ event. Most of what we’re expecting there is new Macs and Macbooks, but a regulatory filing hints that we might also see the iPad mini 7.
MacRumors spotted that recently a filing for the battery used in the iPad mini 6 was resubmitted to a Chinese regulatory database, which is a move that could point to a new iPad mini model being on the way.
Previously for example this happened with Apple Watch 8 batteries being resubmitted ahead of the Apple Watch 9 launch.
The reason old batteries might hint at a new model is that Apple could be reusing them for the iPad mini 7, meaning in other words that it might have a 5,124mAh battery like the current model. Indeed, other leaks suggest that the iPad mini 7 will have a more powerful chipset than its predecessor but otherwise be very similar.
More likely in March
However, we wouldn’t count on seeing it at today’s Apple event, because while this regulatory filing certainly points to the possibility, multiple reputable leakers have suggested otherwise, with the latest such claim coming from Mark Gurman, who says not to expect any new iPads until March.
It would also seem strange for Apple to announce a new Apple Pencil on its own, and then announce a new iPad a couple of weeks later. Surely it would make more sense to announce those things together?
So we doubt there will be a new iPad mini unveiled today – or any other iPads for that matter – but it would certainly be a not so scary surprise if one was unveiled.
The event kicks off at October 30 at 5pm PT, or 12am GMT / 11am AEDT on October 31, and if you’d like to tune in, here’s how to watch the Apple October ‘Scary Fast’ event live.