Apple iPad Mini 4 release date, specs, features, rumors: thinnest and most lightweight tablet in the pipeline

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Following the disappointing upgrade of the iPad Mini 3, Apple fans are now looking forward to the new upcoming iPad Mini 4 with high expectations. With just a fingerprint sensor and gold color option differentiating the iPad Mini 3 from its predecessor, the iPad Mini 2, Apple fans had dismissed the third generation iPad Mini as "embarrassingly mediocre" and "way overpriced." There has been no official news from Apple about the iPad Mini 4, though media reports and Apple fans have already begun speculating about Apple's next mini tablet.

Last year, Japanese magazine Mac Fan had suggested that the iPad Mini 4 would be powered by Apple's 64-bit A8X chip. The new tablet will also sport a thinner design that is similar to the latest iPad Air, making it possibly the thinnest and most lightweight tablet in the market once it comes out. However, other reports claim that the iPad Mini 4 might actually come equipped with the latest A9 chip, which are expected to launch with the new iPhones in September.

Meanwhile, Inquisitr has hinted that the iPad Mini 4 will feature a 7.9 inch screen, a maximum of 128 GB storage capacity and 2 GB RAM. The device will run on new iOS 9 and still feature the Touch ID sensor.

Concrete details about the iPad Mini 4 as well as Apple's product lineup for the coming months could be revealed during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8. Some reports claim that the iPad Mini 4 could be released alongside the iPad Pro in April or June of this year. However, other reports suggest that Apple will follow its previous iPad Mini release pattern with an unveiling in October followed by a product release after a few weeks.

According to Macworld, Apple will discontinue production of the original iPad Mini and the iPad Mini 3 once the iPad Mini 4 arrives, keeping only the iPad Mini 2 as a more affordable option. The iPad Mini 4 is rumored to be priced between $400 and $600.

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