The "Small iPad" Has Finally Arrived

The "slightly smaller iPad," the "iPad mini," has been rumored since the announcement of the "iPad 2." Speculation abounded, with questions like "Will it come in a 7-inch size?" and "Will it bridge the gap between the iPad and iPhone?" anticipation for an announcement from Apple grew.

The "iPad mini," officially announced by Apple, features a 7.9-inch screen with a resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels. The Retina display, already featured in the "new iPad," was not adopted for the "iPad mini."

The device weighs 308 grams, over 50 percent lighter than the conventional "iPad." Despite its smaller size and lighter weight, Apple states that the "iPad mini" maintains the high performance of the "iPad," including a 5-megapixel HD camera, high-speed wireless connectivity, and a battery offering 10 hours of use.


Pre-orders for the "iPad mini" begin in Japan on October 26th, with the Wi-Fi model going on sale nationwide at Apple Stores and other retailers on November 2nd. Prices range from ¥28,800 for the 16GB model, under ¥30,000, up to ¥44,800 for the 64GB model.

The cellular model, previously known as the "Wi-Fi + 4G model," has been renamed the "Wi-Fi + Cellular model." Like the conventional "iPad," it will be available through SoftBank Mobile and, newly, au. Sales for this model are slated to begin in late November. Both carriers will support 4G LTE with download speeds of up to 75Mbps, similar to the "iPhone 5."

Prices for both SoftBank and au models range from ¥39,800 for the 16GB model to ¥55,800 for the 64GB model.

The 4th Generation "iPad" Also Announced

Alongside the announcement of the "iPad mini," the 4th generation "iPad" was also unveiled. This model features a 9.7-inch Retina display and is powered by the A6X chip, offering up to twice the performance of the A5X chip found in the "new iPad (3rd generation)." Like the iPhone 5, it uses the smaller Lightning™ connector.

Currently, only prices for the "Wi-Fi + Cellular model" have been announced: ¥53,800 for the 16GB model, ¥61,800 for the 32GB model, and ¥69,800 for the 64GB model. The pre-order and sales start dates are the same as the "iPad mini," scheduled for October 26th and November 2nd, respectively.