Leaked details of the iPad Mini 8 have appeared on Apple’s official website – when will it be launched?

Apple is rumoured to be releasing the iPad Mini 8 on 28 October alongside a touchscreen MacBook. This latest generation of the iPad Mini is likely to feature a design change from the previous generation.

The news came to light after Apple’s official regulatory website in France inadvertently revealed a new accessory – the Smart Folio case – which differs from both the current and previous series.

According to Gizmodo, this new case contains 6,610 milligrams of magnetic material, far more than the previous version, which contained just 3,947 milligrams.

Although it does not yet fully reveal the specific dimensions of the device, this new case strongly suggests a design change to the device. Apple is likely to make significant adjustments to the size, the camera cut-out, or other parts.

In addition, there have been several other leaks suggesting the possibility of major changes to the iPad mini, such as an upgrade to an OLED display and a more powerful processor using Apple’s A20 Pro chip.

This iPad mini is also likely to be the final model in a series marking the transition of the front-facing camera from a vertical to a horizontal orientation. Apple may also remove the speaker grille at the bottom, switching to a vibration-based speaker system.

According to the latest reports, the iPad mini is set to see a price increase from the previous US$599 (around Rp10.8 million) to US$799 (around Rp14.4 million) for the iPad mini 8. Given the improvements on offer, this significant price rise may well be justified.

However, Apple will make an official announcement later this month, alongside the launch of other eagerly awaited new products. The iPad mini 8 is likely to become available in early November.