Why You Shouldn’t Buy the iPad mini Right Now

The Apple iPad mini is currently in a dogfight against the likes of the Kindle Fire HD and the new Nexus 7 from Google. And while the device is still extremely  tempting for those in the hunt for a 7-inch tablet, particularly because it will be getting iOS 7 on September 18th, there are several reasons why right now is not the time to be buying into the iPad mini.

Last October, Apple held an iPad event wherein the company announced two brand new products. The first, the iPad 4, came to replace the iPad 3 which had been released earlier in the year, bringing the new Lightning dock standard, a new processor and Sprint 4G LTE to those that were interested in a 9.7-inch iPad.

The iPad mini 2 is rumored for later this year.

The other iPad was maybe the more significant of the two. Apple finally introduced a smaller iPad, dubbed iPad mini, which brought a smaller form factor and 7.9-inch display to those in search of a smaller tablet. The device went head-to-head with the likes of the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD, offerings from Google and Amazon that had launched in the previous months.

Apple’s iPad mini reportedly started to outpace the larger iPad in terms of sales and with Google’s releasing a new Nexus 7 in July and rumors suggesting a Kindle Fire HD 2, it’s no surprise that rumors suggest a new iPad mini is on the way.

iPad mini 2 rumors have been surfacing for months with leaks suggesting that Apple has not one, but two new iPad models on the way for the 2013 holiday season. The company did not detail those new devices at its iPhone launch event on September 10th but we expect the company to announce new iPads at some point this year, possibly in just a few weeks time.

With that in mind, we think that right now is the worst possible time to buy the current version of the iPad mini. Here’s why.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy the iPad mini Right Now

iPad mini 2 is Almost Here

First and foremost, we should only be a few weeks out from an iPad mini 2 launch date. Rumorssuggest that we could see Apple host an iPad event on October 15th, just a day after Google is rumored to be showcasing its Android 4.4 KitKat update and Nexus 5 smartphone, which means that we could only be a month away from a launch and a little over a month away from a release.

Rumors have all pointed to an October launch and at this point, there is nothing to suggest that Apple is going to launch its new iPad outside of the month of October.

• Original iPad mini launched in October.
• Rumors point to October.
• Apple wants to get iPads out for holiday shopping, Black Friday.

Those that have waited this long will likely want to be patient and wait just a few more weeks as the iPad mini 2 should make an appearance. If it does debut on October 14th, it could mean that Apple will get it on shelves in October rather than November. The original iPad mini hit shelves in November after an October launch.

Retina Display

Maybe the biggest reason to skip the iPad mini is the fact that it doesn’t have a Retina Display. This was one of the biggest knocks on the device when it first arrived as the display did not deliver the quality resolution that buyers had come to expect from Apple’s iPad line.

The iPad mini 2 with Retina Display could arrive in 2013 as Apple pushes to compete with the new Nexus 7.

iPad mini 2 rumors suggest that the iPad mini 2 could come with a Retina Display and we’re willing to wager that those rumors come true. Apple loves to please its customers and it also likes to make money. If it comes without one, Apple will be giving Google and the Nexus 7 a huge advantage in the 7-inch tablet race and that’s something that the company isn’t likely to do.

Instead, we should see an iPad mini 2 with a fantastic display that puts the iPad mini’s display to shame. To get an idea of the difference, use an iPad 2 display, then watch something on the iPad 3 or iPad 4, and then go back to the iPad 2. It’s not pretty.

Price Drop for iPad mini

If it turns out that the iPad mini 2 isn’t enticing enough, the iPad mini will still be available and it will likely be cheaper than it was prior to the iPad mini 2′s arrival.

The iPad mini price should drop at Apple. And through retailers.

Typically, Apple keeps its older iPads around in refurbished form. At the very least, we expect the iPad mini to stick around on Apple’s website with a cheaper price tag than the one we’re seeing now. It’s also possible that we could see Apple offer it side-by-side with an upgraded design or otherwise, also with a cheaper price tag.

Whatever the case, those who don’t care about the iPad mini 2 and its feature boosts will be able to find cheaper deals in just a few weeks, something that is certainly worth the wait.

Some Other Reasons

There are also some other reasons why buyers might want to wait. While we haven’t seen any significant rumors in regards to the iPad mini 2 features, at least outside of the Retina Display, there is a chance that we’ll see some other enticing upgrades.

First, a fingerprint sensor like the one on the iPhone 5S. That’s not guaranteed but given the security features on board iOS 7 and given Apple’s focus on cutting down on theft, we could see it deliver something similar on the iPad mini 2.

This new render shows what Touch ID and a gold iPad would look like.

Second, a better camera. While tablets still aren’t fantastic mobile cameras, the iPad mini 2 is at least small enough where it doesn’t feel extremely awkward to shoot a photo or video. Apple typically evolves its camera year-after-year so we could see an upgrade to the camera in the iPad mini 2.

Finally, we haven’t seen anything to suggest it, but the iPad mini 2 could come with a 64-bit processor like the iPhone 5S. The new standard pushes performance, particularly for gaming, something that is a big use case on a form factor like the iPad mini’s. This isn’t a guarantee but for gamers, it’s worth a wait.