iPad Mini 3

The iPad Mini 3 (stylized and marketed as iPad mini 3) is the third-generation iPad Mini tablet computer designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced alongside the iPad Air 2 on October 16, 2014 and released on October 22.[2] It uses primarily the same design and hardware as that of its predecessor, the iPad Mini 2. Its new features are the addition of the Touch ID sensor compatible with Apple Pay,[2] differing storage sizes and being available in a gold color, as well as the previous colors.

iPad Mini 3

Developer	Apple Inc.
Manufacturer	Foxconn
Product family	iPad Mini
Type	Tablet computer
Generation	3rd
Release date	October 22, 2014
Introductory price	Wi-Fi: 16 GB: $399, 64 GB: $499, 128 GB: $599 Wi-Fi + Cellular: 16 GB: $529, 64 GB: $629, 128 GB: $729
Discontinued	September 9, 2015
Operating system	Original: iOS 8.1 Current: iOS 12.5.1, released January 11, 2021
System on a chip	Apple A7 with 64-bit architecture and Apple M7 motion co-processor
CPU	1.3 GHz dual-core Apple Cyclone
Memory	1GB LPDDR3 DRAM[1]
Storage	16, 64, 128 GB flash memory
Display	64% Color 2048×1536 px (326 PPI), 7.9 in (200 mm) diagonal, 4:3 LED-backlit IPS LCD
Graphics	PowerVR G6430 (four cluster@450 MHz)
Input	Multi-touch screen, headset controls, M7 motion co-processor, proximity and ambient light sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, digital compass, dual microphone
Camera	Front: 1.2 MP, 720p HD Rear: 5.0 MP AF, iSight with Five Element Lens, Hybrid IR filter, video stabilisation, face detection, HDR, ƒ/2.4 aperture
Connectivity	Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and MIMO Bluetooth 4.0 Wi-Fi + Cellular: GPS & GLONASS GSM UMTS / HSDPA 850, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz GSM / EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz CDMA CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A and B. 800, 1900 MHz LTE Multiple bands
Power	3.75 V 24.3 W·h (6,471 mA·h)[1]
Online services	App Store, iTunes Store, iBookstore, iCloud, Game Center
Dimensions	Height: 200 mm (7.9 in) Width: 134.7 mm (5.30 in) Depth: 7.5 mm (0.30 in)
Mass	Wi-Fi: 331 g (0.730 lb) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 341 g (0.752 lb)
Predecessor	iPad Mini 2
Successor	iPad Mini 4
Website	iPad mini 3 at the Wayback Machine (archived March 21, 2015)

On September 9, 2015, the iPad Mini 3 was discontinued and replaced by the iPad Mini 4.

iPad Mini 2 and 3 have a similar outer shell design

Features

Software

The iPad mini 3 comes with the iOS 8.1 operating system preinstalled. It comes with several built-in applications, which are Camera, Photos, Messages, FaceTime, Mail, Music, Safari, Maps, Siri, Calendar, iTunes Store, App Store, Notes, Contacts, iBooks, Game Center, Reminders, Clock, Videos, Newsstand, Photo Booth and Podcasts. The Apple App Store, a digital application distribution platform for iOS, allows users to browse and download applications made by various developers from the iTunes Store. Additional apps made by Apple itself are available for free download, which are iMovie, GarageBand, iTunes U, Find My iPhone, Find My Friends, Apple Store, Trailers, Remote, and the iWork apps (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers). [3] Like all iOS devices, the iPad Mini 3 can also sync content and other data with a Mac or PC using iTunes. Although the tablet is not designed to make phone calls over a cellular network, users can use a headset or the built-in speaker and microphone to place phone calls over Wi-Fi or cellular using a VoIP application such as Skype (if hardware supported).

The iPad Mini 3 includes a version of Apple Pay with the built-in NFC functionality removed.

Siri, an intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator, is integrated into the device and it can be activated hands-free. The application uses a natural language user interface to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of Web services. Apple claims that the software adapts to the user's individual preferences over time and personalizes results.[4] Additionally, Siri can identify songs by using Shazam to listen to any song playing nearby. Siri then stores a list of any songs it has managed to identify on iTunes.

Facebook and Twitter come integrated through Apple's native apps. Facebook features can be directly accessed from within native apps such as Calendar which can sync Facebook events, or use Facebook's like button from within the Apple App Store.[5][6]

Design

The iPad Mini 3 uses almost exactly the same design as that of the iPad Mini 2, with the addition of Touch ID. Additionally, with the announcement of iPad Mini 3 and the iPad Air 2, Apple added the gold color option to the existing silver and space gray color choices of iPads.

Hardware

iPad Mini 3 uses nearly the same hardware as the iPad Mini 2, the main exception being the addition of the Touch ID sensor. It has a 7.9" retina display with 2048-by-1536-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. The iPad Mini 3 also uses the A7 chip with 64-bit architecture and the M7 motion coprocessor. It has a 5MP iSight Camera capable of recording 1080p HD video and a 1.2MP FaceTime HD Camera capable of recording 720p HD video.

The new Touch ID sensor detects the user's fingerprint and can be used instead of a passcode to unlock the iPad. Touch ID on the iPad Mini 3 is also compatible with Apple Pay and can be used to authorize purchases in online apps only with fingerprint verification, as opposed to entering passwords.[7]

The iPad Mini 3 is available with storage options of 16, 64 or 128GB and has no expansion option. Apple has released a "camera connection kit" with an SD card reader, but it can only be used to transfer photos and videos to an iPad.[8]

Reception

The iPad Mini 3 received positive reviews but drew fainter praise than its predecessor, as it was identical to the iPad Mini 2 except for the addition of Touch ID and the availability of the gold color. The iPad Mini 2 was regarded as a better buy, being US$100 cheaper and featuring the same screen and internals. While the Mini 2 and 3 were stuck at the same hardware level of the original iPad Air, the iPad Air 2's new hardware was considerably more powerful. Furthermore, the Air 2 was also redesigned lighter and smaller than the original Air, which nullified some of the advantages of the Mini 2 and 3's compact form factor.[9]

Timeline

Source: Apple Newsroom Archive.[10]

References

1. "iPad Mini 3 Teardown". iFixit. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
2. "Apple Introduces iPad Air 2—The Thinnest, Most Powerful iPad Ever". Apple. October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
3. "Apple – iPad mini 3 – Technical Specifications". Apple. October 16, 2014. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
4. "Apple – iOS 7 – Siri". Apple Inc. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
5. Clark, Jason (August 28, 2013). "Platform Updates: Facebook SDK for iOS 7 and Promotions Updates". Facebook. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
6. Davies, Chris (September 18, 2013). "Facebook and Twitter get iOS 7 app refresh". SlashGear. R3 Media. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
7. Model, Brad (October 16, 2014). "A first look at the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3". Retrieved October 18, 2014.
8. Stevens, Tim (October 30, 2012). "iPad review (late 2012)". Engadget. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
9. Apple iPad Mini 3 Review
10. Apple Inc. (2010–2011). iPad News - Newsroom Archive. Retrieved June 7, 2018.

External links

• iPad mini – official site