The iPad Mini, the scaled-down tablet that everyone is expecting Apple to unveil next week, is now rumoured to be a Wi-Fi only model.
With a press invite thought to be hitting the in-boxes of media organisations around the world later today, the iPad Mini has been all but confirmed.
Apple has been as tight-lipped as usual, but some very convincing leaks have persuaded most in the tech world of the iPad Mini’s existence.
According to reports, Apple has decided against a 3G-enabled version of the iPad Mini, choosing instead to keep the low-cost tablet a Wi-Fi only model.
No 3G for Apple iPad Mini?
The Guardian newspaper has cited unnamed industry sources as saying they do not expect to see a 3G iPad Mini.
This will come as a disappointment to those hoping to get all the perks of an iPad without the price tag, but it is hardly a surprising decision.
Apple will want to keep costs down in order to compete with the likes of the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire, and cutting out 3G allows them to do that.
Neither the Nexus 7 nor the Kindle Fire HD has 3G connectivity either, so Apple wouldn’t lose out on that front.
However, rumours abound that Google is considering a 3G-enabled Nexus 7 for release in the run-up to Christmas. While this would probably cost a bit more than the sub-£200 price tag we’ve seen so far, it would have a distinct advantage over its rivals.
Is Apple launching 4G iPad?
It seems that an iPad Mini isn’t the only tablet Apple is releasing in the coming weeks; reports suggest that it is preparing to launch a revised 9.7-inch iPad as well.
The new version of the iPad released earlier this year is rumoured to have super-fast 4G connectivity, and will be available exclusively on Everything Everywhere’s 4G network.
The updated tablet will also come with Apple’s new Lightning dock that first made an appearance on the iPhone 5 recently.
