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 iPad Mini 2 in Silver | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Product family | iPad Mini |
| Type | Tablet computer |
| Lifespan | October 23, 2013 – March 21, 2017 |
| Introductory price | Wi-Fi: 16 GB: $399, 32 GB: $499, 64 GB: $599, 128 GB: $699 Wi-Fi + Cellular: 16 GB: $529, 32 GB: $629, 64 GB: $729, 128 GB: $829 |
| Units sold | Over 1 million in the first 3 days |
| Units shipped | 1 million+ |
| Operating system | Original:iOS 7.0.3 Last:iOS 12.5.7 |
| System on a chip | Apple A7 with 64-bit architecture andApple M7 motion co-processor |
| Memory | 1 GBLPDDR3DRAM[1] |
| Storage | 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB[a]flash memory |
| Display | 2048×1536px (326 PPI), 7.9 in (200 mm) diagonal,4:3LED-backlitIPS LCD |
| Input | Multi-touchscreen,headset controls,proximity andambient light sensors, 3-axisaccelerometer, 3-axisgyroscope,digitalcompass |
| Camera | iSight Camera: 5 mega-pixels, ƒ/2.4 aperture, 1080p video.FaceTime HD Camera: 1.2MP photos, ƒ/2.4 aperture, 720p HD video. |
| Connectivity |
|
| Power | Built-in rechargeableLi-Po battery 23.8 W⋅h (86 kJ), 10hr life |
| 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) |
| Weight | Wi-Fi: 331 g (0.730 lb) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 341 g (0.752 lb) |
| Backward compatibility | WithiOS 7 untiliOS 12 |
| Predecessor | iPad Mini (1st generation) |
| Successor | iPad Mini 3 |
| Related | iPad Air 1 |
| Website | web |
| This article is part ofa series on the |
| iPad |
|---|
| List of iPad models |
TheiPad Mini 2 (formerly marketed as theiPad mini with Retina display,[2] officiallyiPad mini 2 with Retina display[3]) is atablet computer designed and marketed byApple Inc. It has a nearly identical design to its predecessor, thefirst-generation iPad Mini, but features internal revisions such as the use of anA7 system-on-a-chip and a 2,048 x 1,536 resolutionRetina Display.[4] Internally, the second-generation iPad Mini has nearly the same hardware as its sibling device, theiPad Air (1st generation). Apple released the second-generation iPad Mini in space gray and silver colors on November 12, 2013.
The iPad Mini 2 was initially released withiOS 7.
The second-generation iPad Mini was announced during a keynote at theYerba Buena Center for the Arts on October 22, 2013.[5] The theme of the keynote was 'We still have a lot to cover.'[6] The iPad Mini 2 was then released on October 23, 2013, in silver and space gray colors. It was initially released withIOS 7.0.3, but cellular models were initially released withiOS 7.[7] On March 21, 2017, the iPad mini 2 was discontinued along with theiPad Air 2 with the announcement of the2017 iPad[8] and was no longer sold through Apple but continued to support major software revisions.iOS 12 is the last major software release supported by the iPad mini 2.[9] Apple has confirmed theA7 SoC used on the iPad mini 2 is not powerful enough to runiPadOS 13 or higher, leaving the only models in the iPad mini line supporting newer iOS versions as of May 1, 2023, being theiPad Mini (5th generation), andiPad Mini (6th generation).[10][11] The last version of iOS that the iPad mini 2 supports is iOS 12.5.7, released on January 23, 2023.[12]
The second-generation iPad Mini was released with theiOS 7 operating system, which debuted shortly earlier than the iPad, on September 18, 2013.[13] Apple's chief designer,Jony Ive, described the update of iOS 7's new elements as "bringing order to complexity", highlighting features such as refined typography, new icons, translucency, layering, physics, and gyroscope-drivenparallaxing as some of the major changes to the design. The design of both iOS 7 andOS X Mavericks (version 10.9) noticeably departed from previousskeuomorphic design elements such as green felt inGame Center, wood inNewsstand, and leather inCalendar, in favor of a flat, colourful design.[14]
The iPad mini can act as ahotspot with some carriers, sharing its Internet connection over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB, and also access theApple App Store, a digitalapplicationdistribution platform for iOS. The service allows users to browse and downloadapplications from theiTunes Store that were developed withXcode and theiOS SDK and were published through Apple. From the App Store,GarageBand,iMovie,iPhoto, and theiWork apps (Pages,Keynote, andNumbers) are available.[15]
The second-generation iPad Mini comes with several pre-installed applications, includingSiri,Safari, Mail, Photos, Video, Music, iTunes, App Store, Maps, Notes, Calendar,Game Center, Photo Booth, and Contacts.[16] Like alliOS devices, the iPad can sync content and other data with a Mac or PC using iTunes, although iOS 5 and later can be managed and backed up without a computer. 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 aVoIP application, such asSkype.[17] The device has adictation application, using the same voice recognition technology as theiPhone 4S. This enables users to speak and the iPad types what they say on the screen, though the iPad must have an internet connection available (via Wi-Fi or cellular network) due to the feature's reliance on Apple servers to translate the speech.[18]
The second-generation iPad Mini has an optionaliBooks application, which displays books and otherePub-format content downloaded from theiBookstore.[19] Several major book publishers includingPenguin Books,HarperCollins,Simon & Schuster andMacmillan have committed to publishing books for the device.[20] Despite being a direct competitor to both theAmazon Kindle andBarnes & Noble Nook,[21] bothAmazon.com andBarnes & Noble offer e-reader apps for the iPad.[22][23]
The iPad mini 2 supported 6 major iOS versions, which go byiOS 7,iOS 8,iOS 9,iOS 10,iOS 11, andiOS 12. The iPad mini 2 was the first iPad mini to support 6 major versions, and receive full support for all of them. It is also the first 64-bit iPad mini (the originaliPad mini was the last 32-bit iPad).
The iPad mini 2 has not been supported past iOS 12 due to the hardware limitations of its A7 chip.
The second-generation iPad Mini largely has the same design as the firstiPad Mini. One notable change is the inclusion of aRetina Display, matching the screen resolution of the full-sized Retina iPad models. The slate-colored back panel of the first-generation iPad Mini was discontinued in favor of "space grey", a black color, and the white color still remains.
Although the second-generation iPad Mini inherits hardware components from theiPhone 5S, such as its64-bitApple A7 system-on-chip andApple M7 motion processor, it uses the same home button as its predecessor and therefore does not support theTouch ID fingerprint sensor. It also includes a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.2 MP FaceTime HD front-facing camera, support for802.11n Wi-Fi networking, and an estimated 10 hours of battery life.[24]
As with all previous generations of iPad hardware, there are four buttons and one switch on the second-generation iPad Mini. With the device in its portrait orientation, these are: a "home" button on the face of the device under the display that returns the user to the home screen, awake/sleep button on the top edge of the device, and two buttons on the upper right side of the device performingvolume up/down functions, under which is a switch whose function varies according to device settings, functioning either to switch the device into or out of silent mode or to lock/unlock the orientation of the screen.[24] In addition, the WiFi only version weighs 331 grams while the cellular model weighs 341 grams – slightly more than their respective predecessors. The display responds to other sensors: an ambient light sensor to adjust screen brightness and a 3-axisaccelerometer to sense orientation and switch betweenportrait and landscape modes. Unlike theiPhone andiPod Touch's built-in applications, which work in three orientations (portrait, landscape-left and landscape-right), the iPad's built-in applications supportscreen rotation in all four orientations, including upside-down. Consequently, the device has no intrinsic "native" orientation; only the relative position of the home button changes.[24]
The audio playback of the second-generation iPad Mini is in stereo with two speakers located on either side of the lightning connector.
The second-generation iPad Mini is available with 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB[a] of internalflash memory, with no expansion option. Apple sells a "camera connection kit" with anSD card reader, but it can only be used to transfer photos and videos.[24]
All second-generation iPad Mini models can connect to awireless LAN and offer dual band Wi-Fi support. The tablet is also manufactured either with or without the capability to communicate over acellular network. The second-generation iPad Mini (as well as the iPad Air) cellular model comes in two variants, both of which support nano-SIMs, quad-band GSM, penta-bandUMTS, and dual-band CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and B. Additionally, one variant also supports LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 and 26 while the other variant supports LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20 andTD-LTE bands 38, 39 and 40. Apple's ability to handle many different bands in one device allowed it to offer, for the first time, a single iPad variant which supports all the cellular bands and technologies deployed by all the major North American wireless providers at the time of the device's introduction.
| Timeline of iPad models |
|---|
 See also:List of Apple Inc. products |
Source:Apple Newsroom Archive.[25]
Writing forTechRadar, Gareth Beavis awarded the second-generation iPad Mini a rating of 4.5 out of 5. Beavis praises the Retina display and A7 chip's performance, and states that its "design is still the best in the tablet category." However, he does criticize the price increase.[26] On his website,AnandTech,Anand Lal Shimpi highly compliments the design and increased speed of the second-generation iPad Mini while lamenting the limited color palette, stating "...it's a shame that this is a tradeoff that exists between the two iPads especially given how good Apple is about sRGB coverage in nearly all of its other displays."[27] Despite some criticisms, such as the quality of the camera, Jeffrey Van Camp ofDigital Trends gave the second-generation iPad Mini a score of 4.5 out of 5. He writes: "The iPad Mini 2 is our favorite tablet of 2013. With a powerful 64-bit A7 processor and a high-resolution ‘Retina’ screen, it finishes the job that Apple started with the first iPad Mini."[28]
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| Preceded by | iPad Mini 2 2013 | Succeeded by |
