iPad Mini 5 release date, specs rumors: Mini tablet to release in 2017; may feature ios10

Emmanuelle Espiritu Sunday, September 18, 2016

Two children use the iPad Mini at the Apple Store during Black Friday in San Francisco, California, November 23, 2012. | Reuters/Stephen Lam

Although the iPad Mini 5 was not launched in the recently held Apple press event, anticipation for it has not waned. Latest speculations have pushed its rumored release to Apple's next scheduled event in March 2017.

The fifth generation mini tablet was among the upcoming devices expected to launch with the iPhone 7 during last week's event. iPad Mini 4 was launched last year in September. Since Apple has been updating its mini tablet line annually in the past four years, anticipation for the iPad Mini 5 launch peaked prior to the unveiling of the new smartphone. But expectations were dashed when only the iPhone 7 variants and the Apple watch series 2 were released.

The next event scheduled in March 2017 is still months away and it only gives Apple more time to polish the next generation iPad Mini if the Cupertino-based company intends to release it next year.

According to PC Advisor, the iPad Mini 5 may feature the same 7000-series aluminum chassis as the iPhone 6S, which will make it slimmer, lighter, and more durable than the earlier variants. The mini tablet is expected to be only 5 millimeters thick with a 7.9-inch screen and retina display.

Additionally, according to PC Tablet, the iPad Mini 5 may also be equipped with an A9 processor along with a 12-core seventh generation PowerVR graphics which could speed boost its performance and allow for improved graphics display.

The fifth generation mini tablet is also expected to provide better functionality as well as increased productivity with a pressure sensitive 3D touch button. The rumored built-in storage of 32 GB may also be expandable to 256 GB.

And since the iPad Mini 4 can be upgraded to iOS 10, the forthcoming iPad Mini 5 may be pre-equipped with Apple's newest operating system. This will allow for faster accessibility of files and features and the ability to delete Apple's preinstalled applications.

Apple has yet to release an official statement about the iPad Mini 5, so everything stated here are all just speculations and should not be taken as gospel truth.