iPad Mini 5 release date, specs news update: Latest iteration thinner than predecessor? What to expect and when to expect it

There are speculations that the iPad Mini 5, the latest iteration of the iPad Mini series, will be coming out around September, along with a slew of other new devices from Apple. There are also talks that the iPad Mini 5 would boast of awesome features and improved hardware specifications.

Tech giant Apple usually launches new devices during the last quarter of each year, which is why the iPad Mini 5 is speculated to release in September. The release date could coincide with the MacBook Pro 2016, Apple Watch 2, and the new iPhone 7 series. According to hearsay, the iPad Air 3 will be released around the same time.

Neurogadget reported that this latest iteration would be much thinner, as thin as 5 millimeters (mm), than the iPad Mini 4, which has a 6.1-millimeter thickness. It could go as thin since it would use a smaller battery than its predecessor's 5,124 mAh battery. The challenge would be the battery's runtime since it will be considerably smaller. Nevertheless, the publication reported that the iPad Mini 5's A9 processor could work along with the smaller battery, as it would be consuming less power than the iPad Mini 4's A8 processor.

PC Advisor revealed that the iPad Mini 5 would be reinforced with a type 7000 aluminum body, dubbed as the "bendgate," just like the iPhone 6. Apparently, the device will feature a 3D touch screen support feature like the iPhone 7 and be released in three different internal storage variants.

The iPad Mini 5 would purportedly have an IP68 certification, which would give the device waterproof capabilities. The downside is that the standard 3.5 mm headset jack, and perhaps the traditional audio output, would be absent from this latest iteration.

Stay tuned for more information, specification updates, and release date news for the iPad Mini 5.