Little by little, we seem to be getting a clearer picture of what the iPad Mini will look like and, more importantly, the changes (advantages and disadvantages) it will have compared to the new iPad. The latest news concerns its design and, more or less indirectly, brings us back to the topic of price.
According to a report published yesterday by the online publication 9to5mac , the most significant aspect of the leaks regarding the iPad Mini's design lies in its bezels. The iPad Mini will resemble, in some ways, a larger iPod more than a smaller iPad. The key is the minimized side bezels . This, on the one hand, suggests maximizing the screen as much as possible, in a 4:3 aspect ratio. On the other hand, it reveals certain usage modes: first, in portrait (vertical) mode, the tablet will need to be held from behind , like a mobile phone, which will be facilitated by its smaller size and weight; second, in landscape (horizontal) mode, it can be used by holding it by the bezel, reminiscent of the Nexus 7's gaming-optimized design.
Although its design might remind us more of an iPod than the new iPad, it shouldn't be thought of in terms of performance that way: the iPad Mini will be a tablet , with all the possibilities that entails, and in fact, it won't be so much its size difference as its thickness or weight that distinguishes it from the new iPad. If the iPad Mini is going to be more easily portable than the new iPad, it will be primarily because it is noticeably thinner and lighter. The point isn't for the iPad Mini to be substantially different from the new iPad, but rather for it to be more affordable and expand the iOS tablet market. Hence, as we already mentioned, it's quite plausible that Apple decided not to include a rear camera in the device to reduce costs.
