iPad mini (2012)
iPad mini (2012): the first small iPad, 7.9 inches and 'every inch an iPad,' made for one hand.
Specs
| Reference | — |
| Chip | A5 |
| Highlight | 7.9" |
| Release | 2012-11-02 |
| Display | 7.9″ · 1024×768 |
| RAM | 512 MB |
| Price | 329 USD |
Launch
Announced on October 23, 2012 at the California Theatre in San Jose, presented by Phil Schiller; pre-orders opened October 26 and it went on sale November 2, starting at $329 (16 GB, Wi-Fi; $429 and $529 for 32 and 64 GB). A 7.9-inch display with the same resolution as the iPad 2, the A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 MP cameras, a Lightning connector, 7.2 mm thin and 308 grams.
Marketing
Its slogan: 'every inch an iPad.' Schiller described it as 'as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper,' and the commercial key was full compatibility: sharing the iPad 2's pixel count, the more than 275,000 iPad apps ran on it from day one.
Flaws and fixes
Critics panned the non-Retina display (163 ppi when the rest of the lineup already had it) and the $329 price, well above rival small tablets. Apple answered a year later with the iPad mini 2, with a Retina display and the A7 chip. The original mini topped out at iOS 9.3.5 (Wi-Fi) and 9.3.6 (cellular), never getting iOS 10.
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Updated: October 25, 2026 · Compare this product