All-new "iPad mini" review Ability is "small iPad Pro"

The 6th generation iPad mini with an all-screen design. It will be on sale on September 24th, the same as the iPhone 13 series.

Renewed to all-screen design. Touch ID equipped top button on the side

Following the iPad Pro and iPad Air, the iPad mini has finally been reborn as an all-screen design with an approximately 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display that eliminates the home button from the front side. Prices start at JPY 59,800 for the Wi-Fi model and JPY 77,800 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

Compared to the previous 5th generation iPad mini, the long side is about 7.8mm smaller and the thickness is increased by about 0.2mm. The new 6th generation iPad mini is lighter in weight for both Wi-Fi and Cellular models.

When I put it side by side with the B6 size paper diary I use, the vertical and horizontal sizes were almost the same. The iPad mini weighs about 290g, which may be close to holding a language textbook in one hand.

The second-generation Apple Pencil can be paired and charged by attaching it to the side magnetic connector on the new iPad mini. The volume button has been moved to the side of the top button with Touch ID, as the Apple Pencil is almost close to the side. For the volume button, "the right side of the iPad held vertically / the upper side of the iPad held horizontally" is the volume up. You can take a screen capture by pressing the top button on the same side and volume up at the same time, but it took some time to get used to it.

The top button Touch ID works the same as the one on the 4th generation iPad Air that came out in 2020. By registering the fingerprints of the index fingers of both hands, you can quickly unlock and pay for Apple Pay when using the iPad mini in either portrait or landscape orientation, which is convenient.

Compatible with 2nd generation Apple Pencil.Writing comfort is smoother

New support for the 2nd generation light and slim Apple Pencil, and a full lamination display that integrates a touch sensor, cover glass, and LCD panel provide smooth followability of the pen tip. I think the "writing taste" of pen input is very comfortable.

Unfortunately, the 120Hz-driven ProMotion technology, which is only available on the flagship iPad Pro, is not supported by the iPad mini. Compared while consciously, the iPad Pro seems to suppress the flickering of the display when scrolling the screen with a lot of text such as news pages and ebooks on the Web faster, but it is big with the response of drawing with Apple Pencil. It's not a difference.

For example, you can draw an illustration while displaying a picture taken with the iPad mini camera in Split View display, or while watching an overseas drama, use the newly installed "Quick Memo" from iPad OS 15 to write down the English words you want to look up later. I think the appeal of the iPad mini is that it can be easily used, such as leaving it on the screen.

"Center frame" that can be used with FaceTime and Zoom

The resolution of the image sensor mounted on the front camera has been improved from 7MP to 12MP, and an ultra-wide-angle camera capable of double digital zoom out has been installed in the new iPad mini.

In addition, it also supports the "center frame" that began to be adopted from the 2021 model iPad Pro. The center frame is a function that adjusts the image of the front camera by machine learning processing when starting a video call by FaceTime, and automatically tracks and adjusts so that the speaker fits in the frame.

Since the introduction of the center frame function, it has become possible to use the center frame in video calling apps of other companies such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. It seems that each interface is slightly different, but it seems that you can also use the "portrait function" that adds "blurring" to the background of the speaker.

I often participate in online video call interviews and product launches remotely from home, and I always line up my iPad Pro next to my Mac to view video call and video distribution apps while taking notes on my Mac. increase. When I replaced the iPad Pro with the iPad mini, I was able to comfortably read the text of the presentation and operate the app icon on the 8.3 inch display even in a video conference where multiple people participated, while reducing the space for the iPad. ..

When it comes to "watching" video calls, the all-screen design of the iPad mini is very comfortable. On the other hand, I think it is necessary to devise a little to "photograph" yourself to the other party of the video conference. If you stand the iPad mini with the genuine Apple Smart Folio case attached, the front camera will be on the left side of the display, so the speaker will be photographed from diagonally below.

[Video] FaceTime video call with iPad mini. The larger screen is the speaker taking a picture with the front camera of the iPad mini. Since the center frame function is turned on, the camera automatically adjusts so that it does not come off the frame even if the author moves left or right. If you attach it to Smart Folio and place the iPad mini on the table at chest height, it will look like a video shooting from below like a speaker's face.

Even though it has a center frame function, the speaker's face cannot be seen from the front when viewed from the other party, which may give a sense of discomfort in some cases. It seems that the problem can be solved if there is a stand sold by a third-party accessory maker that can adjust the height and angle with the iPad etc. on it.

The built-in microphone of the iPad mini was able to pick up a sufficiently clear call voice, but there is a way to get closer to the sound quality of the studio-grade microphone built into the higher-end iPad Pro. The iPad mini has a digital interface changed from Lightning to a USB-C terminal. Now, you can find an external microphone like Sennheiser's "XS Lav USB-C" that can be connected to the USB-C terminal of the device for high-quality recording. If you use it well, you can deliver clearer call voice to the other party.

I would like to have a genuine Apple Smart Keyboard or Magic Keyboard for the iPad mini, but the iPad mini itself does not have a Smart Connector for connecting the keyboard to synchronize and supply power. The iPad OS supports Bluetooth keyboard pairing, so if you find a highly portable keyboard, you can enhance your business specifications, such as writing long texts on the iPad mini.

Powerful built-in speaker. Spatial audio when combined with AirPods Max

Check out the entertainment performance of the new iPad mini. The new iPad mini has a built-in stereo speaker system that faces the speaker openings on the left and right sides when the main unit is held sideways. With this built-in stereo speaker, you can enjoy the thick and powerful sound of Apple TV + dramas and movies, and games distributed on Apple Arcade.

I think it goes great with Apple Music music videos. The sound where the vocals are localized in the center and you can feel the expanse of the rich sound field is wonderful.

When paired with AirPods Max, you can enjoy the content that can be viewed on Apple TV + and Netflix with "spatial audio" that is full of stereoscopic effect. In addition, "Dynamic Head Tracking" allows the sound placed in the content in a three-dimensional sound field space to be localized and heard in the original place even if the user wearing AirPods changes the direction of the face. You can also enjoy it. I was enveloped in a sense of realism that made me forget what I was looking at on the compact iPad mini.

When I had more opportunities to fly by plane when Korona-ka had settled down, I wanted to download movies and dramas to my iPad mini and bring them on board for a leisurely enjoyment. The iPad mini doesn't take up seat space, so it's perfect for traveling.

As an e-reader, I thought the B6 diary-sized iPad mini was a very reasonable size. If there is one request from Apple, I would like you to consider waterproofing and drip-proofing of the iPad itself so that you can use it in the bathroom or kitchen without hesitation.

It ’s no longer a “small iPad Pro”

The new iPad mini also includes the latest A15 Bionic chip and the Neural Engine for speedy AI processing. The dense graphics of Apple Arcade's popular game "Fantasian" also move smoothly. Since it is compatible with Sub-6 5G, it seems that you can enjoy it while receiving stable streaming of video and music distribution to games even outdoors. I was overwhelmed by the performance that could be called the "smallest iPad Pro".

If you want, I'd like to see a lot of genuine Apple iPad mini accessories like the Magic Keyboard, but for the time being, I'm deeply exploring what can be done in combination with the 2nd generation Apple Pencil while covering it with a third party device. Isn't it good to try it?

9th generation iPad that iPad Pro users want as a "sub machine"

The “MUJI” iPad has finally evolved to the 9th generation. It has a 10.2-inch Retina display and an A13 Bionic chip that continues from the 7th generation iPad.

Continuing from the 7th generation iPad, it also supports "Smart Keyboard". The Wi-Fi model is reasonably priced from 39,800 yen, and even if you add the 18,800 yen Smart Keyboard, you can buy it for 58,600 yen. Will support your experience.

I usually use the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which has the largest screen, but I want to have another iPad as a sub-machine that can be used for writing texts, searching the Web, watching videos, etc. rice field. Since it also supports the center frame with the super wide-angle camera on the front side, it seems that the environment for video calls can be improved.

On the other hand, once you get used to the ability to quickly switch between the pen and eraser by tapping the main unit and the comfort of the 2nd generation Apple Pencil that can be charged by attaching it to the magnet on the side of the iPad, the 1st generation Apple Pencil However, I feel uncomfortable. Since the iPad display is not a full lamination display, I am a little worried about the writing comfort that creates a slight gap between the pen tip and the drawing data.

If you're looking for a comfortable combination of iPad and Apple Pencil for creative work like drawing illustrations and drawings, we recommend that you take a moment to aim for the top iPad.

Author: Atsushi Yamamoto

Journalist and writer. He became a freelancer after working as a web editor and reporter for an audio-visual magazine. Since he has been interviewing the electronics show "IFA" held in Berlin, Germany every year, he is particularly familiar with the latest situation related to smart home appliances and IoT in Europe. He has a deep knowledge of audio-visual fields and covers a wide range from high resolution to music distribution, 4K and VOD. Taking advantage of his fluent English and French, he handles many events and interviews with developers from Japan to overseas.