Apple is reportedly planning to phase the iPad mini out of its lineup due to, among other things, decreased sales due to bigger smartphones such as the iPhone 7 Plus, according to a BGR report.
Quoting unnamed sources, the article says the mini has been “sized out of its own category” and has seen ever-decreasing sales. It’s uncertain if Apple plans to continue selling the iPad mini for a period of time without further updates, or if it will pull the device at some point in the near future.
The first generation iPad mini was announced on Oct. 23, 2012, and was released on Nov. 2, 2012. The second generation model, with a faster processor and retina display, was announced Oct. 22, 2013, and released on Nov. 12, 2013. The third generation iPad mini was announced on Oct. 16, 2014, and released on Oct. 22, 2014. The The iPad mini 4 was announced during the “Hey Siri” Apple Special Event on Sept. 9, 2015, alongside other new or refreshed products, including the iPad Pro, the iPhone 6s and the Apple TV.
The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) expects the mini to be phased out with the plainly named iPad introduced in March taking its place in the Apple line-up.
