The Guardian is reporting that Apple is planning to offer a revision of the iPad (3) with support of the 4G LTE in the United Kingdom, which wasn’t offered when the device was released in the spring of this year.
The report also notes that the iPad mini will support Wi-Fi only. However, one purported part leak of the rear shell of the new iPad mini which includes a plastic covering for the cellular antenna, and a SIM card slot.
The report then links to photos from Sonny Dickson, an Australian writer, of purported photographs of of the iPad mini, though these images are mockups. The model number is also for the current-generation iPad, as well as the serial number.
There have been several reports that claim the iPad-as-we-know-it will be seeing a refresh at the time the iPad mini is introduced. Specifically, the refreshed iPad will have better battery life and a lightning connector. At first I thought this was a load of bull, but if you think about it, the iPhone 5 has international LTE support, so the iPad is beginning to lack in that regard.
On a technical level the iPad mini lacking a cellular support makes sense. A smaller battery in tandem with the battery-hungry technology such as LTE, the battery life would likely be pretty poor. Then again, Amazon has been offering 3G-equipped Kindles for years, and they are of a similar size to the rumored 7.85-inch iPad, so, at least technically, it can be done.
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TAGS: 4g lte, iPad, ipad mini, UK
