New iPad leaks just before iPhone event

Today a leak of a new iteration of the iPad mini was found in a parts listing in Japan. This new device looks as though it'll sport an 8.38-inch display with equal-sized bezels around the entirety of its frame with no front-facing fingerprint reader (Touch ID). This new device could very possibly be released for sale in the month of October, 2021.

As noted by MacRumors, the new iPad mini 6, as it'd likely be called, appeared this week in a listing on Amazon Japan. More specifically, this new device appeared with a surprisingly specific screen size for a glass screen protector. This is the sort of accessory that's only usually made for release once specifications for a product are confirmed as in-the-works by an accessory manufacturer.

Leaks earlier this year suggested Apple was likely readying a new iPad mini with an 8.3-inch display. The iPad mini 5 (the current model in Apple Stores now) has a 7.9-inch display. The new device would, at last, work with the newest generation of iPad design. This generation has flat sides and a more singular feel – again, without the front-facing hardware home button and/or Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

The listing on Amazon Japan showed the accessory as an early sale listing, with suggestion of shipments on October 20. That'd indicate we're looking at an October 19th launch of this new iPad mini if it aligns with the proposed launch of said accessory. It is highly unlikely we'll see this new iPad mini 6 at the Apple Event that's set to take place starting today at noon central time, 1PM ET, 10AM Pacific.

It is far more likely that today's Apple event will feature the iPhone 13 and new Apple Watch collection, also sporting an ever-so-slightly modified industrial design. Stick around as we see how the new iPhone 13 collection looks, and it it'll reflect what we'll see in new iPad devices later this month, or early October!