iPad mini 3 Release Date Breakdown

The iPad mini 3 release date is now confirmed and pre-orders are set to begin in just a few short hours. With an iPad mini 3 release date imminent, this preview will break down everything you need to know about the release date, pre-orders, price, and where to buy Apple’s brand new iPad mini 3.

In the weeks leading up to today’s Apple media event, iPad mini 3 rumors hinted at the iPad mini 3 specs, launch date and even the elusive iPad mini 3 release date itself. And while the device remained a bit of a mystery in the build up to today’s event, Apple’s second media event in two months proved fruitful as the company announced OS X Yosemite, iOS 8.1, new Retina iMacs, and two brand new iPads dubbed iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.

Apple spent most of its time talking about, and hyping up, the iPad Air 2, the successor to last year’s iPad Air. The company dedicated just about a minute to run down the new iPad mini 3, a third-gen iPad mini that takes over for last year’s iPad mini with Retina. The iPad mini with Retina is now called the iPad mini 2.

The new iPad mini 3 is not the massive overhaul some consumers were hoping for. In fact, Apple’s new iPad mini is a whole lot like last year’s. There are two key changes on board the iPad mini 3. The first, Apple’s Touch ID technology that’s currently found on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s. Apple’s fingerprint sensor will be a key addition to the iPad and iPad mini family. The other difference is the gold color. Other than those, the iPad mini 3 is essentially the same as last year’s model.

Apple not only confirmed the iPad mini 3 specs but it also confirmed all of the other pertinent details including the iPad mini 3 release date. Apple’s iPad mini 3 release is just a few short days away and it’s our job to get you as prepared as humanly possible. Today, in effort to do just that, we breakdown the iPad mini 3 release date so that you can better understand what you’re going to be facing in the days ahead.

iPad mini 3 Release Date MIA

Oddly enough, Apple still hasn’t confirmed an official concrete iPad mini 3 release date. While it hasn’t committed to a specific date, the company has committed to an in-store release sometime next week.

It’s worth noting that Apple’s retail page also comes with a warning: “Supplies may be limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.” While we don’t anticipate a massive sell out, those that want the iPad mini 3 on its first day of availability will want to look into iPad mini 3 pre-orders that are set to kick off soon.

The company’s initial iPad mini 3 release date is going to encompass 29 countries and territories including the usual suspects like the United States. Here is a full list of countries getting the new iPad mini next week:

US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China (Wi-Fi models only), Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau (Wi-Fi models only), Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Availability in Croatia, Greece, Puerto Rico, Russia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates

Apple notes that releases will continue through the end of October and that additional global markets will get the iPad mini 3 at some point in the months ahead. Look for Apple to confirm a specific release date soon, given that pre-orders kick off tomorrow.

iPad mini 3 Pre-Orders

iPad mini 3 pre-orders are now live through Apple. We don’t expect to see the same rush that we saw with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus but there’s a chance that some colors or storage options will see their shipping times pushed back after the first few hours of early orders.

U.S. carriers and retailers did not announce their plans yesterday though it looks like they will be taking pre-orders starting today. Apple also says that AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will all carry the iPad mini 3 in their stores at some point it’s just not clear when that will be because Apple still hasn’t confirmed a specific release date.

Retailers are mum as well. Best Buy, RadioShack, Target, and Walmart typically sell iPads in house so we could see these retailers start selling the iPad mini 3 today or next week when it goes on sale. We’ll update this post when we hear more details.

iPad mini 3 Price

Here is how the iPad Air 2 price breaks down:

• iPad mini 3 16GB Wi-Fi Only – $599.99
• iPad mini 3 64GB Wi-Fi Only – $699.99
• iPad mini 3 128GB Wi-Fi Only – $799.99
• iPad mini 3 16GB Wi-Fi + LTE – $629.99
• iPad mini 3 64GB Wi-Fi + LTE – $729.99
• iPad mini 3 128GB Wi-Fi + LTE – $829.99

We should note that the iPad mini 2, last year’s iPad mini, now starts at $299, a $100 discount off its usual price point. The original iPad mini, the one from two years ago, now starts at $249. All three iPad minis will continue to be sold through Apple as the company looks to compete with the flood of cheap Android tablets on the market.

The iPad mini 3 will come in three different colors including space gray, gold, and silver. While the silver and gold models come with a white front, the space gray comes with a black front. As we noted in our review of iPhone 6 colors, picking the right color is a lot more complicated than you might think and you’ll want to choose wisely.

It’s worth noting that pricing will vary depending on region. Those prices refer to the suggested retail price for the iPad mini 3 in the United States. Other countries, and carriers, could provide something different.

iPad mini 3 Deals

While we haven’t seen any iPad mini 3 deals emerge just yet, it’s possible that we could see some arrive in the near future. Retailers like Walmart often offer discounts from Apple’s suggest retail price and with Black Friday and the holidays coming up, we could see retailers and possibly carriers jockey for position with some deals for Apple’s brand new iPad models.

Those that aren’t in love with the iPad mini 3 and its specifications will also want to keep an eye out for iPad mini 2 and iPad mini deals. Apple’s older models will almost certainly see discounts in October and November as retailers try to make it look as attractive as possible in the face of the iPad mini 3 release. We’ll keep an eye out for deals moving forward.