The original iPad mini has disappeared into the night from the Apple online store.
Early Friday, Apple unceremoniously removed the first-generation iPad mini from its website, including product pages and the online store, leaving only the iPad mini 2 and 3, both of which feature high-resolution Retina displays.
The company offered no explanation as to why it was pulled and it’s presumed that this cleared out unsold inventory after sales of the tablet tapered off. The first-generation iPad mini is now largely outdated, sporting a 32-bit A5 processor and a non-Retina display.
The original iPad mini was released in October 2012, and has seen multiple price cuts, most recently to as little as US$249 for a 16-gigabyte Wi-Fi model.
Refurbished units are still available, starting at US$209, and include options with extra storage and/or cellular support.
The change still leaves the Mini 2 and 3 as options, the latter differing from the Mini 2 only in adding Touch ID and a gold color option. Both feature Retina displays and 64-bit A7 processors.
Apple’s plans for the Mini come this fall are uncertain, as much of Apple’s iPad focus is expected to be on a 12.9-inch “Pro” model.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider