The iPad Mini 3, released in 2014, featured only minor incremental upgrades from its predecessor. Notable for introducing the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which enhanced device security and allowed for the use of Apple Pay but lacked NFC functionality.
Retaining the 7.9-inch Retina display, the tablet maintained a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, ensuring crisp visuals. Powered by the same 64bit A7 CPU as the iPad Mini 2 performance is nearly identical to its predecessor.
The device shipped with iOS 8 and is supported through to iOS 12.5.7, the same as the iPad Mini 2. A new ‘gold’ option is available for the Mini 3.
| Release Date | October 22, 2014 |
| Price | From USD$ 399 |
| Model No | A1599 (WiFi), A1600 (WiFi & Celluar) |
| Software Support | End Of Life – iOS 12.5.7 |
| Variants | 16 GB, 64, 128 GB Storage, WiFi & Celluar |
| Colours | White, Black Bezel with silver, space grey, gold rear |
| CPU | 1.3 GHz Dual Core A7 (64 bit) with M7 Motion Co-processor |
| Memory | 1 GB LPDDR3 |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n at 2.4 GHz and 5Ghz, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Screen | 7.9″ IPS 2048 x 1536 px (326 ppi) |
| Camera | Front: 1.2 MP, Rear: 5.0 MP |
| Connector | Lightning |
| Security | Touch ID in Home Button |
| Apple Pencil | No |