Three weeks after its announcement, the iPad mini with Retina display is now available for purchase in the online Apple Store. The release follows that of the larger iPad Air earlier in the month; both tablets feature the same 2048 x 1536 resolution and A7 processor, so the choice between the two more or less comes down to which size you prefer. Pricing starts at $399 for a 16GB Wi-Fi-only model and tops out at $829 for a 128GB unit equipped with LTE connectivity.
pdate: In a press release, Apple announced that the new iPad mini is currently available to order for delivery, to reserve for in-store pickup at an Apple Store, or to purchase from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Apple Authorized Resellers. That means those hoping to pick up an iPad mini with Retina display at an Apple Store will have to reserve it online, though supplies already appear to be limited. The release didn't detail what countries it would be immediately available in.
"We’re working hard to get as many as we can in the hands of our customers," Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, says in a statement.Tim Cook made a similar remark shortly after the introduction of the latest iPhone models, which were also said to be plagued by shortages. The iPhone 5S is still seeing shortages in some models after well over a month though, and with Apple's previous supply warnings, it appears the iPad mini may be similarly hard to come by at launch.
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