Rumor mills continue to swirl all sorts of speculations around the Apple iPad Mini 5 release date although many believe it is a dumped project. Nevertheless, there is a handful of hearsay indicating that the device will hit the store shelves in March 2017 and will sport specs identical to that of the iPad Pro 2.

Amidst several reports hinting that Apple has discontinued that line, some optimistic fans are still speculating the specs of the much-awaited device. According to acclaimed analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, Apple is gearing up to release the iPad Mini 5 next year considering that all Apple events for 2016 are already over, PC Advisor reported.

If the latest Apple upgrades are anything to go by, the iPad Mini 5 is likely to oust the 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of the USB Type-C ports. Moreover, the iPad Mini 5 is expected to come with a similar battery as its precursor, the iPad Mini 4. Furthermore, some gadget freaks believe the device will undergo a radical overhaul when it launches.

The iPad Mini 5 is expected to feature a minimum of 2GB RAM coupled with internal storage capacity of 13 - 128GB depending on the iPad Mini 5 variant consumer buys. Packed with an A10 processor, the Mini 5 is likely to run on the iOS 11 that is slated to launch next year too.

The iPad Mini 5 is expected to undergo a major cosmetic overhaul. If rumors doing rounds are anything to go by, the device will sport a slimmer and thinner design as compared to its predecessor, according to MacWorld. Meanwhile, some tech buffs believe that even if the Cupertino based tech firm unveils an iPad Mini 5, it would be the final offering of the much-lauded line.

Eventually, the Mini line will be renamed and merged with the iPad Pro 2 line. In other words, the Apple iPad Mini 5 will be nothing like its predecessor as far as design and performance are concerned.

Stay tuned in here for more updates on the IPad Mini 5.

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?