Apple (AAPL) is expected to announce its 7.85-inch iPad mini on October 23rd. With all of the component and case leaks, and even retail store arrangements, the smaller tablet is now much more than just a rumor and now MacRumors has photos of what is believed to be the iPad mini battery. Although MacRumors was unable to confirm its authenticity, the photos suggest the iPad mini will have a 16.7Whr battery that runs at 3.72 volts. If the part isn’t a fake, the iPad mini’s battery will fit perfectly between the iPhone 5’s 5.45Whr and the new iPad’s massive 42.5Whr battery. It’s also just slightly under the iPad 2’s 25Whr battery.
But battery life shouldn’t take too much of a hit, if any, considering the fact that the iPad mini has a smaller screen and will likely have a processor that’s optimized for more efficient power consumption. One of the iPad’s many advantages over other tablets is its 10-hour battery. It would be foolish for Apple to sell what is essentially an iPad 2 with a smaller screen without a battery that lasts just as long.
