The iPad mini 4, the purported new tablet from Apple, has been leaked on multiple occasions just this week alone, the latest of which is a couple of images showing a bumper case for the yet-to-be-established device, ultimately giving users a small peek at its proportions and layout. 

The photos revealed that no radical details were made as far as design goes. The iPad mini 4 will likely look like its predecessor. It is important to note, though, that the bumper cases in the leaks made no room for the mute switch the iPad mini 3 had. There is also only one row for speakers. That serves as the major takeaway from the batch of live images.

But a day before these photos made the rounds on the Web, the titanic Cupertino-based company itself subtly hinted that the time has come for its patrons to shift their focus on its advancements on the iPad mini front. 

Just a couple of days ago, Apple pulled out the very first iPad mini from its online store, marking the discontinuation of the supply and availability of the device, which was released back in 2012. The only iPad minis left for Apple to sell are the refurbished ones. Those who want to own the original iPad mini can turn to third-party resellers. 

With the discontinuation of the iPad mini, all the other iPads on offer on the Apple store have 64-bit support, Retina display, and are equipped with A7X and A8X processors. The original iPad mini had the dated A5. 

GSM Arena thinks that the extraction of the three-year old tablet, which solidified the company's position in the tablet field as a pioneer, is Apple's way of saying that it has something new and something much better to offer. Thus, the long-rumored iPad mini 4 comes to mind. 

The new tablet is said to draw its power from an A9 processor unit, 2 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. It is touted to be the thinnest and lightest iPad to date and is expected to show up in fall.