If the timetable for Apple's release of previous iPad iterations is to be considered a pattern, a new iPad Mini is expected to come out this year. However, Apple has already released a small iPad, the 2016 edition of the iPad Pro. Did this new flagship offset the supposed release of the iPad Mini 5?

As observed by MacRumors, the yearly update for the iPad Mini started with the iPad Mini 2 in 2013. This was followed by the iPad Mini 3 in 2014, and the current-gen version, the iPad Mini 4, was launched in September last year. Looking at the release schedule, fans may expect the iPad Mini 5 to release towards the end of 2016. However, Apple has reportedly shifted its focus on the new, smaller 2016 version of the iPad Pro.

The new iPad Pro, smaller than the original 12.9-inch iteration, is said to have even supplanted the planned release of the iPad Air 3. If this should be the case, Apple may be looking at the September release for the next iPad Air, while the iPad Mini 5's rollout may get adjusted. This means that the upcoming Mini version will launch next year instead.

The September release for the iPad Air 3 is certainly plausible, as this period is also the rumored release window for Apple's biggest competitor, Microsoft. It is said that Microsoft will be headlining the latter part of the year with a major update to both its software and hardware products, including the next versions of the company's Surface products.

Should this be the case, Apple may be expected to come out with a counter-lineup, including its new iPad Air, as well as new MacBook iterations.

Fans have been waiting for the iPad Mini 5, since its current-gen iteration have gotten favorable reviews. The iPad Mini 4 is known to have a brighter and clearer resolution than its larger counterparts, besting even the iPad Pro in terms of display.