China may soon see iPad Minis, newest iPads in 3G

Apple might soon launch 3G versions of its fourth-generation iPad and iPad Mini in China.China-based TechWeb reported (translation) today that a cellular version of the iPad and the iPad Mini cleared the country's regulatory hurdles last week, potentially paving the way for the device to launch before long.Apple launched the Wi-Fi-only versions of the iPad and iPad Mini on December 7. The company previously said it would launch these iPads in China in December, but didn't say if that only applied to the Wi-Fi versions or would also include the cellular models.According to TechWeb, the cellular versions are designed for China Telecom and China Unicom networks. The blog said that while the iPad will be able to connect to 4G networks in China, the technology is not ubiquitous in the country, so Apple's mention of "cellular" on its China Web site typically refers to 3G connectivity.
The iPad has proven extremely popular in China. During the third quarter, Apple's slate grabbed 71.4 percent of the country's tablet market, easily besting Lenovo's 10.5 percent share.Apple last week launched the iPhone 5 in China. The company sold 2 million units in just three days of availability, becoming Apple's most successful China iPhone launch yet.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the TechWeb report. We will update this story when we have more information.Unfortunately, we noticed one "enigma" with the Enigma case and that is that our cover has a little bubble under its material. Despite this minor flaw, we really like the thin and minimalist design of the Enigma and we also love its soft touch finish. The Cygnett Engima Case for iPad Mini is available in a choice of blue, pink and black and it retails for $39.
With a New Year comes new Apple kit, and loose lips in the supply chain have already revealed details about the next wave of iPads from Cupertino. Expect 2013 to bring a new Apple iPad Mini with Retina Display and iPad 5 with light-weight build, if Digitimes' sources are to be believed.Backlighting suppliers in Taiwan claim that the next-gen iPad Mini will have enhanced resolution – although they haven't mentioned the words "Retina Display," we can't see Apple doing much less after the initial iPad Mini release let us down on the screen front.The other murmor floating about the factory floor is that Apple has ditched one of the two light bars in the full sized iPad 5 to make it lighter in the hand than its predecessor.