There are always a few silly rumors floating around about the iPad. Sometimes, they are beyond absurd, like the rumor of Apple coming out with an iPad Pro that runs both iOS and Mac OS, nevermind that the Mac OS would have to be rebuilt for a non-Intel chipset and Apple's stance against creating hybrid devices. Sometimes, they are just unreasonable, like the currently floated rumor of Apple giving up on the iPad Mini.

The mere fact that Apple just released a refreshed iPad Mini should be enough to put this rumor into the proper light, no matter how small an update the new Mini received. If you plan on abandoning a product, you don't spend time engineering a new one. And while the iPhone 6 Plus may be encroaching on the 7.9-inch tablet's territory, not everyone wants a big phone.

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The iPad Mini still holds a very distinct place in the iPad lineup. It serves as an entry-level device for those who are as concerned about price as they are platform. With a number of enticing Android tablets in the $200-$300 range, it is unlikely Apple will move away from the cheaper tablet. More likely, we'll see Apple keep future iPad Minis running on a processor that is a generation or two behind the current full-sized iPad, which will help keep the price of the iPad Mini competitive with those Android tablets.

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