The iPad mini does indeed have stereo speakers

It’s time to set the record straight: The iPad mini has stereo speakers.

After some initial confusion, it has been confirmed on multiple fronts, including by Apple, that the company’s upcoming iPad mini has two speakers built for stereo sound.

The confusion began last week immediately after Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller announced the smaller Apple tablet. Schiller touted all of the mini’s features -- the 7.9-inch screen, its pencil-like thinness and notepad-like weight. But what Schiller didn’t mention was the device’s stereo speakers.

And that ambiguity continued after Apple put up the iPad mini’s spec sheet and simply listed “Built-in speaker.”

After that, Amazon used the iPad mini’s listed specs against it, and put up an ad on its homepage comparing the Apple tablet’s features to those of the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD. The Seattle-based retailer said its device has dual stereo speakers but listed the iPad mini as having a mono speaker.

That ad is now gone, and that may be because since then Apple, media reviews and third-party sites have confirmed that the iPad mini has two speakers.

The most notable of the clarifications was an email response sent by Schiller to a consumer. As reported by 9 to 5 Mac, Schiller was asked whether the speakers were stereo or mono. He responded, “It is stereo.”

Apple also confirmed the stereo speakers to the Verge’s Joshua Topolsky, according to a tweet he sent.

And if that isn’t enough proof for you, iFixIt today posted its teardown of the iPad mini (which got a poor repairability review) and confirmed the stereo speakers.

ALSO:

Facebook testing Timeline redesign

Apple’s annual report highlights retail stores and the competition

William Shatner’s ‘Shatoetry’ app recites messages in actor’s voice