On Monday, October 26, Apple unveiled a completely redesigned iPad Mini featuring an 8.5-inch OLED display, an IP67 water- and dust-resistant chassis, and the faster A20 Pro processor, starting at $699.
The biggest upgrade in iPad Mini history with water resistance
Lower-than-expected price and the flagship A20 Pro processor
A three-day rollout plan ahead of the Los Angeles event
OLED touchscreen MacBook Pros take center stage
Frequently asked questions
The biggest upgrade in iPad Mini history with water resistance
On Monday, October 26, Apple unveiled a completely redesigned model of its iPad Mini tablet. The new model comes equipped with an 8.5-inch OLED display, a water-resistant chassis, and a faster processing chip, starting at $699 according to Bloomberg. This device marks the first announcement in a series of new product rollouts presented by Apple this week ahead of its highly anticipated event themed “Pro & Tell” on Wednesday, October 28. According to Bloomberg, Apple completely redesigned the audio system so that the speakers sit directly beneath the display, an engineering change that made the iPad Mini the first iPad in history to receive an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. Apple describes the device as the “biggest update ever” for the iPad Mini line, according to 9to5Mac, which noted that the device is powered by the A20 Pro processor, is thinner and lighter than before, and offers an anti-reflective nanotech display option.
Lower-than-expected price and the flagship A20 Pro processor
The new $699 price tag is $100 higher than the previous $599 model after Apple raised it by $100 last June—an increase that Apple attributed at the time to rising memory and storage chip prices, according to MacRumors. However, the new price came in lower than some analysts expected; Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had noted that the OLED model would be “significantly more expensive” and predicted it would approach $799. Until this announcement, Apple limited OLED screens to iPad Pro devices only. The A20 Pro processor is the same chip used in this year’s iPhone 18 Pro models, replacing the A17 Pro processor that powered the iPad Mini since October 2024.
A three-day rollout plan ahead of the Los Angeles event
Prior to Monday’s launch, Gurman indicated in a post on X that Apple has increasingly been spending the three days leading up to Wednesday events issuing back-to-back announcements, explaining that it makes sense to roll out the iPad Mini first, followed by the iMac and M6-powered MacBook Pros on Tuesday, and a touchscreen MacBook Pro on Wednesday. The Los Angeles event is scheduled for 10:00 AM Pacific Time on October 28, and marketing chief Greg Joswiak hinted at it via X, according to Business Standard.
OLED touchscreen MacBook Pros take center stage
The event name hints at new MacBook Pro models; Mashable expects Apple to showcase its first touchscreen OLED MacBook, which will be thinner and lighter than current models and use a small hole-punch camera instead of a top notch, alongside a 14-inch MacBook Pro and an M6 iMac. Mashable described the gathering as an all-day launch experience for journalists and creators to test the devices, which could hit stores on November 6.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How did the new iPad Mini become water and dust resistant with an IP67 rating?
Q: Apple redesigned the audio system and placed the speakers directly beneath the display, allowing the chassis to be sealed and offering water and dust resistance for the first time in iPad history.
Q: What is the processor and screen size in the new iPad Mini?
A: The device is powered by the A20 Pro processor found in the iPhone 18 Pro, and features an 8.5-inch OLED display with an optional nano-texture glass layer.
Q: How much does the new iPad Mini cost and when will it be available in stores?
A: The device starts at $699, and the new devices are expected to arrive in stores starting November 6.
