Technology

Apple Unveils iPad Mini with OLED Display, Thinner Design, and $200 Price Increase

By Michael Kan

Apple announced a new iPad mini ahead of this week’s “Pro and tell” MacBook event. The updated tablet features an 8.5‑inch OLED screen that is twice as bright as the previous generation, supporting up to 1,200 nits, and has 24% thinner bezels while keeping the same footprint. The device is lighter and thinner, measuring 0.21 inches thick and weighing 0.56 pounds for the Wi‑Fi model and 0.58 pounds for the cellular version, down from 0.3 inches and 0.65 pounds in the last‑generation model. Apple says the new A20 Pro chip, used in the iPhone 18 Pro and Duo, delivers up to 60% faster CPU performance, 2.7× faster GPU performance, and up to 4.5× faster AI workloads. The iPad mini also gains Wi‑Fi 7 support, an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, a redesigned front‑camera placement on the long edge, and an improved acoustic display with specially designed woofers and hidden tweeters. Apple will open preorders on Wednesday, Oct. 28, with a launch on Nov. 6. The new model starts at $699, a $200 increase over the 2024 version, and is available in dark gray “midnight” and bright yellow “beautiful starlight.” Optional upgrades include 256‑GB and 512‑GB models with Nano‑texture glass for an extra $100 and a $999 512‑GB model with a dual 16‑core neural engine. The base model still offers only 128 GB of storage.