Apple unveils iPad mini with 8.5-inch OLED display and A20 Pro chip

Apple unveiled a new iPad mini on 26 October, calling it the "most capable and versatile iPad mini ever". ^[1] The headline changes are an OLED display, a faster A20 Pro chip and, for the first time, water and dust resistance. ^[1]

A bigger, brighter screen

The display grows to 8.5 inches while keeping the footprint of the previous mini, thanks to 24 percent thinner bezels. ^[1] Apple says peak brightness reaches up to 1,200 nits, more than double the previous generation, with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. ^[1] An optional nano-texture finish, already offered on iPad Pro, is designed to reduce glare outdoors. ^[1][3] MacRumors reports it is a $100 option, available only on the 256GB and 512GB models. ^[3]

The tablet is 5.4mm thin and comes in midnight and starlight. ^[1] It carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. ^[1] MacRumors reports this is a first for the device, made possible by a new Acoustic Display system that delivers sound from behind the screen, so there are no speaker holes. ^[3]

Built for on-device AI

The A20 Pro uses a 2-nanometre process and puts Neural Accelerators in each GPU core. ^[1][3] Apple claims up to 4.5 times faster AI performance than the previous generation, which it pitches as useful for running on-device models and local language models. ^[1] MacRumors adds that the CPU is up to 60 percent faster and graphics up to 2.7 times faster than the A17 Pro in the old model. ^[3] Only the 512GB model gets the dual 16-core Neural Engine. ^[1][3]

The iPad mini ships with iPadOS 27, including Siri AI and the next generation of Apple Intelligence. ^[1] Apple says Siri AI is in beta in iPadOS 27.2 and is not currently available in the EU on iPadOS. ^[1] Other upgrades include a 12MP Center Stage front camera on the landscape edge, faster wireless and cellular connectivity and fast charging. ^[1] Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) are supported. ^[1]

Price and availability

Pre-orders open on Wednesday 28 October, with arrivals and store availability from Friday 6 November in 36 countries and regions. ^[1] In the US, the Wi-Fi model starts at $699 and the Wi-Fi plus cellular model at $849. ^[1] Storage options are 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. ^[1]

MacRumors points out that the previous model launched at $499 in 2024 and rose to $599 in June, so the starting price has now risen twice this year. ^[3] The same report notes Apple's specifications do not mention a faster 120Hz refresh rate, so the screen appears to remain 60Hz. ^[3]

What it means for business

For companies, the iPad mini is a device for people on the move. Apple itself names doctors, field service workers, small business owners and creators as typical users. ^[1] The water resistance, glare-reducing option and brighter screen suit work outdoors or in poor light, while the extra AI performance suggests Apple expects some tasks to run on the device itself.

The higher entry price is the main trade-off. Teams buying in volume may want to compare the $699 starting cost, and the $79 and $129 accessories for the folio case and Apple Pencil Pro, against their current fleet before the November launch. ^[1]

Source: Apple — Apple gives iPad mini its biggest update ever