Apple unveils major overhaul of iPad mini

Apple (AAPL) has introduced a new iPad mini, calling it the biggest update ever for the compact tablet, headlined by a larger 8.5-inch OLED display and a redesigned, thinner chassis. In the U.S., pricing starts at $699 for the Wi‑Fi-only model and $849 for the Wi‑Fi and cellular configuration. Pre-orders are scheduled to begin on October 28 at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time, with deliveries to customers and in-store availability set for November 6.

The new iPad mini moves to an 8.5-inch OLED panel, up from the previous generation’s 8.3-inch screen, while maintaining the same small overall footprint. Slimmer bezels, reduced by 24 percent, help accommodate the larger display without increasing the device’s size. The screen supports peak brightness of up to 1200 nits and can be configured with a nano-texture option aimed at reducing glare.

Apple (AAPL) has made the iPad mini thinner and lighter, with the chassis now measuring 5.4 mm thick compared with the prior 6.3 mm design. Despite the slimmer profile, the tablet carries an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, indicating protection against immersion in shallow water and against dust ingress.

At the core of the new iPad mini is Apple’s A20 Pro chip, which includes Neural Accelerators in each GPU core and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple positions this architecture as supercharging AI-related tasks on the device. The tablet is also equipped with Apple’s N1 chip, enabling support for Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as faster wireless and cellular connectivity more broadly.

These hardware changes are designed to make the iPad mini more capable for demanding apps, multitasking, and connectivity-intensive use cases. Fast-charge support is included, allowing the device to replenish its battery more quickly when used with compatible chargers.

The iPad mini now features a 12MP Center Stage front camera placed on the landscape edge of the device, a position intended to better frame users during video calls when the tablet is used horizontally. Center Stage keeps subjects in view by automatically adjusting the framing as they move.

Audio output is handled by a new Acoustic Display system that eliminates visible speaker holes, integrating sound into the display structure. Together with the upgraded display, thinner design, and improved durability, these changes are aimed at making the latest iPad mini the most capable and versatile version of the product to date.