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

Apple unveiled an all-new iPad mini on October 26, pairing an 8.5-inch OLED display with a 5.4 mm-thin design and an IP67 rating for water and dust protection. The display fits within the previous mini’s footprint, with bezels 24 percent thinner. Apple says A20 Pro delivers up to 4.5x faster AI performance, up to 2.7x faster graphics performance, and up to 60 percent faster multithreaded performance.

The device adds a 12MP Center Stage front camera on the landscape edge and a 12MP Wide rear camera capable of recording 4K video at up to 60 fps. N1 enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread; cellular models use the C2 modem, which Apple says can provide up to 50 percent faster cellular data speeds than the previous generation. The iPad mini runs iPadOS 27, with Siri AI rolling out in beta with iPadOS 27.

Pre-orders for the iPad mini and new Smart Folio begin October 28 in 36 countries and regions, including the U.S. Availability starts November 6. U.S. prices start at $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular, with education pricing from $649. The device comes in midnight and starlight, with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB options. The new TechWoven Smart Folio comes in navy blue and taupe for $79 in the U.S.

The announcement turns earlier OLED iPad mini expectations into a confirmed product update, with dates, configurations, and pricing now specified. For a generational reference point, Apple’s support listing for the Smart Folio for iPad mini (A17 Pro) gives its year introduced as 2024.