OLED iPad Mini Expected to Arrive No Earlier Than Q3 2026

Apple will launch the iPad mini 8 with OLED display in the third quarter of next year at the earliest, according to Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital.

ipad mini 7 feature blue and orange
Today's claim from the Chinese social media account broadly aligns with reports from Bloomberg and Korean media indicating the iPad mini will get an OLED display as soon as 2026.

Corroborating previous rumors, Instant Digital says Apple will make the iPad mini the second model in its iPad lineup to adopt OLED display technology, followed by the iPad Air – likely in 2027 at the earliest. Currently, OLED panels are exclusive to iPad Pro models.

OLED panels can individually control each pixel, resulting in more precise color reproduction and deeper blacks compared to other common display technologies. They also provide superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and greater design flexibility.

For the iPad mini 8, Apple is likely to use the mid-tier A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone Air. Apple built the A19 Pro chip on an upgraded third-generation 3-nanometer N3P process for modest speed and efficiency improvements.

Apple is reportedly working to give the iPad mini 8 a more water-resistant design, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. To achieve this, Apple is said to have designed a new vibration-based speaker system that eliminates the need for traditional speaker holes.

Apple's ‌iPad mini‌ with OLED display technology and improved water resistance is expected to be more expensive, and Apple could charge up to $100 more for the device, according to Gurman. The ‌iPad mini‌ is currently priced starting at $499.

The source of today's rumor, Instant Digital, has a mixed but occasionally reliable track record. The account previously revealed accurate details such as the Yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus finishes and the Titanium Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, though not all of its past claims have proven correct.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Caution)
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Top Rated Comments

yuvaldv1 Avatar
10 weeks ago
I would sacrifice my first born for an iPad mini with OLED and 120HZ display.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lostPod Avatar
10 weeks ago

Agree. I have iPad mini 7 and Touch ID can be annoying. Still love my iPad Mini though and OLED and pro motion would be welcome additions even at a higher price. I’ve no intention of upgrading though.
I'll take touchid over faceid anyday lol.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MarkNewton2023 Avatar
10 weeks ago
For me, this product is no longer relevant with the incoming iFold which the marriage between iPhone and iPad mini. With the iFold, only one device needed to get iPhone and iPad forms. iFold will be an extra portable device functioning as an iPhone and iPad mini.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobtamboo Avatar
10 weeks ago
The extra price for a 120hz OLED would make it worth paying for but it should stay at same price if it gets 60hz OLED.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Saturn1217 Avatar
10 weeks ago

Isn’t iPhone 17 Pro Max an Oled iPad already?

This iPad lost relevance about when Apple started making phablet phones. Considering they never put actual flagship processors inside, I don’t quite understand what’s the point of it
I literally have the iPad mini 7 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max in front of me right now. They are not even remotely the same size. And unless you hack the iPhone 17 Pro Max, you don't get all the extra functionality (like split screen) that you have on the iPad mini 7. I have written chapters of a novel on my iPad mini 7 while referencing notes in split screen. I can't do that comfortably (writing) or at all (split screen) on the 17 Pro Max. They are not the same.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nyx1 Avatar
10 weeks ago
Will be get pro motion or not
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)