The smallest iPad just got a very big upgrade.
Apple has unveiled a new iPad mini that it calls the tablet’s “biggest update ever”, and the spec sheet backs that up. There’s an OLED screen, a 2-nanometre chip, water resistance and a thinner body, all in a device you can hold in one hand.
A bigger, brighter screen
The display grows to 8.5 inches while keeping the same footprint as the previous mini, thanks to 24% thinner bezels. It’s Apple’s Super Retina XDR OLED, with peak brightness of up to 1200 nits, more than double the previous generation, and a 1-nit minimum for reading in the dark. A nano-texture option to cut glare is available for the first time on the mini.
Serious power for AI
Inside is the A20 Pro, built on Apple’s latest 2-nanometre process. Apple says it delivers up to 4.5x faster AI performance than the previous generation, thanks to Neural Accelerators in each GPU core, plus up to 2.7x faster graphics and up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance. The 512GB model gets a Dual 16-core Neural Engine for heavier on-device AI work, including running local language models.
Tougher and better connected
At 5.4 mm thin, the new mini has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, which Apple says was tested to a maximum depth of 1 metre for up to 30 minutes. An “Acoustic Display” routes woofers through the screen for punchier sound, and the 12MP front camera moves to the landscape edge for video calls.
Apple’s own N1 chip brings Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, while cellular models get the C2 modem with up to 50% faster data speeds than the previous mini. It runs iPadOS 27 with Siri AI in beta.
Price and availability
The Wi-Fi model starts at $699 in the US and the Wi-Fi + Cellular model at $849, in midnight and starlight with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options. Pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28, in 36 countries and regions, with deliveries and in-store availability from Friday, November 6. Apple hasn’t listed Indian pricing in its announcement.
Why it matters
Small tablets are popular well beyond casual users. Apple itself points to field workers, doctors, pilots and small business owners. Water resistance, a brighter screen for outdoor use and strong on-device AI make the mini a more practical work tool for people on the move, from site inspections to point-of-sale and quick client demos.
Sources: Apple Newsroom, MacRumors. Written by the xRapid Media LLP team.