Apple has announced a new iPad mini featuring a larger 8.5-inch OLED display, an A20 Pro processor and a thinner design, with prices starting at $699. The tablet, introduced on October 26, 2026, also brings improved AI performance, upgraded cameras and faster connectivity, with preorders opening October 28 ahead of its November 6 release.
The announcement comes two days before Apple’s scheduled “Pro and Tell” event on October 28. According to Apple’s official announcement, the new iPad mini starts at $699 for the Wi-Fi model and $849 for the Wi-Fi and cellular version.
Larger OLED Display With Thinner Design
The updated iPad mini features an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with pixel-level lighting control, a 2 million:1 contrast ratio and support for the P3 wide color gamut. Apple says peak brightness reaches 1,200 nits, more than double the previous generation, while full-screen brightness reaches 600 nits for SDR and HDR content.
The display also supports a minimum brightness of 1 nit for use in darker environments, alongside an optional nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare. Measuring 5.4 mm thick, the tablet is thinner and lighter than its predecessor and comes in Midnight and Starlight finishes.
Apple has also introduced IP67-rated water and dust resistance to the iPad mini for the first time.
A20 Pro Delivers Faster Processing and AI Performance
The new iPad mini runs on Apple’s A20 Pro chip, manufactured using a 2-nanometer process and equipped with a six-core CPU and seven-core GPU. According to Apple, the processor delivers up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance, 2.7 times faster graphics and 4.5 times faster AI performance compared with the previous generation.
Neural Accelerators integrated into each GPU core support AI workloads, while the 512GB configuration includes a Dual 16-core Neural Engine for additional processing capacity. The tablet launches with iPadOS 27, including Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features that can use personal context, understand onscreen information and respond to questions.
Improved Cameras, Audio and Wireless Connectivity
Apple has equipped the tablet with a 12-megapixel Center Stage front camera positioned along the landscape edge for video calls. The device also introduces an Acoustic Display system with integrated woofers and tweeters, designed to improve bass response and audio clarity.
Connectivity upgrades include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support through Apple’s N1 wireless chip, while cellular models use the C2 modem for up to 50% faster mobile data speeds. The tablet also supports fast charging and Apple Pencil Pro.
Preorders begin October 28 in the United States and other launch markets, with retail availability starting November 6. Storage configurations include 128GB, 256GB and 512GB.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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