- Apple could launch an iPad mini with an OLED screen in 2026, according to a report
- OLED could also come to the iPad Air and MacBook Air
- However, the new screen could lead to higher prices.
Apple’s iPad mini has proven to be one of the best tablets out there in recent years, and its combination of compact size and impressive performance makes it an ideal choice for many people. And if rumors are to be believed, it could soon receive a significant upgrade that could give it a considerable advantage over the competition.
In a post on the Bloomberg website, journalist Mark Gurman claimed that Apple plans to bring an OLED display to the iPad mini next year. This follows a similar rumor from earlier this year and would usher in a marked improvement over the device’s current LCD screen, bringing better contrast and richer colors to content viewed on the device.
If that happens, it could help make the iPad mini a surprise hit in 2026. The tiny tablet already has a loyal following of users who are put off by the size of the iPad Air and the price of the iPad Pro, but the iPad mini has often missed out on features found on its more expensive siblings. However, with the introduction of an OLED display, Apple’s smallest tablet would get a major visual upgrade to help it compete against rival products.
Added to this is the idea that Apple wants to make the future iPad mini completely waterproof by redesigning its case and adding “a new speaker system that uses vibration-related technology” instead of traditional speaker holes, Gurman says. The journalist notes that this is a different approach to the waterproofing used in the best iPhones, but it could add another positive to the iPad mini’s list of features.
OLED reaches other places
It’s not all good news, however, as Gurman’s report suggests that Apple could increase its prices in light of the iPad mini’s improved display. A $100 increase wouldn’t be out of the question, Gurman says, which could result in a starting price of $599 (around £450/AU$900).
The iPad mini isn’t the only Apple device in line for an OLED upgrade, Gurman believes; Apple apparently plans to bring this display technology to the iPad Air and MacBook Air as well.
The MacBook Air is unlikely to get the update before 2028, Gurman says, and the iPad Air will make the jump at an undetermined future date (but later, in the generation after its expected spring 2026 update). In theory, that would be when we could also see the new iPad mini.
OLED displays have already proven a hit on the iPad Pro and iPhone and have been a fixture on the Apple Watch since its launch. If the iPad mini joins these popular devices in adding OLED goodness next year, Apple could make a lot of iPad customers very happy.
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