- iPad mini rumored to receive OLED refresh in 2026
- This would make it the second Apple tablet to have this screen technology.
- OLED would bring important benefits over the current tablet screen
There was a time when the iPad mini was Apple’s forgotten tablet, but those days seem to be behind us. With a powerful A17 Pro chip and a pocketable design, the iPad mini returns to glory. Now, it looks like that trajectory could continue with a major update coming in the next few years.
According to a report published by industry analysts Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), the iPad mini will have an 8.5-inch OLED display in 2026. Not only would that be a slight increase in size from the 8.5-inch display, 3 inches of the current model, but it would incorporate OLED technology for the first time in Apple’s miniature tablet.
That would be a significant step up from the current LED display the iPad mini uses and would provide better contrast, deeper blacks, and wider viewing angles, among other benefits.
An update like that could help make the iPad mini the dark horse of Apple’s tablet lineup. Not only would it be more affordable than something like the iPad Pro or iPad Air, but its improved display could make it the ideal device for watching content on the go, giving you a beautiful screen on your trips without weighing you down. When you look at it like that, the 2026 iPad mini looks like a very attractive prospect, on paper.
OLED on the way
The iPad mini was not the only device mentioned in the DSCC report. The company also touched on the iPad Air, where the 11- and 13-inch models are proposed to get an OLED upgrade in 2027, an idea backed by a roadmap previously leaked by analysts Omdia. If correct, it means that only the basic 10.9-inch iPad will not have an OLED display in 2027.
Also in 2027, DSCC believes Apple will launch a new iPad Pro with an 18.8-inch foldable screen. This would be Apple’s first foldable device (before the foldable iPhone) and could take the high-end tablet into new territory.
While many recent rumors have focused on this large foldable iPad Pro, including those from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the Wall Street Journal, and Omdia, little attention has been paid to the iPad mini lately.
But with an OLED display apparently on the way, it’s likely that a lot more people will sit up and pay attention to Apple’s smallest tablet in the coming years.
