iPad mini 8 gets OLED in October — but expect a $100 price jump

Apple's next iPad mini is coming in October 2026 — and it will finally get an OLED display, according to Bloomberg Mark Gurman (Power On). The device won't appear at Apple's September "Surprise and shine" event; instead, it'll arrive via a press release or a separate October announcement. This is the first major redesign of the iPad mini since the A17 Pro model launched in October 2024.

The upgrades

The headline change is OLED, sourced exclusively from Samsung Display on an 8.4-inch LTPS panel. There's a catch, though: the screen runs at a fixed 60Hz with no ProMotion. At a likely starting price of around $699 — up from the current $599 baseline — that limitation will draw comparisons to the iPhone 18 Pro, which ships with 120Hz as standard. The panel choice reflects a cost-optimization strategy rather than parity with the iPad Pro's display technology.

Beyond the screen, the chip steps up to either an A19 Pro or A20 Pro depending on final launch timing. The more striking hardware change may be the speaker system: traditional grille holes are replaced by a vibration-based audio design, which is what allows the iPad mini to earn its first-ever IP water-resistance rating. For anyone who's ever worried about a compact tablet near a pool or a kitchen sink, that's a genuine first for the lineup.

The price question

The starting price is expected to land around $699, per iThinkDiff. That's a $100 jump from today's price and puts the mini squarely alongside the 11-inch iPad Air — a device with a larger screen. Buyers will have to weigh compact size against display real estate. The OLED upgrade does bring better contrast and true blacks compared to the LCD panels the mini has always used, which counts for something on a device many people use primarily for reading and streaming.

October window

Apple is expected to announce the iPad mini 8 in late October, outside the main fall iPhone event. Retail availability in the US should follow quickly; UK and European street dates typically lag by one to two weeks. No pre-orders have been listed yet at major retailers. If the October window holds, the tablet arrives right as holiday shopping picks up — a deliberate move for one of Apple's most gift-friendly devices.