If This Ipad Mini Rumor Is True, There Are No More Reasons For Me To Buy An Air Or Pro

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The adjacent iPad Mini is rumored to characteristic an OLED show and improved h2o resistance.
• The smallest Apple tablet could besides get a $100 value hike.
• Apple mightiness bring nan OLED show to nan MacBook Air by 2028.

The iPad Mini is my favourite Apple tablet for its size. It is mini capable to battalion alongside my laptop and powerful capable to rekindle my emotion for photograph editing. But for nan past 2 generations, I've wished for Apple to supply a amended screen, arsenic nan smudgy LCD sheet isn't perfect for reference aliases colour accuracy. That could yet hap adjacent year.

Also: How nan caller iPad Mini renewed my emotion for photograph editing

According to a caller Bloomberg report from Mark Gurman, nan iPad Mini could get an OLED sheet arsenic soon arsenic adjacent year. It besides goes connected to opportunity that Apple plans to gradually rotation retired OLED displays to nan iPad Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air complete nan years. 

However, an OLED-equipped MacBook Air "isn't likely" to motorboat earlier 2028. For reference, nan 2024 iPad Pro was nan first Apple tablet to characteristic an OLED display, and it's astonishing that nan upgrade will trickle down to nan iPad Mini up of nan iPad Air lineup.

Why an OLED iPad Mini makes truthful overmuch sense

I'm excited for an OLED iPad Mini because my tablet usage cases see browsing, editing photos, reading, and watching videos -- successful that bid of priority. I've written earlier really nan iPad Mini is nan cleanable operation of shape and usability for me. The iPhone is suitable for browsing, but not for editing, while nan larger iPads are perfect for editing, but not for reading. That's why nan iPad Mini has earned a imperishable spot successful my recreation backpack.

Also: I've tested each iPad exemplary - here's why I urge nan Mini to astir people

Unlike nan iPad Air, it is comfortable to clasp for agelong durations without straining my wrists. I tin publication a Kindle eBook, browse done my subscribed publications, and edit my recreation photos connected Lightroom without emotion nan request to put it down. 

I emotion its paperback book-like size; it's thin, small, and portable capable to transportation wherever I want. It is an fantabulous recreation companion.

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

According to Gurman, Apple wants to make nan adjacent iPad Mini afloat waterproof by redesigning its casing and adding "a caller speaker strategy that uses vibration-related technology" alternatively of accepted speaker holes. If durability is simply a concern, I dream Apple tin besides get nan improved fingerprint-resistant coating from nan iPhone 17 bid and incorporated it into nan OLED iPad Mini, arsenic nan current-generation type is prone to fingerprints.

Also: The 5 champion iPads of 2025: We've tested each iPad disposable - these are nan champion ones

The upcoming iPad Mini is besides reportedly group to person a $100 value hike, which would raise its starting value to $ 799. It'd put nan mini Apple tablet (likely powered by an A-series chipset) connected par pinch nan 11-inch M3 iPad Air, which is presently disposable for $559 connected Amazon. 

You'll person a prime betwixt a smaller tablet pinch a little powerful processor but an OLED display, aliases opting for an LCD surface pinch an M-series chipset successful a larger shape factor. It'll beryllium absorbing to spot really nan 2 iPads fare against each different astatine a akin price.

Apple's OLED upgrade is slated to rotation retired to much products complete a span of adjacent 3 years. The OLED iPad Mini motorboat is reportedly followed by a touchscreen MacBook Pro pinch an OLED show later successful nan year. It is speculated to beryllium followed by nan iPad Air and MacBook Air. That said, nan MacBook Air‌ , planned for outpouring 2026, is apt to proceed featuring an LCD screen.