OLED iPad Mini could arrive in October as Apple prices climb

Apple may be close to giving the iPad Mini an OLED screen, a change that would mark a notable update to its smallest tablet. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the upgraded model could arrive as soon as October.

The display change would be the biggest iPad Mini refresh since Apple redesigned the device in 2021, according to The Verge. The current seventh-generation iPad Mini uses a Liquid Retina display, The Verge reported.

Gurman has previously reported that an OLED iPad Mini would come with a higher price. That prospect now sits against a broader pattern of Apple price increases across its hardware and services, according to The Verge.

Price pressure around the Mini

Apple raised prices across its product lineup last month, The Verge reported. The current iPad Mini was included in those changes and now costs $100 more, according to the publication.

The Verge also reported that Gurman said earlier this week that AppleCare Plus prices for Macs and iPads are increasing. Taken together, the reports point to a more expensive path for buyers looking at Apple tablets, whether through device pricing or coverage plans.

Rumors of an OLED iPad Mini have circulated for months, according to The Verge. Gurman’s latest report narrows the possible timing to October, while continuing the expectation that the display upgrade may not arrive at the same price as the current model.

An OLED panel would separate the new Mini from the Liquid Retina display in the model Apple sells today, according to The Verge’s description of the current device. The report does not list other hardware changes for the rumored model.

Apple’s iPad Mini occupies the compact end of the company’s tablet lineup. If Gurman’s timing proves correct, the October update would bring Apple’s OLED tablet push to a smaller and less expensive iPad category than the models that have already received major display upgrades.

This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.