The OLED iPad mini will probably cost noticeably more than the model it replaces. Cult of Mac, citing Bloomberg's Power On newsletter of October 11, reports a sizable increase to the starting price, with the tablet expected around October 27 alongside the OLED MacBook Pro.
It would be the second iPad price move this year. Apple already raised prices across its Mac and iPad lineup in June, blaming the DRAM and NAND shortage.
For the money, the leaks promise a real hardware jump. The A20 Pro, the chip in the iPhone 18 Pro, would replace the mini 7's A17 Pro. The FaceTime camera reportedly moves to the landscape edge and the speaker system gets a redesign, and MacRumors has also heard about water resistance. Apple is moving its lineup toward OLED panels with a wider color gamut, and the mini is next in line.
The screen is the sore spot. In June, most reports pointed to 120Hz, as the OLED iPad mini 120Hz rumors laid out. A Korean blog on Naver now says production is locked to an LTPS panel at a fixed 60Hz, the same rate as the mini 7's LCD, while the iPad Pro's LTPO OLED runs from 10Hz to 120Hz. MacRumors calls the source a "hit-and-miss tipster."
A higher price and a 60Hz panel would be a hard pairing for a tablet whose whole pitch is small and sensible. First-generation Apple hardware is for early adopters, and if the 60Hz report holds, I'd wait for the second OLED mini. Anyone shopping for a small iPad should at least hold off until the October 27 launch, where Apple is also expected to show a chip-only M6 iMac refresh.
