Apple has announced a redesigned iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED display, calling it the biggest update in the model's history. According to Apple, pre-orders open on Wednesday, October 28, at 10:10 a.m. PT, with availability in Apple Stores on Friday, November 6. Pricing starts at $699 in the U.S.
Display and design
The new screen grows from 8.3 to 8.5 inches and, Apple says, offers higher contrast and more than twice the peak brightness of the previous LCD model. The refresh rate is 60Hz, and Apple's specifications do not mention ProMotion. A nano-texture display option for reduced glare adds $100 and is limited to the 256GB and 512GB configurations.
Apple says the tablet is about 15% thinner and lighter. The Wi-Fi model measures 5.4mm and weighs 0.56 pounds, compared with 6.3mm and 0.65 pounds before. It is also the first iPad mini with an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. There are no visible speaker holes: an "Acoustic Display" system plays sound through the display, with woofers and tweeters placed between the glass and the aluminum enclosure.
Chip and performance
The iPad mini moves to the A20 Pro, built on TSMC's 2nm process, with Neural Accelerators in each GPU core. The 128GB and 256GB models have a 5-core CPU, 7-core GPU and a single 16-core Neural Engine, while the 512GB model has a 6-core CPU and dual 16-core Neural Engines. Compared with the A17 Pro in the previous model, Apple claims up to 60% faster CPU performance, up to 2.7 times faster graphics and up to 4.5 times faster AI performance.
Cameras and connectivity
A 12MP rear Wide camera is paired with an adaptive True Tone flash, and a 12MP Center Stage front camera is now positioned for landscape video calls. Apple's N1 chip brings Wi-Fi 7, while cellular models use the C2 chip, which Apple says delivers up to 50% faster data speeds. The tablet keeps a USB-C port and a Touch ID button on the top edge. Apple says it can charge to 50% in 30 minutes with a 35W or higher adapter, and advertised battery life is unchanged from the previous model.
Colors
The iPad mini comes in two colors: Midnight and Starlight.
The announcement arrives ahead of what is expected to be a busy week, with Apple's "Pro and Tell" event scheduled for October 28.
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