Apple unveiled a new iPad mini on October 26, with a larger 8.5-inch OLED display, a thinner 5.4 mm body, and the A20 Pro chip, calling it the biggest update to the small tablet yet. According to Apple, the Super Retina XDR display reaches 1,200 nits of peak brightness, more than twice the previous model, and the A20 Pro delivers up to 4.5 times faster AI performance. The tablet ships with iPadOS 27 and the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, which can draw on personal context. Pre-orders open October 28, with availability from November 6, starting at $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for Wi-Fi plus cellular.
A Thinner Design With A Larger OLED Display
At 5.4 mm thin, the new iPad mini is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, Apple said, and it comes in two finishes, midnight and starlight. The 8.5-inch OLED display is larger than before while keeping the same footprint, thanks to bezels that are 24 percent thinner. A nano-texture display option, already offered on the iPad Pro, reduces glare in bright light.
The Super Retina XDR display uses OLED technology for pixel-level lighting control, Apple said, with deeper blacks and P3 wide color gamut support. Peak brightness reaches up to 1,200 nits, and full-screen brightness is 600 nits for SDR and HDR content, with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. A 1-nit minimum brightness suits dim environments. The tablet also carries an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.
Dave Pakula, Apple vice president of Hardware Engineering, said the new model is a huge leap forward for people who want the full iPad experience in the palm of their hand.
A20 Pro And Faster Wireless
The A20 Pro chip is built on a 2-nanometer process with a package inspired by Apple M-series chips, Apple said. Its 7-core GPU carries Neural Accelerators in each core, and the 512GB configuration adds a Dual 16-core Neural Engine for advanced on-device AI work. Apple said the chip runs on-device models in creative apps and local large language models, with graphics performance up to 2.7 times faster.
The 6-core CPU delivers up to 60 percent faster multithreaded performance, Apple said, and unified memory bandwidth more than doubles. Connectivity also steps up: the N1 wireless chip brings Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, while cellular models gain the C2 modem, with up to 50 percent faster cellular data speeds and eSIM support.
A 12MP Center Stage front camera now sits on the landscape edge for video calls, and a 12MP Wide back camera shoots photos with Smart HDR 4 and 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, with an Adaptive True Tone flash for better document scanning. The new Acoustic Display pairs woofers through the display for deeper bass, with hidden tweeters for clearer highs.
iPadOS 27 And The New Siri AI
The new iPad mini runs iPadOS 27 with the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, rolling out in beta. According to Apple, Siri AI can draw on personal context across messages, emails and photos, use onscreen awareness to act on what is displayed, and answer questions on virtually any topic. It also supports Apple’s most advanced on-device model yet, for more expressive voices and more accurate systemwide dictation.
The software adds upgraded Clean Up, Spatial Reframing and Extend tools for photos, a new Image Playground app, and a Safari Notify Me feature that watches web pages for changes. Apple said personal tasks run on-device, and larger requests go to Private Cloud Compute, where personal data is not stored or made accessible to Apple. Background reading: Apple’s Gemini-powered Siri reboot and what Apple Intelligence does across devices.
Price, Dates And Accessories
Customers can pre-order the new iPad mini from Wednesday, October 28, in 36 countries and regions, with availability from Friday, November 6, Apple said. The Wi-Fi model starts at $699, and the Wi-Fi plus cellular model starts at $849, with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB configurations. Education pricing starts at $649.
The new TechWoven Smart Folio costs $79 in navy blue and taupe, and the tablet supports both Apple Pencil Pro at $129 and Apple Pencil (USB-C) at $79. TechCrunch noted the announcement lands days before Apple “Pro and Tell” event on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
The new iPad mini matters because it puts Apple’s latest AI hardware and software into its smallest, cheapest tablet. A 4.5-times AI performance jump on a $699 device means on-device models, personal-context Siri and systemwide dictation reach buyers who never buy a Pro tablet. That widens the base for Apple Intelligence faster than any flagship alone could.
The timing also fits Apple’s hardware push amid AI spending worries, with tangible products carrying the AI story while rivals pour hundreds of billions into data centres. If buyers respond, the mini becomes another entry point into Apple’s ecosystem at a lower price.
Background
The iPad mini has long been Apple’s portable tablet for readers, pilots, clinicians and field workers, and the new model arrives as Apple rolls its next-generation Siri and Apple Intelligence across its lineup through iPadOS 27.
Sources: Apple: Apple iPad mini announcement; TechCrunch: TechCrunch iPad mini report
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