According to a reliable leaker, Apple is currently assessing prototypes of an OLED display for the iPad mini.
It appears evident that the forthcoming model will feature an OLED screen, making it a worthwhile upgrade for those with older versions.
OLED iPad mini
Apple is progressively incorporating OLED displays across its entire product line. This transition started with the Apple Watch, extended to the iPhone, and has continued with the iPad Pro. Future MacBooks are also expected to adopt OLED technology.
Both the iPad Air and iPad mini are set to follow suit, with reports indicating that new models may begin production later this year, although they likely won’t be available for sale until 2026. An OLED-equipped MacBook Pro is anticipated to debut that same year.
While the iPad Pro models utilize advanced tandem OLED panels, the iPad Air and iPad mini are likely to receive more affordable standard panels.
Display prototypes being evaluated
In a concise post on Weibo, leaker Digital Chat Station mentioned that Apple is currently evaluating a Samsung display intended for the iPad mini. Despite the machine translation being somewhat clumsy, the intent is clear.
This year’s mainstream brands have three compact tablets around 8.8 inches, two with LCDs, one with OLED, and three flagship chips across various platforms. Furthermore, iPad is also assessing small-sized OLEDs.
When asked if the display will support ProMotion, or 120Hz refresh rates, they replied that this information is currently unavailable.
Worth waiting for
For anyone considering an upgrade from an older iPad mini, it’s advisable to hold off. The latest update, released in October of last year, was comparatively minor.
At that time, we observed improvements in Apple Pencil compatibility, connectivity enhancements, support for Apple Intelligence, and an increase in base storage to 128GB — but overall, it remained largely similar to its predecessor.
The design remains unchanged except for a new (very subtle) color option, which means it’s not smaller or lighter, nor does it feature any design upgrades. Battery life hasn’t improved, and the camera is essentially the same, with only a slight upgrade from Smart HDR 3 to 4. It also retains its placement on the short edge, which might make more sense given that the device is primarily used in portrait mode. The display is identical: it still has the same 8.3-inch, 2266 x 1488 pixel resolution, with a maximum brightness of 500 nits.
The upcoming model is expected to be a significantly better investment.
