Apple to release OLED iPad mini in late October with a $200 price hike

Apple plans to unveil a new-generation iPad mini in late October 2026, according to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman. The main change is the screen: OLED will replace the IPS panel. The body will also be updated. But it comes at a price: according to Gurman, the tablet will get $200 more expensive. For the cheapest and most compact iPad, that is a sizable jump.

What we know so far

There is little information so far. Gurman named three things: the timing, the display type and the price increase. Apple has made no official statements. The report gives no details on the chip, memory, cameras or screen diagonal.

• Timing: late October 2026
• Display: OLED instead of IPS
• Body: updated design
• Price: $200 higher than the current model
• For comparison, iPad mini 7 (October 2024): 8.3 inches, IPS, A17 Pro chip, starting at $499

The final price depends on how you count the increase. Starting from $499, you get roughly $699. That is arithmetic, not data from the source. Apple may also change the storage configurations and the entry-level tier.

Why OLED

Apple is bringing OLED to the iPad gradually. The first to get such a panel was the iPad Pro with the M4 chip in May 2024. It uses a Tandem OLED design, which also set the ceiling for both brightness and price: the Pro's starting price was $999 at the time. For the mini, the move to OLED makes sense. The screen is small, so the panel area is small, and the gain in contrast and black depth is noticeable even on a small diagonal.

Rumors of OLED in the mini have circulated before. Gurman's report turns them into a more concrete forecast with a date and a price tag.

The current iPad mini uses IPS. It is not perfect: the 2024 model drew criticism for the "jelly" effect when scrolling. OLED addresses some of these complaints thanks to fast pixel response. The open question is which panel Apple will actually use and whether it will have a high refresh rate.

Price: where the line is

The $200 increase matters beyond the number itself. It is more than 40% on top of the $499 starting price. For a product line, an increase like that changes the positioning. When the M3 version of the iPad Air 11 debuted, it started at $599. By this calculation, the new mini ends up costing more than that. Of course, the Air may also be updated, and Apple may shift prices across the whole lineup. But if the forecast is accurate, the mini will stop being Apple's "cheap tablet" and become a premium compact one.

The report does not give reasons for the price increase. The obvious candidate is the cost of the OLED panel, but that is an assumption. It is possible that the rest of the hardware will get more expensive along with the screen.

What buyers should do

If you need an iPad mini right now, it makes sense to wait for the announcement for just a couple of weeks. Late October is already close, and in that time it will become clear whether the rumors hold up.

It is worth comparing two paths. The current mini 7 with the A17 Pro remains a capable device, and its retail price may drop when the new model arrives. The new version makes sense for those who care about the screen: for reading, drawing and watching video. For those who just need a compact tablet for notes and browsing, an expensive OLED version is unlikely to deliver a noticeable benefit.

While Apple stays silent, it is better not to make decisions based on rumors. Wait for the official presentation and look at four things: the chip, the memory in the base version, the screen refresh rate and the final price in your region.