Apple reportedly plans to unveil an iPad mini 8 with an OLED display next week, with those invited to Apple's Los Angeles experience on Wednesday, October 28 expected to receive hands-on time with the device. Attendees may also see MacBook Pro models with touch-enabled OLED displays, a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip, and an iMac with an M6 chip.
The most significant upgrade is the A20 Pro chip, manufactured with TSMC's advanced 2nm process. Compared to the A17 Pro in the current iPad mini, it is expected to deliver up to around 1.5× faster CPU performance and up to around 2.5× faster GPU performance. It also introduces a "dual 16-core Neural Engine" for a total of 32 cores. The chip pairs with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB, which would allow users to customize the pace and expressiveness of Siri AI's voice.
Display and design changes are also expected. The slightly larger OLED screen should offer richer colors and higher contrast with true blacks, though Apple has reportedly tested both 60Hz and 120Hz (ProMotion) refresh rates and it is unclear which it chose. Bezels are expected to be slimmer, and the front camera may move to the right bezel in landscape orientation. A redesigned speaker system could eliminate speaker holes in favor of an earpiece-style speaker in the top bezel. The device is also expected to gain IP-rated water resistance for the first time.
Connectivity should improve with Apple's custom N1 chip supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with a custom C1X or C2 modem for cellular models. Pricing may rise as well. The current iPad mini starts at $599 in the U.S. after a $100 increase in June, and the costlier OLED display could push the next model higher.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing