OLED iPad mini could cost close to $800 as Apple prepares a major upgrade

Apple’s next iPad mini could make the small tablet a much more expensive buy. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the upcoming model will cost “considerably more” than the current version, with its price potentially landing closer to $799. Apple has not announced the tablet or confirmed its price.

That would be a steep jump from today’s iPad mini, which starts at $599. The rumored upgrade could bring an OLED screen, slimmer bezels and an improved speaker system, giving Apple a stronger reason to reposition its smallest tablet as a premium option.

The OLED upgrade could change where the mini sits

The current iPad mini has an 8.3-inch LCD display. Moving to OLED would be a meaningful change for a tablet built around portability: OLED screens can show deeper blacks and higher contrast than LCD panels. Apple has not confirmed the panel, its brightness, or whether the new model would include a faster refresh rate, so those details remain open.

The screen is not the only reported change. Gurman says Apple is also planning a redesigned speaker system and thinner bezels. Those updates would give the mini a more modern front and potentially improve its sound, but the report does not provide a final specification list. The current model remains the only one Apple sells.

An iPad mini at roughly $799 would also sit above the 11-inch iPad Air, which currently starts at $749 in the United States. That comparison could make buyers think twice: the Air gives them a larger screen for less, while the mini’s appeal is its compact size and one-handed portability. If Apple prices the new model near $799, it will need to make the display and other changes feel worthwhile to people who specifically want a small tablet.

The company already raised the current mini’s starting price to $599 earlier this year. A second increase would widen the gap between the mini and entry-level tablets, and could push some shoppers toward the Air or an older iPad mini while it is still available. The rumored price is not final, though, and Apple has not said whether it plans to keep selling the current model alongside the new one.

A late-October arrival is still only a report

Bloomberg has also pointed to a late-October arrival for the next iPad mini. Apple has a “Welcome home” press experience scheduled for October 13, but its public teaser does not name any products. The mini could be part of a later launch wave rather than the focus of that event.

For now, shoppers should treat both the OLED screen and the higher price as reported plans. Apple has not confirmed a product name, launch date, storage options, or whether the reported speaker and bezel changes will make it into the final device. People who need a tablet today can compare the current mini with the Air; anyone set on a new compact iPad may want to wait for Apple to announce its plans.

The possible redesign builds on earlier reporting about a more capable, water-resistant iPad mini, though those details have not been confirmed either. Apple’s October product lineup may also arrive in stages, with different devices appearing on separate dates.

Read more about the reported iPad mini redesign, Apple’s expected October product waves, and the recent price increases across Apple products.