Apple’s long-rumoured OLED iPad mini may finally have a clearer release timeline, and it’s later than some fans were hoping for.
According to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, the iPad mini 8 won’t land until Q3 2026 at the earliest, pushing the smallest iPad’s biggest upgrade in years well into next year. Still, at least it seems like it is finally
The claim lines up with earlier reports from Bloomberg and Korean outlets suggesting 2026 is the first realistic window for Apple to bring OLED to the iPad mini. When it arrives, the new model is expected to become the second iPad to adopt OLED, following the iPad Pro’s move to the technology this year. The iPad Air is said to follow in 2027.
OLED would be a major step up for the mini. With individually lit pixels, you can expect deeper blacks, punchier colours, faster response times, and better viewing angles, the kind of improvements that make a noticeable difference on a small screen.
Under the hood, Apple is reportedly planning to use the A19 Pro chip, the same mid-tier silicon found in the iPhone Air. It’s built on the third-generation 3nm N3P process, promising modest boosts to speed and efficiency.
Apple is also said to be rethinking the hardware design in a pretty meaningful way. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously claimed the next mini will be more water-resistant, achieved by swapping out the traditional speaker holes for a new vibration-based speaker system. If accurate, it would mark one of the biggest external changes to the mini in years.
All these upgrades may come with a higher price. Gurman suggests Apple could add up to $100 to the starting price, pushing the next iPad mini above today’s $499 entry point.
As for today’s source, Instant Digital has a mixed track record, though they’ve nailed details like the Yellow iPhone 14 and the Titanium Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2. So while this latest update aligns with other rumours, it’s still not a guarantee.
If the timeline holds, though, the OLED iPad mini 8 is shaping up to be one of 2026’s most interesting Apple releases, even if the wait just got a little longer.
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