A new report claims the next iPad Mini will be the first tablet from Apple to offer official water resistance when it launches later this year.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is preparing to unveil a redesigned iPad Mini in the coming months. We’ve heard lots about the display of the rumoured iPad, but there looks to be more to this possible best iPad entry than a fancy new screen.
One of its headline upgrades could be protection against water exposure – something no iPad has officially offered before. While current iPads can survive the occasional splash, Apple doesn’t give any of them an IP rating or recommend using them around water.
Apple is said to be using a vibration-based speaker system that removes the need for traditional speaker openings altogether. Instead of pushing sound through visible grilles, the tablet’s chassis would vibrate to produce audio. This eliminates one of the biggest entry points for water and dust.
It’s a different approach from the iPhone, which relies on seals, adhesives and gaskets to achieve its IP68 rating. Exactly what level of protection the new iPad will receive remains unclear. However, even a modest IP rating would mark a first for Apple’s tablet lineup.
The move could also help the iPad mini compete more directly with premium e-readers such as the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Colour. Both of these already offer waterproof designs that make them better suited for reading by the pool or in the bath.
Water resistance isn’t expected to be the only major upgrade. Reports suggest the new iPad mini will also switch to an OLED display, becoming just the second iPad family after the iPad Pro to adopt the panel technology. That should bring deeper blacks, improved contrast and better power efficiency. However, current rumours point to a 60Hz refresh rate rather than ProMotion – it won’t quite match the Pro models.
Performance is also tipped to get a significant boost. Conflicting reports suggest Apple could equip the tablet with either the A19 Pro or the unreleased A20 Pro chip. Both would represent a sizeable step up from the A17 Pro found in the current iPad mini.
The existing iPad mini launched in October 2024 and now starts at $599 following Apple’s recent price adjustments. Earlier reports suggested the OLED model could cost up to $100 more. However, pricing remains unconfirmed ahead of its expected launch later this year.
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