Apple introduces thinner iPad mini with OLED display
Prices begin at US$699 for 128GB, with pre-orders starting October 28 and initial deliveries scheduled for November 6.
Apple has announced a new iPad mini that combines an 8.5-inch OLED display with its A20 Pro chip. The tablet is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, measuring 5.4 mm and weighing 255 grams, according to the company.
The previous version measured 6.3 mm thick, weighed 297 grams and had an 8.3-inch display. Apple says bezels are 24% thinner on the new model, allowing for the larger screen, which reaches 1200 nits of peak brightness. The tablet also has an IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating.
Processing specifications depend on storage capacity. Models with 128GB or 256GB include a 5-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine, while the 512GB version gets a 6-core CPU and Dual 16-core Neural Engine. All three have a 7-core GPU, Neural Accelerators and hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
Apple says its Acoustic Display uses woofers paired through the screen, with tweeters positioned between the glass and aluminum enclosure. The 12MP Center Stage front camera has moved to the landscape edge. A rear 12MP Wide camera offers Smart HDR 4 and records 4K video at frame rates up to 60 frames per second.
The N1 networking chip provides Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, while cellular versions include Apple's C2 modem. Available colors are midnight and starlight. A nano-texture glass option costs an additional US$100 and is offered only with 256GB or 512GB of storage.
