The latest iPad Mini features an upgrade to the A17 Pro chipset and support for Apple Intelligence. However, it was not a major hardware upgrade. The weakest part of the iPad Mini is the screen, since it features a 60Hz LCD panel. If the leaks are true, that will change with the upcoming iPad Mini model. It’ll reportedly feature an OLED display, which is a major hardware upgrade after a long time.
Apple typically refreshes the iPad Mini model every two years. As per a reliable Chinese leaker, DCS on Weibo, the iPad Mini is getting its biggest update yet. It’ll move to an OLED panel, and Samsung will mostly supply the displays. While it may not feature the expensive Tandem OLED technology of the iPad Pro models, it is still a major upgrade from the LCD display on previous models. Switching the display technology entirely will also fix the long-standing issue of jelly scrolling on the iPad Mini.
OLED displays feature much better contrast, more vivid colors, and better blacks. They’re also more efficient, which will improve the battery life of the iPad Mini. Apple has recently started the transition to OLED for iPads. The iPad Pro got it first, and now the Mini is likely getting OLED next. The leak also points to the iPad Air getting the same OLED display panel as the upcoming iPad Mini, so we can assume both of these will get OLED sometime next year.
The source also doesn’t mention whether it’s a 60Hz panel or a 120Hz panel. Since the base iPhone models might get 120Hz displays this year, we can assume Apple might also add 120Hz to the iPad Mini and iPad Air. It’s worth mentioning that iPad Pros have had 120Hz panels since way before the iPhones, around 2017. It’s also possible that Apple will use a regular LTPS OLED panel instead of the LTPO technology that’s on the iPad Pro. Regardless of the refresh rate, the display is a major upgrade in terms of experience. Apple will finally match Samsung’s base offerings, which already offer OLED panels.
The new iPad Air and iPad Mini are likely to enter mass production later this year and go on sale in 2026. New iPad Air models are typically released in the month of March.
Apple is also working on bringing OLED to the MacBook Pro lineup soon, which will finally complete the transition for all their key products. For now, iPhones, the iPad Pro, and the Apple Watch have OLED displays.
