Waterproof Apple iPad mini OLED to be released later this year
The rumored Apple iPad mini OLED will apparently be the first iPad with a water-resistant design and is expected to launch as early as October. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported last year that Apple was working on an improved casing offering protection comparable to the iPhone, making the iPad mini safe to use in humid environments such as bathrooms or pool areas.
Currently, no iPad has an official water resistance certification, and Apple does not consider its existing models to be waterproof. To achieve this, Apple has reportedly developed a vibration-based speaker system that does away with traditional speaker openings.
Apple iPad mini OLED case as a speaker
Instead, the sound would be emitted from flat surfaces of the Apple iPad mini OLED casing, allowing parts of the casing to act as a speaker diaphragm and eliminating one of the main ways water and dust can enter the device.
This process differs from the method Apple uses for the iPhone, where speaker openings and other entry points are sealed with adhesives and gaskets. The IP rating of the Apple iPad mini OLED is not yet known. The iPhone is IP68 certified, meaning it can withstand immersion in up to six meters of water for 30 minutes.
Apple has been working on this technology for some time. A 2014 patent from the company describes a “mechanically actuated panel acoustic system” that vibrates flat panels to generate sound, making speaker grilles completely unnecessary.
A closed design would also fill one of the gaps between the Apple iPad mini OLED and dedicated e-readers. Devices like the Kindle Paperwhite and the Kobo Libra Color are waterproof, and the ability to read in the bathtub or by the pool has long been one of their practical advantages over Apple’s smallest tablet.
Gurman recently stated that Apple plans to launch the new Apple iPad mini OLED by October. The Korean news portal ETNews reported in June that Samsung Display had begun mass production of OLED panels for the device, increasing the likelihood of a launch within that timeframe.
Apple iPad mini OLED with four important updates
Water resistance is one of at least four major new features expected this year. The switch to OLED makes the iPad mini the second iPad series to use this technology, after the iPad Pro, offering higher contrast, deeper blacks, and better energy efficiency than the LCD screen of the iPad mini 7. A Korean source claimed earlier this month that it will be an 8.4-inch LTPS panel with a 60Hz refresh rate, which would rule out ProMotion.
Apple is reportedly planning a “major processor upgrade” for the tablet. Accidentally released code from Apple points to the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone Air, while other clues in a macOS kernel debug kit suggest the device will use the as-yet-unreleased A20 Pro.
Apple last updated the iPad mini in October 2024 with the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence. Following the extensive price increases in June, the tablet now starts at $599. Gurman had previously suggested that the OLED model could cost up to $100 more, but this estimate predates the June price hikes.
