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OLED iPad Mini Could Launch as Soon as 2026
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Yes, I have seen this video and I have a few things to note:
- The burn-in started after 3 months of normal use and keeps increasing in some areas.
- Light mode is not “intensive” but the normal way people work. When I am working in a bright room even the current Macbook displays brightness not always enough and the current OLEDs are much dimmer. And even if you manage to use dark mode, the parts of the app or web pages could still be light and burn in.
- Missing refresh cycles is also a normal thing when you working for hours without a pause.
IMO, this video only proves the fact that OLED is not ready yet for monitors/laptops (but maybe it will be in 2026).
I’ll believe it when I see it. And if it does come out I will happily trade in my mini 7. It is a perfect device with the exception of that screen.
I just hope this upgrade comes with an increase in display brightness. Getting a display that is roughly on par with current standard iPhone (non-Pro) screens would be fantastic even if we don’t get 120hz.
I just hope this upgrade comes with an increase in display brightness. Getting a display that is roughly on par with current standard iPhone (non-Pro) screens would be fantastic even if we don’t get 120hz.
Or keep 120hz for the pro models to rip you off for another few hundred bucks 🤑
An interesting chart. It shows only the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro will get the tandem OLED display and get the 1000 nits sustained and 1600 nit peak brightness, assuming they use the same panels as the iPad Pro's have now.
The iPad mini and Air get single layer OLED, which probably maxes out at 600 nits, but here's a kicker. The MacBook Air still gets a notch while the MBP gets a hole punch as mentioned in another story. The question here is why since hole punch OLED is pretty common.
It does look like the MBA will get a higher refresh rate screen, but neither of the lesser iPads will.
I picked up an iPad mini 7 recently during a $100 off sale, which was awesome. I'd have to see how much of a screen improvement it is before I update. OLED will look way better than the current screen, but will it be enough?
The iPad mini and Air get single layer OLED, which probably maxes out at 600 nits, but here's a kicker. The MacBook Air still gets a notch while the MBP gets a hole punch as mentioned in another story. The question here is why since hole punch OLED is pretty common.
It does look like the MBA will get a higher refresh rate screen, but neither of the lesser iPads will.
I picked up an iPad mini 7 recently during a $100 off sale, which was awesome. I'd have to see how much of a screen improvement it is before I update. OLED will look way better than the current screen, but will it be enough?
I think apple will upgrade as long as it won’t increase the price. ipad mini is the low end (along with regular ipad) where (probably) Apple think the customers are price sensitive.
60hz again is a shame and for 2026 it should be 120hz. apple need to stop marketing 120hz as a pro feature.
If the two stack rumor is right it may explain the delay, that helps a lot with burn in on static items (like menubars), Apple may have been waiting until they could ship a laptop with an OLED screen that had much lower chance of burn in than most OLED monitors
While I agree I'll also be honest, while, say, 30hz vs 60hz is easily noticeable, and the former is just awful to use, I havent had the same reaction to 60hz vs 120hz, I dont notice the difference a lot of the time.
I've seen a few studies on people's sensitivity to refresh rate changes. Most people top out between 75-90 Hz and can't tell the difference beyond that. I'm definitely one of those. The difference between 30 and 60Hz is as plain as day to me But beyond that, I can't tell the difference. I have a 240Hz monitor and see no difference between that and 60Hz, so the feature is wasted on me. I make sure I test it on games that show me the refresh rate, and a 60Hz game feels and looks just as smooth as a 240Hz game. From those studies, most people are more like me than the gamers who can see 240Hz and 360Hz, which is probably why Apple doesn't bother.
One thing to note, though. Apple has never put out a 120Hz screen. Beyond 60Hz, they will only put out variable rate Promotion screens, which tells me they prioritize battery more than they prioritize high refresh.
The iPad mini is weird tho. A lot of people think it’s just a low end iPad for kids, and it is. But unlike the regular low end iPad, it’s also used by professional pilots, doctors & corporations as well as professional artists like me. Unlike the low end iPad, It uses the Apple Pencil pro. So it’s really hard to label as just a low end ipad.
It’s a testament to Apple Silicon in that even older processors are still good enough to run most professional apps. The mini holds appeal for professionals primarily for its size. It fits in a cockpit or in a lab coat pocket quite well. It’s the most portable where the screen is still pretty good where things like OLED and mini-LED aren’t necessary and the processor is more than enough. It is a low-end iPad if you compare it to the pros but there are no slow iPads currently in the lineup.
This is true. All iPads really hold up well. I’m still rocking a 2018 iPad Pro. They do last forever. A great tool for professionals & average consumers alike.