iPad mini 8 Rumored to Add OLED Display, A20 Pro Chip and Water Resistance

The next-generation iPad mini is rumored to receive several hardware changes, including an A20 Pro chip and an OLED display. Other expected additions include a landscape front camera, a redesigned speaker system and water resistance.

A20 Pro and More Memory

The A20 Pro is reportedly set to be manufactured by TSMC using an advanced 2nm process. It is expected to deliver roughly 1.5 times faster CPU performance and up to 2.5 times faster GPU performance than the A17 Pro in the current iPad mini.

The tablet may include 12GB of RAM instead of 8GB. The A20 Pro is also rumored to feature a dual 16-core Neural Engine, for 32 cores in total. The additional memory could enable customization of Siri AI’s voice pace and expressiveness.

Display, Camera and Wireless Hardware

The OLED panel is expected to provide richer colors, a higher contrast ratio and true blacks compared with the current LCD display. The bezels around the screen may also become slimmer.

The front camera could move to the right bezel when the tablet is held upright. Apple’s custom N1 chip is rumored to support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while cellular versions may use a C1X or C2 modem.

Speakers and Potential Pricing

Apple may also redesign the speaker system by removing speaker holes from the body and potentially placing an iPhone earpiece-like speaker in the top bezel. The iPad mini could additionally gain its first IP-rated water resistance.

Apple is expected to announce the iPad mini 8 this year, with October considered the most likely launch window. The current model starts at $599 in the U.S. after a $100 price increase in June, which Apple attributed to sharply higher RAM and storage chip costs. The next model could be more expensive because of its costlier OLED display.