Speakers through the screen and a $699 price tag.

Apple

Ahead of its October 28 “Pro and Tell” event , Apple has refreshed the iPad mini with an OLED display (the first for the mini line), the company’s latest in-house, Pro-grade chipset, and something else that made me read twice: an Acoustic Display design.

The iPad mini (8th generation) starts at $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for cellular variants. Pre-orders start October 28, 2026, and general sales begin November 6, 2026.

Apple

What makes this mini feel so different?

I’ll start with the clever bit: the speakers, or what Apple calls an Acoustic Display. Woofers (the bass speakers) now play through the display itself, while the tweeters (the treble speakers) are tucked into the seam where glass meets aluminum.

The new iPad mini doesn’t have speaker vents around the chassis, which is also why it earns an IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating . The device can survive a 1-meter dunk for 30 minutes.…