Apple is finally giving the iPad Mini the screen upgrade fans have been waiting for. The company plans to swap the current display for an OLED panel when the new model arrives by October 2026, according to a Bloomberg report.
OLED screens deliver richer colors and deeper blacks than standard LCDs. Apple has used the technology in iPhones since 2017 and in the iPad Pro since 2024.
The iPad Mini currently available comes with an 8.3-inch display and a $599 price tag. That price already jumped $100 last month, along with similar increases on the entry-level iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. The reason? A severe memory chip shortage has pushed component costs higher and made supply agreements harder to secure.
Apple is not stopping with the Mini. Over the next year, the company plans to refresh nearly every model in its tablet lineup. The entry-level iPad, which starts at $449 after its own $100 increase, is expected to get an update by the first quarter of 2027.
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Then comes spring 2027, when Apple plans to release new versions of both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro. The 13-inch iPad Air currently starts at $949 (up $200), and the 13-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,499 (also up $200). Those higher price tags are a direct result of the memory chip shortage, which has raised costs across the entire product line.
Apple's tablet refresh comes amid broader supply-chain pressures affecting the entire electronics industry. The memory chip shortage began last year after a series of factory disruptions and reduced capacity, forcing manufacturers worldwide to raise prices or delay shipments. For Apple, the problem has been especially acute because iPads rely heavily on high-density memory chips that are in short supply.
The shortage has hit high-density DRAM and NAND flash components hardest, which are critical for iPads. Industry analysts expect the supply crunch to persist into 2027, potentially leading to further price adjustments. Apple's decision to push the OLED iPad Mini to late 2026 may reflect a strategic choice to prioritize higher-margin products like the upcoming foldable iPhone amid constrained resources.
The iPad refresh will follow a much bigger launch in September 2026: Apple's first foldable iPhone. That device is expected to top $2,000 and will have a roughly 7.8-inch screen when fully opened. That is nearly as big as the current iPad Mini's display.
Apple is also working on an OLED upgrade for the iPad Air down the road, but has no plans right now for an OLED version of the entry-level iPad.
Apple projects iPad sales will grow 6% this fiscal year, reaching nearly $30 billion total.
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