Apple Redesigns iPad mini With OLED Screen and $799 Price as Camera Shifts

Q: Why is Apple's smallest new tablet suddenly poised to cost more than its larger iPad Air sibling?

Apple appears ready to price the new iPad mini above the iPad Air because it is no longer treating the mini as a cheaper, smaller tablet, but as a premium compact device packed with costlier parts. The biggest driver is the rumored move from LCD to OLED. OLED panels are significantly more expensive to make, and reports suggest Apple may use the mini as its next major OLED expansion after the iPad Pro. The tablet is also expected to get a much newer high-end chip, likely the A20 Pro, plus possible memory and storage upgrades. Those changes raise Apple’s bill of materials well beyond what the current $599 mini carries. The redesign itself also matters. Bloomberg and other reports point to a relocated landscape camera, revamped speakers, thinner bezels, and possibly improved water resistance through new speaker and enclosure engineering. That kind of chassis work is more than a routine refresh and gives Apple room to reposition the mini higher in the lineup. By contrast, the 11-inch iPad Air is larger but more established and, despite its strong performance, still uses a less costly display technology. Size alone does not determine price; component mix and positioning do. If the mini gets OLED and near-flagship internals while the Air keeps an LCD-style panel, Apple can justify charging more for the smaller product. In short, Apple seems to be selling the next iPad mini as a niche premium tablet, not an entry-level one.

3 articles · Updated · The Apple Post · Oct 11

Later this month, Apple is expected to unveil a redesigned iPad mini that moves the FaceTime camera to the landscape edge and revamps the speaker system.
Those hardware changes are part of a broader overhaul that also includes an OLED display and an A20 Pro chip, making the update more substantial than a routine processor refresh.
Recent leaked Apple imagery pointed to the camera relocation, which would align the mini with newer iPads and make horizontal video calls feel more natural.
The redesign may also bring improved water resistance and different speaker openings, while Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the U.S. starting price could approach $799.
Apple is reportedly planning the iPad mini launch separately from its October 13 'Welcome home' smart-home event.