Apple Launches $699 iPad mini With OLED and IP67, Keeping 60Hz Screen

Q: Will this massive price hike push loyal compact tablet fans toward the larger, cheaper iPad Air instead?

Yes, for many buyers it probably will — but not for the core iPad mini audience. The new iPad mini is clearly better than before: an 8.5-inch OLED screen, A20 Pro chip, IP67 durability, thinner and lighter design, landscape front camera, and Apple Pencil Pro support make it the strongest mini Apple has made. For people who specifically want one-handed use, reading, travel, cockpit or field work, and a device that fits where larger tablets do not, those upgrades reinforce the mini’s niche. Analysts and reviewers alike note that mini users are unusually loyal and tend to choose it for size, not price. The problem is that Apple has pushed the entry price to $699, with higher-end versions climbing to $1,249. That narrows the appeal. Buyers who are flexible on size now have a stronger reason to look at the iPad Air, which remains cheaper in some configurations while offering a larger screen, better multitasking potential, and broader productivity use. Reviewers repeatedly argue that if you do not specifically need the compact form factor, the Air is the better value. That means Apple is likely separating the market more sharply. The mini should retain dedicated fans, especially those who see compactness as essential. But casual upgraders, students, and shoppers comparing specs per dollar are more likely to drift toward the iPad Air. The biggest risk for Apple is not losing loyal mini users; it is making the mini a more specialized product with a smaller audience.

3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Nov 3

$699 gets Apple’s new iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED display, A20 Pro chip, IP67 dust and water resistance, and fast charging—its biggest mini refresh in years.
The redesign trims thickness to 5.4mm from 6.3mm and weight to 0.56 pounds, while adding brighter OLED output up to 1,200 nits HDR and a new speaker system.
Apple still limits the tablet to a 60Hz display and Touch ID instead of Face ID, leaving key Pro-level features absent despite the higher price.
Higher-end configurations push the cost much further: nano-texture glass starts at the 256GB tier, bringing the entry point for that option to $899.
The update positions the iPad mini closer to a compact iPad Pro, but the $200 jump from its launch price two years ago may narrow its appeal.