Apple's first water resistant iPad mini is tipped for October
A redesigned iPad mini with water resistance and an OLED screen is expected this year, according to reports from MacRumors and Bloomberg.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Apple is preparing its first water resistant iPad mini for release by the end of the year, according to a new report from MacRumors. The model is expected to be a redesigned version of the iPad mini, a tablet line that has gone years without the kind of liquid protection iPhone users already know.
The timing points to a launch by October, according to the report. Apple has not announced the device, and the exact durability rating for the new iPad mini is still unknown.
When is the water resistant iPad mini coming?
MacRumors reports that Apple plans to release the water-resistant iPad by the end of this year, with the new iPad mini expected by October. That would make it the first Apple tablet described in the report as built with water resistance in mind.
The iPad mini last received a chip update in 2024, when Apple added the A17 Pro. Its last major redesign came in 2021, so a new body would mark the first larger design change for the smaller tablet in several years.
How would Apple make an iPad water resistant?
According to MacRumors, Apple is taking a different route from the iPhone. The report says the redesigned iPad mini uses a vibration-based speaker setup that sends sound through the tablet’s frame rather than through traditional speaker openings.
Fewer holes in the case would reduce places where water, dust and other debris can get inside, according to the report. MacRumors also noted that Apple described similar technology in a 2014 patent, suggesting the company has been exploring the idea for years.
An IP rating tells buyers how well a device resists dust and liquids. The report does not say what IP rating the new iPad mini will carry. For comparison, the iPhone 17 has an IP68 rating, which means it can be submerged as deep as 6 meters for up to 30 minutes.
What other iPad mini upgrades are expected?
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously reported that Apple is preparing bigger updates for the iPad mini, including an OLED display. That would be a first for the iPad mini line.
OLED screens can be a pricier upgrade, and Gurman has reported that the addition could push the next iPad mini’s price higher. Apple currently sells the base iPad mini for $599 after raising prices across its products earlier this year.
If the reports are accurate, the next iPad mini will arrive too late for this summer’s beach bags and poolside streaming. For anyone who has ever treated an iPad near water like a glass sculpture, though, Apple’s smaller tablet may finally be getting tougher.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.