Apple’s next iPad mini will apparently be the first iPad with a water-resistant design, and the tablet is now expected to arrive by October.
BloombergMark Gurman of Mark Gurman reported last year that Apple was working on an updated case that offers comparable protection to the iPhone, making the iPad mini safe for casual use in humid environments like a bathroom or swimming pool. No iPad currently carries an official water resistance rating, and Apple does not consider existing models safe to get wet.
To achieve this, Apple has reportedly designed a vibration-based speaker system that removes the need for traditional speaker holes. Sound would instead be emitted from flat surfaces of the tablet’s chassis, effectively turning parts of the body into a speaker diaphragm and eliminating one of the main routes by which water and dust enter the device.
The approach differs from the method Apple used on the iPhone, which relies on adhesives and gaskets to seal speaker openings and other entry points. It is not yet clear what IP rating the iPad mini will carry. The iPhone is IP68 rated and can withstand submersion in water up to six meters deep for 30 minutes.
Apple has been moving towards this technology for some time. A 2014 patent from the company describes a “mechanically actuated panel acoustic system” that vibrates flat panels to generate sound, eliminating the need for speaker grilles.
A sealed design would also fill one of the everyday gaps between the iPad mini and dedicated e-readers. Devices like the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Color are designed to survive immersion, and the ability to read in the bath or poolside has long been one of the practical advantages they have over Apple’s smallest tablet.
Gurman recently said that Apple plans to release the new iPad mini by October. Korean outlet ETNews reported in June that Samsung Display had begun mass production of OLED panels for the device, lending weight to a launch in this window.
Water resistance is one of four major changes expected this year. The move to OLED will make the mini the second iPad line to adopt the technology after the iPad Pro, offering higher contrast, true blacks, and better power efficiency than the iPad mini 7’s LCD screen. A Korean source claimed earlier this month that the panel is an 8.4-inch LTPS design clocked at 60Hz, which would rule out ProMotion.
Apple is also reportedly planning a “major processor leap” for the tablet. Code accidentally released by Apple referenced the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone Air, while other evidence in a macOS kernel debug kit suggests the device will use the unreleased A20 Pro.
Apple last updated the iPad mini in October 2024 with the A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. The tablet now starts at $599 following the company’s sweeping price increases in June, and Gurman previously suggested the OLED model could cost up to $100 more, although that estimate predates the June increases.
