The iPad mini’s rebirth continues – with an OLED version strongly rumored for 2026

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The iPad mini is rumored to get an OLED upgrade in 2026
This would make it the second Apple tablet to get this screen tech
OLED would bring major benefits over the tablet’s current display

There was a time when the iPad mini was Apple’s forgotten tablet, but those days seem to be long behind us. With a powerful A17 Pro chip and a pocketable design, the iPad mini is returning to glory. Now, it looks like that trajectory could continue with a major upgrade that’s due to arrive in the next couple of years.

According to a report published by industry analysts Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), the iPad mini will get an 8.5-inch OLED display in 2026. Not only would that be a slight size increase on the current model’s 8.3-inch screen, but it'd incorporate OLED technology for the first time in Apple’s miniature tablet.

That would be a significant step up over the current LED screen that the iPad mini uses and would bring better contrast, deeper blacks and wider viewing angles, among other benefits.

An update like that could help to make the iPad mini the dark horse of Apple’s tablet range. Not only would it be more affordable than something like the iPad Pro or iPad Air, but its improved screen could make it the ideal device for watching content on the go, giving you a beautiful display on your travels without weighing you down. When you look at it like that, 2026’s iPad mini looks like a very attractive prospect, on paper.

OLED on the way

The iPad mini wasn’t the only device mentioned in DSCC’s report. The company also touched on the iPad Air, where both the 11-inch and 13-inch models are mooted to get an OLED upgrade in 2027 – an idea backed up by an earlier leaked roadmap from analysts Omdia. If correct, it means only the entry-level 10.9-inch iPad will be without an OLED display by 2027.

Also in 2027, DSCC believes that Apple will launch a new iPad Pro with an 18.8-inch foldable display. This would be Apple’s first foldable device (ahead of the folding iPhone) and could take the high-end tablet into new territory.

While many recent rumors have focused on this large foldable iPad Pro, including those from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the Wall Street Journal, and Omdia, little attention has been paid recently to the iPad mini.

But with an OLED display apparently on the way, it’s likely that a lot more people will sit up and take notice of Apple’s tiniest tablet over the coming years.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.