Your next iPad could be safe to use in the bath
Apple could be bringing in a change for the iPad mini
by Chris Hall · T3
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Quick summary
The iPad mini is expected to be updated in October 2026 and include some water protection.
A new design is expected to seal the speaker holes, while the display will move to OLED. There's likely to be a price increase too.
The iPad mini is expected to get an update in October 2026 that includes water resistance, something that no iPad has so far offered.
The new compact iPad is expected to implement a new design that removes the speaker holes, instead using flat surfaces on the device to create the sound. While it's not known what IP rating it might carry, it's thought that it will offer water resistance for the first time, according to Macrumors.
The new speaker system was first reported in 2025, while it's also expected that Apple's smallest tablet will make the jump to an OLED display. It will join the iPad Pro in offering those higher quality visuals, although the impact on the price might see this tablet suffer.
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The iPad mini is currently £599 / $599 making it more expensive than the standard iPad which offers a larger display. The iPad mini is more powerful using the A17 Pro chip compared to the A16 in the standard iPad, although the next iPad mini is expected to move to either the A19 Pro or unreleased A20 Pro.
That, combined with the OLED display, might see the iPad mini creeping up on the price of the iPad Air, perhaps priced at £699 / $699, which is a lot of money for an 8-inch tablet.
Sealing the tablet to give it water protection will boost its credentials, however, meaning that people will be more comfortable using it in adverse conditions. Its compact nature makes it great for travel, where a soaking in the rain might be more common than when sitting around the home.
But the iPad mini's compact form makes it more like a reading device and I'm sure that many have used it in the bath because if its handholdability. With an IP rating, if it does slip, it likely won't be a disaster, although using it at the beach probably won't work unless Apple gives it a really bright display - currently, it's only 500 nits.
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There could be a drawback with that display too: it's only said to offer 60Hz, which means that this won't be the compact gaming tablet that some will want.
The iPad mini is a great tablet, but it looks like Apple plans to make it increasingly premium. It's expected to launch alongside refreshed Mac devices in October 2026.