New Delhi: Apple is now preparing something more revealing with the redesigned iPad mini with the OLED display technology and the water-resistant construction as early as 2026, which will mark the beginning of the multi-year transition that will eventually bring the premium screens to the iPad Air and MacBook Air lines, according to some sources. This upgraded iPad Mini, codenamed J510, will feature not only an OLED screen but also a water-resistant design similar to the iPhone.
However, Apple is taking a different engineering approach by developing a latest speaker system using a vibration-based technology that will eliminate speaker holes where water could enter. This will differ from the iPhone’s water-resistant design, which retains speaker holes but uses gaskets and adhesives for protection. This OLED upgrade will come with a significant cost increase; the iPad Mini, currently priced at $499, could see the price jump of up to $100 for the latest model, bringing it to $599.
Apple last updated the iPad mini in October 2024 with the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence support. For the iPad Air, the next generation arriving in spring 2026 will continue using the LCD display, but Apple is preparing to switch to OLED in the subsequent generation, likely in 2027, according to some reports. The iPad Pro received OLED screens in May 2024, but Apple has not yet announced an active plan for OLED adoption, keeping it as the company’s most affordable tablet option.
The MacBook Air will have to wait even longer for the OLED technology adoption, while the MacBook Pro is set to become the first Mac with an OLED screen in its next redesign; the MacBook Air won’t receive the upgrade before 2028. The current MacBook Air design will receive the M5 chip update in spring 2026 while retaining its ongoing LCD screen.
