Apple might have a fun new iPad for us to check out in the very near future.
On Oct. 28, Apple is hosting the "Pro and Tell" event in Los Angeles. We expect multiple product launches at the event, perhaps including a new high-end MacBook Pro OLED, but one other rumored item that we're hoping to see is the iPad Mini 8. It's been two years since the iPad Mini 7 came out, meaning it might be time for a refresh.
But what should we expect from the rumored iPad Mini 8? Let's investigate.
iPad Mini 8: Price
A recent report from Bloomberg gave us some potential bad news on the price front for the iPad Mini 8.
According to Bloomberg's intrepid Apple reporter Mark Gurman, the device could cost close to $799, which would be a $200 price increase over the original starting price of the iPad Mini 7. Apple did increase the price of the Mini 7 over time for the same reasons every other electronic product has seen recent price increases, meaning the new price would be a $100 price hike over the current cost of an iPad Mini 7. Bummer.
That said, that's still $1,200 cheaper than the iPhone Duo, so keep that in mind.
iPad Mini 8: Rumored specs
A new higher price is not great news to start out with, but there might be a good explanation for it (aside from RAMageddon) in the spec sheet.
While we don't have official specs for the iPad Mini 8, a report earlier this year from MacRumors spilled the beans on what we can expect from the new device on a technical level. Here are some of the rumored specs:
Apple A20 Pro chip
12GB RAM
OLED display
Apple N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support
IP-rated water resistance
There's plenty to chew on in those specs. For starters, the A20 Pro chip would bring the iPad Mini 8 significantly closer to the cutting edge than the A17 Pro chip inside the iPad Mini 7. Given that the previous model also only had 8GB RAM, the new 12GB figure should give the iPad Mini 8 a boost in performance and support Apple's new AI features, too.
Obviously, an OLED display would be a huge upgrade over the LCD display on the iPad Mini 7. That, alone, could account for the increase in price. IP-rated water resistance, a first-time iPad Mini feature, would also be a selling point for the more adventurous among us. That, or people who like looking at their iPad while in the bathtub or pool.
iPad Mini 8: A new camera?
One last tidbit, also reported by MacRumors, is that the iPad Mini 8 will apparently have a new landscape front camera. When held in an upright position, that means the camera would be in the right bezel instead of on top. Those bezels, by the way, are also supposed to be thinner than they were on the iPad Mini 7.
It's unclear what kind of specs we can expect from this new camera, but at the very least, its placement would be different.
Check back on Oct. 28 for more
Again, Apple is expected to debut a new iPad at its "Pro and Tell" special event on Oct. 28. As of this writing, Apple hasn't announced a livestream to go along with the event, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. PT. The recent "Welcome Home" event also took place without a live keynote.
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Mashable will be reporting on all of the announcements from the event, so check back soon for more details.
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