Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
The device, announced on Monday, features an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR screen, Apple’s A20 Pro chip and a thinner enclosure. Pre-orders open on October 28, with deliveries and retail availability scheduled for November 6 across an initial group of 36 countries and regions worldwide.
US prices begin at $699 for the Wi-Fi version and $849 for the cellular model. Both start with 128GB of storage, while 256GB and 512GB configurations are also offered. The starting price is $100 higher than that of the preceding model immediately before the announcement, despite unchanged entry-level storage capacity.
The updated display represents the first use of OLED technology in the compact iPad range. The new screen replaces the previous 8.3-inch LCD panel with OLED technology, which controls illumination at individual pixels to deliver deeper blacks and greater contrast. Apple says the display reaches 1,200 nits of peak brightness and 600 nits across the screen, with a contrast ratio of two million to one.
Bezels are 24 per cent narrower, allowing the larger display to fit within roughly the same overall footprint. The tablet measures 5.4mm thick, compared with 6.3mm for its predecessor. Apple has retained a 60Hz refresh rate rather than introducing the higher-refresh-rate ProMotion technology available on some of its more expensive devices.
An optional nano-texture finish is available on higher-capacity versions to reduce reflections in bright surroundings. The screen also supports the P3 wide colour gamut and can dim to one nit, potentially improving comfort when reading in low light.
Apple says the A20 Pro processor, manufactured using a two-nanometre process, delivers up to 60 per cent faster multithreaded CPU performance, 2.7 times faster graphics and 4.5 times faster artificial intelligence processing than the previous generation. The performance figures come from Apple’s own testing.
The 512GB version includes a dual 16-core Neural Engine arrangement intended for demanding on-device AI workloads. The processor also incorporates neural acceleration within its graphics cores, alongside hardware support for ray tracing and other graphics techniques used in games and creative applications.
The software also supports resizable application windows and improved multitasking controls. An external display mode is scheduled through iPadOS 27.2. The tablet runs iPadOS 27 and supports Apple’s expanded intelligence features, including a redesigned Siri that can use personal context and information displayed on screen. Siri AI remains a beta feature, with language, age and geographical restrictions. Apple says some cloud-dependent intelligence functions are subject to daily usage limits.
Connectivity improvements include the company’s N1 wireless chip, supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Cellular variants receive the C2 modem, which Apple says can provide data speeds up to 50 per cent faster than the previous iPad mini, depending on network conditions. The tablet continues to support eSIM connectivity.
Durability is another notable change. The enclosure carries an IP67 rating for resistance to dust and temporary immersion in water under controlled laboratory conditions. Apple cautions that this protection can diminish through normal wear and that liquid damage is not covered by the standard warranty.
A 12-megapixel front camera with Centre Stage has moved to the landscape edge for video calls. The rear camera also has a 12-megapixel sensor, with 4K video recording at up to 60 frames per second and an Adaptive True Tone flash for photography and document scanning.
Apple has introduced an Acoustic Display sound system that pairs dedicated woofers with the display assembly and positions tweeters between the glass and aluminium enclosure. The company says the arrangement improves bass and clarity while helping seal the device against moisture.
The tablet comes in midnight and starlight finishes and supports Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil USB-C, both sold separately. A redesigned magnetic Smart Folio cover, offered in navy blue and taupe, costs $79 in the United States.
Apple says the device contains 35 per cent recycled material by weight, including recycled aluminium in its enclosure and recycled cobalt in its battery. Its packaging is made from fibre-based materials, although adhesives, inks and coatings are excluded from the company’s packaging calculations. The company also says renewable energy accounts for 40 per cent of electricity used in its manufacturing supply chain.
Follow Arabian Post
Select Arabian Post as your preferred source on Google and MSN News for trusted business news and Arab politics and updates.
