Apple iPad mini OLED sounds like it’ll fall short of a Pro-level display and that would be a real shame

Apple is reportedly planning to bring OLED display technology to the iPad mini later this year, but the advanced screen technology could be undercut by an underwhelming refresh rate, according to a new leak.

While the iPad mini OLED could arrive before the end of 2026, it may do so with a 60Hz refresh rate. The Korea-based leaker yeux1122 posting on Naver reckons the next iPad mini will have a low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) OLED panel that’s locked at 60Hz. Very passé at this point.

The iPad Pro uses the superior low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LPTO) technology it brands as ProMotion. It has a two-stack panel with a variable refresh rate that can move between 1Hz and 120Hz dynamically. In real terms, that means much smoother scrolling and animations that won’t be coming to the next iPad mini if this purported leak comes to fruition.

The OLED will still deliver a boost to the current LCD display. There’d be improvements to the vividness of colours, deeper blacks, whiter white, higher contrast and better HDR performance on the display. It would also lead to efficiency gains because the black pixels are effectively turned off. However, combining it with older display technology would take away the lustre somewhat. It certainly doesn’t sound like an iPad mini Pro.

Considering the iPhone 17 range has 120Hz Pro Motion technology, it would be surprising if the iPad mini didn’t follow suit. However, the iPhone 17e is stuck with the 60Hz panel.

Beyond the OLED display, the next-gen iPad will likely have a much faster chipset (possibly the A20 or A20 Pro for better Apple Intelligence support) with a slightly larger 8.4-inch (diagonal) display compared to the current 8.3-inch panel, and a higher IP rating for water and dust resistance. Rumours have also suggested the Touch ID panel in the power button could be replaced by Face ID within the selfie camera. The iPad mini is expected by the end of this year.

Chris Smith

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I'm a freelance writer based in South Florida with bylines for Trusted Reviews Wareable, Wired UK, Shortlist. DigitalSpy, FourFourTwo, The Observer, Empire Online, TechRadar and T3. I have authored more than 10 books on how to use technology for Flametree Publishing. I'm a podcast host for The Liverpool Way and teach yoga in my spare time.