---
title: "New iPad mini goes OLED and waterproof. Buyers in Iraq should check eSIM first"
description: "The biggest iPad mini update yet starts at $699, but the cellular model only takes an eSIM."
url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/ipad-mini-oled
language: en # English
type: news
published: 2026-10-26T07:00:00.000Z
updated: 2026-10-26T07:00:00.000Z
author: "Osamah Ismail"
author_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/author/1
section: "Mobile"
sources: ["Apple Newsroom","MacRumors","TechCrunch"]
image: https://kurddevelopers.com/img/ipad-mini.jpg
translations:
  ku: https://kurddevelopers.com/news/ipad-mini-oled
publisher: Kurd Developers
publisher_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/
---

# New iPad mini goes OLED and waterproof. Buyers in Iraq should check eSIM first

> The biggest iPad mini update yet starts at $699, but the cellular model only takes an eSIM.

![iPad mini in Midnight. Image: Apple](https://kurddevelopers.com/img/ipad-mini.jpg)

Apple announced the new iPad mini on 26 October. It is the largest change since the tablet launched: an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip, and an IP67 rating, a first for any iPad.

## Display and chip

The screen grows from 8.3 to 8.5 inches and switches to OLED, with 600 nits typical and up to 1200 nits in HDR. It stays at 60Hz, with no ProMotion. The 2nm A20 Pro is up to 60% faster in CPU tasks than the previous A17 Pro, 2.7x faster in graphics and 4.5x faster in AI workloads.

## Thinner, and rated IP67

At 5.4mm thin and 255g, it is lighter than before and survives 1 metre of water for 30 minutes. Speakers now play through the display, so there are no speaker holes.

## What it means in Iraq

<div class="note">The Wi-Fi + Cellular model supports 5G but accepts only eSIM. There is no physical SIM tray. Before buying, ask your carrier whether eSIM works on your line.</div>

| Storage | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi + Cellular |
|---|---|---|
| 128GB | $699 | $849 |
| 256GB | $799 | $949 |
| 512GB | $999 | $1,149 |

Pre-orders opened on 28 October and it goes on sale on 6 November. Prices are US prices; local prices will differ.

**Sources:** Apple Newsroom, MacRumors, TechCrunch

---

Published by [Kurd Developers](https://kurddevelopers.com/) on 2026-10-26. Cite as: “New iPad mini goes OLED and waterproof. Buyers in Iraq should check eSIM first”, Kurd Developers, https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/ipad-mini-oled