Apple Store plans reveal when the OLED iPad mini will likely go on sale

The newest iPad mini with an OLED screen will likely go on sale on Friday, November 6, about a week after Apple's late-October launch. This will finally bring the iPad mini up to speed with Samsung's smallest current Tab S12+, which already has an OLED display.

Apple Stores are getting ready for November 6

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the outlet's chief Apple correspondent, stated in his latest Power On newsletter that an Apple Store reset is scheduled to run the evening of Thursday, November 5, into Friday, November 6. The reset implies that new signage will be going up and new products will be placed on store tables. This date follows the pattern of Apple typically releasing products about a week after announcing them.

Gurman says at least some of the products below are expected to go on sale on November 6:

• Touchscreen MacBooks.
• M6 iMac and M6 14-inch MacBook Pro.
• OLED iPad mini.

This timing follows an influencer dinner that is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, plus an all-day event scheduled for Wednesday, October 28. This is when Apple is expected to unveil the products above.

The price of waiting for the OLED iPad mini

Apple's own track record gives credibility to this timeline. The current iPad mini was announced on October 15, 2024, and it went on sale on October 23, 2024, for $499. That's exactly eight days later, which is roughly the one-week gap that Gurman is expecting now.



The OLED iPad mini is expected to launch at a higher price, though. The current iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip now sells for $599, but Gurman expects the OLED one to get a significant price increase, estimating a price closer to $799.

In comparison, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 series went on sale on October 7 with two different models that both sport an AMOLED screen at $1,199.99 for the Tab S12+ and $1,399.99 for the Tab S12 Ultra. Though Samsung doesn't have a small OLED flagship tablet, even at about $799 the iPad mini would still be the cheaper and smaller OLED pick. For Android tablet owners, though, nothing changes as this mostly applies to Apple users and fans of small tablets.

If you're in the market for an iPad mini, don't jump in yet

If you've been holding off on buying an iPad mini, November 6 is now your day to watch. Pulling the trigger and buying the current model at $599 means that you will miss out on an OLED screen by just a few weeks.

However, it should be said that Apple hasn't officially announced anything yet, so the November 6 date is just Gurman's read on the situation. Also, of the devices above that could launch that day, not every device may make it for that same day.

Is an OLED iPad mini worth the wait?

An approximate one-week gap is normal for Apple, so Gurman's timing seems believable to me. The real question comes down to whether you think paying an extra $200 is worth it to get an OLED screen. I hope that Apple keeps the pricing closer to $699 so it remains the affordable small iPad.

More on the next iPad mini:

• Apple's late-October launch plans
• Everything we know about the iPad mini 2026
• Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)

• Follow me on X and Threads

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