Apple unveils OLED iPad mini with A20 Pro chip, IP67 water resistance, starting at $699

Apple (AAPL) announced a new iPad mini on Monday featuring an OLED display, A20 Pro chip and the first IP67 dust- and water-resistant rating for an iPad, priced from $699 in the U.S. Preorders open Wednesday ahead of a November 6 launch, with Taiwan pricing starting at NT$22,900 and preorders there beginning at 1:10 a.m. Thursday. The screen grows to 8.5 inches from 8.3 inches through slimmer bezels, with an optional nano-texture matte glass finish. Apple added an "Acoustic Display" audio system placing speakers beneath the screen. The device is 14% thinner and 13% lighter than its predecessor, with a repositioned front camera for video calls. The A20 Pro replaces the A17 Pro, offered in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB configurations. The $699 base price is $100 above the prior model; a fully loaded cellular unit with nano-texture glass reaches $1,249. Lower-capacity models carry a 5-core CPU, while higher tiers get a 6-core CPU and dual 16-core neural engines. Connectivity uses Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, plus the company's C2 modem on cellular models. Apple plans further launches this week, including new iMac and 14-inch MacBook Pro models with the M6 chip.