Apple's next iPad mini could be so good you won't need the iPhone Fold

Of all Apple’s tablets, I’ve always had a soft spot for the iPad mini. Its compact size is perfect for popping in a bag and carrying around, offering a slightly bigger screen than your iPhone when you need it.

The most recent iPad mini to grace us with its presence came several years after its predecessor, with the iPad mini (A17 Pro) arriving in October 2024 – a mere three years after the iPad mini 6. Rumours now point to its successor, which should arrive after a much shorter gap.

And it could run on a processor that hasn’t even been announced yet.

What's the latest news on the next iPad mini?

Based on a report on MacRumours, a tipster claims to have discovered Apple codenames in a macOS kernel debug kit, and these point towards the next iPad mini running on the A20 Pro chip.

The kit is said to have accidentally released on Apple’s website earlier this year before it was pulled, but the tipster is said to be confident in their analysis.

Previous reports had suggested the next iPad mini would be powered by the A19 Pro chip, which arrived on the iPhone 17 Pro. While the A20 Pro chip is rumoured for the iPhone 18 Pro models that aren’t due until September 2026. It comes with suggestions that the processor will be fabricated with TSMC’s advanced 2nm process and will therefore be quite a step up for the next iPad mini too.

Of course, things could still change. If it does run on the A20 Pro chip, whilst also offering an OLED display as earlier rumours have suggested, it would almost make the unannounced iPhone Fold redundant before it’s even been released.

Other rumours surrounding the next iPad mini suggest it will also come with a redesigned speaker system with vibration technology, and it’s also been claimed it could have a water-resistant design too.

I already said it was my favourite iPad, but if all these rumours come to fruition, the next iPad mini could be my favourite Apple device, period.