Apple’s iPhones have long boasted impressive water-resistant properties. Every handset since 2018’s XS generation has been IP68 rated, the highest you’ll see on a consumer product, and specifically credited with the ability to survive immersion in at least 2m of water (or more in later generations) for up to 30 minutes. Most of us still dread the thought of dropping our iPhone in the bath or toilet, but the reality is that it would probably be fine.
The iPad, however, is a completely different matter. For some reason, Apple does not publish water resistance specifications for any of its iPads. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get them wet, but it probably means Apple doesn’t think they’d hold up very well, which is a concern for vacationers who like to read e-books by the swimming pool.
This could be set to change. A new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, which focuses mainly on upcoming OLED display upgrades, briefly hints at another change: The iPad mini will get a redesigned case that’s better able to resist liquid ingress.
The interesting part is that Apple is not simply copying what it does on the iPhone and using it on the larger device. Instead, the company is working on a completely new vibration-based speaker system that would make it possible to get rid of the speaker holes, which are such a weak spot for water ingress. “It’s a different approach than the iPhone’s waterproof design,” explains Gurman, “which retains holes but adds gaskets and adhesives to prevent damage.”
At this stage, the idea remains rather vague, both as to when this mini could arrive and how effective the water resistance will be – there’s no word on what IP rating this would result in, or if Apple would choose to publicize a feature that appears to give the iPad mini a selling point over its mostly more expensive siblings. The 7th generation iPad mini came out in the fall of 2024, and based on past behavior (a 30-month gap between the 5th and 6th iPad minis; a three-year gap between the 6th and 7th), it could be a long wait for the next model, apparently codenamed J510. That’s assuming Apple even completes the project in time for the next mini, and as Gurman points out, it could change its mind and move in a different direction anyway.
One detail Gurman is prepared to comment on is the price of the upgraded mini: it could cost as much as $100 more than the current model, he says, meaning up to $599. That price bug is mainly caused by the OLED screen, but having a bit of waterproofing for the first time can help justify the cost if you plan to take the tablet on holiday.