Apple may introduce its first iPad with a water-resistant design in the second half of 2026, a possibility has been raised. The target is the next iPad mini. It is expected to feature an OLED display and an A19 Pro chip, and could become the first iPad model to include water resistance.

Gigazine, an online outlet, reported on July 27 that Apple is expected to release the next iPad mini around October 2026, and that the device may adopt a water-resistant design.

So far, Apple has never released an iPad with an official water-resistance (IP) rating. Existing iPads have not been described as offering everyday water resistance, and use in environments exposed to water has not been recommended.

The industry believes that if the outlook becomes reality, it would mark the first iPad model designed with water-use environments in mind.

The key is a change in the device structure. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported last year that Apple was improving the iPad mini's design with the goal of water resistance at a level similar to the iPhone. Gurman explained that the new iPad mini was being developed with the aim of safer use in water-adjacent environments such as bathrooms or around swimming pools.

A new audio structure that removes the existing speaker grille is being cited as a likely way to achieve water resistance. The industry has raised the possibility that Apple could apply a "vibration-based speaker" that produces sound using internal vibrations. This method outputs sound by using the device surface itself like a diaphragm, without separate speaker holes. Apple already disclosed a "mechanically actuated panel acoustic system" that creates sound by vibrating a flat panel through a related patent in 2014.

If speaker holes disappear, it could reduce major entry paths for water and dust and help improve water resistance, it is expected. Still, the actual level of water resistance is not yet known. It has also not been disclosed what IP rating the next iPad mini would receive.

As a comparison, the iPhone secures water resistance by sealing speakers and various openings using adhesive and gaskets. The latest IP68-rated products offer protection that can withstand up to 30 minutes at a depth of 6 metres.

The market expects that adding water resistance would significantly broaden the iPad mini's range of use. Gigazine said e-book devices such as Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo's Libra Colour, which support water resistance, have touted their ability to be used in bathrooms or at swimming pools as a strength, and forecast that the iPad mini could also secure similar usability.

Parts supply activity is also drawing attention regarding the launch timing. Gurman expected Apple to introduce a water-resistant iPad mini by October 2026. An ET News report that Samsung Display has begun mass production of OLED panels for the iPad mini has added to expectations of a second-half launch.

The next iPad mini is also expected to see broad hardware upgrades beyond water resistance. The display is expected to switch from LCD to OLED, and the processor could include the A19 Pro chip that is said to be applied to the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro series.

The industry believes Apple is seeking to strengthen competitiveness by expanding not only the iPad mini's portability and performance but also its use environment. Still, as water resistance, the IP rating and final specifications remain unconfirmed until an official Apple announcement, attention is expected to focus on what level of durability the actual product will offer.