On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through the latest rumors about Apple's upcoming iPad mini 8.


The next-generation version of the ‌iPad mini‌ is expected to feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, followed by the iPhone in 2017 and the iPad Pro in 2024. It now apparently plans to bring the technology to more devices, such as the iPad Air, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, and could start with the ‌iPad mini‌ next year.

The current ‌iPad mini‌ has a Liquid Retina LCD display, just like the ‌iPad Air‌. OLED offers higher contrast with true blacks, wider viewing angles, faster response times, better efficiency, and generally better perceived picture quality than LCD.

The current ‌iPad mini‌ came out in 2024, with the main upgrade over the previous version being the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence support. The previous generation introduced a complete redesign and the A15 Bionic chip.

In August, Apple mistakenly shared code that revealed key information about the next-generation ‌iPad mini‌ with the codename J510/J511: The device features the A19 Pro chip, which is used in the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max.

The current ‌iPad mini‌ uses a version of the A17 Pro chip from the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro with a five-core GPU. The A19 Pro used in the ‌iPhone Air‌ also has a five-core GPU, as opposed to the full six-core version in the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, so it seems likely that this binned version of the chip will be the one used in the next ‌iPad mini‌.

Bloomberg claims that Apple is working on a version of the ‌iPad mini‌ that has a more water resistant design, making it the first iPad with a water resistance rating.

While the ‌iPhone‌ has IP68 water resistance that allows it to withstand submersion in water up to six meters deep for 30 minutes, it is not yet known what IP rating the ‌iPad mini‌ might feature. The ‌iPad mini‌'s updated casing is expected to offer water resistance similar to the ‌iPhone‌, making it safe for casual use in wet environments like a bath or a pool area.

Apple has reportedly developed a new speaker system for the ‌iPad mini‌ that uses vibration-based technology, allowing for the speaker holes in the device to be removed. Removing the speaker holes would cut down on areas where water could get into the crevices of the ‌iPad mini‌.

For the ‌iPhone‌, Apple uses adhesive and gaskets to protect the speaker holes and other ingress points from water intrusion, so the ‌iPad mini‌'s design would be radically different. The current ‌iPad mini‌ does not have an official water resistance rating and it is not safe to get it wet.

With an OLED display, water resistance, a new speaker system, and a faster chip, the device is expected to be more expensive, and Apple could charge up to $100 more for the device. The ‌iPad mini‌ is currently priced starting at $499. Apple will purportedly launch the ‌iPad mini‌ 8 with OLED display in the third quarter of next year at the earliest.

We also discuss further thoughts on the M5 Vision Pro, weighing up its utility for travel and day-to-day use-case, and take a look at the growing differentiation and optionality within Apple's product lineups. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max models.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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Apple's iPhone 17 lineup was the clear driver of smartphone growth during China's "Singles Day" shopping festival, according to new industry data.


Apple was the top-selling smartphone brand throughout this year's month-long Singles Day period in China, accounting for 26% of all smartphone sales, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research shared by Reuters. Overall smartphone sales rose just 3% year-over-year, and Counterpoint says the iPhone alone prevented the market from seeing what would otherwise have been a 5% annual decline.

Counterpoint's data indicates that demand for ‌iPhone 17‌ models was particularly strong throughout the festival, which ended on November 11. The rebound continues a trend seen over recent months, during which Apple has steadily outpaced the wider Chinese smartphone market after years of cooling demand.

Data provider Syntun told Reuters that total Singles Day sales across all major e-commerce platforms reached 1.70 trillion yuan ($240 billion), up from 1.44 trillion yuan last year, which had a shorter promotional window. In its most recent earnings call, Apple said it anticipated what could be its strongest December quarter on record.

Huawei recorded the steepest decline among major brands, with its share dropping to 13% from 17% a year ago. Its new flagship Mate 80 launched too late to participate meaningfully in the festival. Xiaomi held the second-largest share with 17%, though its sales also declined year-over-year due to the earlier release timing of the Xiaomi 17 series.
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The EU has begun looking into whether Apple Maps and Apple Ads should be designated as "gatekeepers" and subject to greater regulation (via Reuters).


The App Store, iOS, and Safari were classified as gatekeepers two years ago, triggering strict requirements in the EU such as support for alternative app marketplaces and third-party payment options. Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), any platform with more than 45 million monthly active EU users and a market valuation above €75 billion is presumed to be a gatekeeper, subject to obligations designed to curb self-preferencing and increase interoperability.

The European Commission has now confirmed that ‌Apple Maps‌ and Apple Ads satisfy the user-base thresholds that mandate a review. Regulators now have 45 working days to decide whether either service should formally join Apple's existing list of designated platforms. If confirmed, Apple would then have six months to bring each service into full DMA compliance.

Apple has apparently already submitted formal rebuttals arguing that the criteria should not apply. The company argues that Apple Ads represents only a "minimal share" of the EU online advertising market, especially compared to dominant players such as Google, Meta, TikTok, Microsoft, and X. Apple also insists that its advertising business neither relies on cross-service data privileges nor exerts the level of market influence implied by the DMA thresholds.

The company is making similar arguments regarding ‌Apple Maps‌, claiming that the service has "very limited usage" in the EU relative to Google Maps and Waze. Apple says Maps does not provide the kind of "critical intermediation functionality" that would allow it to act as a dominant gateway between businesses and consumers.

A gatekeeper designation for Apple Ads could have significant consequences. Compliance may require Apple to loosen restrictions introduced under App Tracking Transparency, provide interoperability for third-party ad networks, or eliminate any perceived self-preferencing advantages.

For Maps, it is unclear what specific operational changes the DMA might require, but obligations could include expanded third-party access or reducing any privileged integrations within the system. iOS 18.4 already enabled the ability to change the default maps app from ‌Apple Maps‌ to alternatives like Google Maps or Waze in the EU.
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North Carolina has approved Apple's request to push back the hiring and investment milestones tied to its long-delayed Research Triangle Park campus, effectively restarting the incentive agreement that could be worth up to $845 million to the company, the Herald reports.


North Carolina's Economic Investment Committee voted this week to grant Apple a four-year extension on the timelines originally established when the company secured a rare "transformative" Job Investment Grant in 2021. The move follows Apple's confirmation last year that it had paused construction plans and was seeking to renegotiate the agreement with the state.

Under the original deal, Apple committed to invest $1 billion in North Carolina over a ten-year period, including $552 million for a new corporate campus in Research Triangle Park and $448 million to expand its data center footprint in Catawba County in exchange for up to $845 million in tax benefits if it met strict annual hiring and spending goals.

Apple has still not begun construction on the campus. In June last year, the company formally asked the state to suspend the project for up to four years, noting it had added around 600 employees in the Raleigh area since 2021 but required more time before beginning major development work.

Site plans filed in 2023 showed that Apple expected to build three office buildings, several support structures, and a car park totaling around 900,000 square feet. The latest vote enables Apple to delay hiring requirements until the end of 2027, by which time it will need to add 126 positions to remain eligible for incentives, rising to 1,719 by year five and 2,700 by year ten.

Apple previously said the campus will focus on machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering, and other related fields.
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Days after Apple's iPhone Pocket sold out around the world, fake versions of the accessory have started to become available online.


Earlier this month, Apple introduced the ‌iPhone‌ Pocket in collaboration with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE. The 3D-knitted limited edition accessory is designed to carry an ‌iPhone‌.

The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an ‌iPhone‌ yet allows you to glimpse the display through its open structure. It comes in a short strap variant for $149.95 and a long strap variant for $229.95.

The ‌iPhone‌ Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. It quickly sold out around the world.

Now, lookalike versions of the accessories have started to become available on Chinese sites like AliExpress, where you can buy an ‌iPhone‌ Pocket clone for as little as $6. Some listings describe it as a 1:1 replica, but there is no ISSEY MIYAKE print on the label. They describe the accessory as being made with the same production processes. Both the short and long variants are available in all of the original color options.

Apple products and accessories are often replicated by manufacturers in China, but the turnaround for these particular copies has been especially fast. As with most reproductions, quality can vary, yet for customers who missed out on the limited-edition release, found it too expensive, or simply like the aesthetic, the dramatically lower price of these lookalikes may make them a tempting alternative.
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