Apple's next iPad mini is reportedly getting a sharper screen and a much steeper price.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman writes in his Power On newsletter that sources indicate Apple is planning a price increase for the OLED iPad mini, replacing the current $599 model. Gurman isn't citing an exact number from those sources, but his own estimate puts the new tablet "closer to $799." That would be a $200 jump for a device Apple has long positioned as its budget-friendly, pocket-sized tablet. Gurman's report follows his earlier note that Apple plans to unveil OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro models around October 27.
The timing matters: Apple is rolling OLED panels across its lineup at the same time it's letting prices climb with them. OLED costs more to manufacture than the LCD screens currently in the iPad mini, and Apple has a track record of passing that cost straight to buyers rather than eating the margin. If the mini loses its budget positioning, the lineup's cheapest iPad becomes a harder sell against larger, LCD models that already start lower.
Worth remembering: $799 is Gurman's own guess, not a number his sources gave him. Apple has surprised people with pricing before, in both directions.