On October 26, 2026, Apple announced a new iPad mini with a bigger 8.5-inch OLED screen, a brighter screen type with deeper blacks. It starts at $699 in the United States, more than the last model, and reaches stores on November 6 (source).
The business news service Bloomberg reports that Apple will show its first touchscreen MacBook Pro laptops on Wednesday, October 28.
What does this week mean for people who use or plan to buy phones, tablets and laptops, here and around the world? What is likely to happen next, and what should people like the readers of this page do now?
In plain words: OLED — a bright screen type with deeper blacks; Bloomberg — a business news service; MacBook Pro — Apple's most powerful laptop; iPad mini — Apple's smallest tablet; iMac — Apple's all-in-one desktop computer; AAPL — Apple's stock symbol; Nasdaq — a US stock exchange; UTC — world standard time, used for checking
What to do
Hold any MacBook purchase until Wednesday, October 28; the $2,499 model stays on sale.
A tablet that cost $499 in spring now costs $699. Wait two days before spending on a laptop.
Who should do what
Tablet buyers: Order on Wednesday, October 28, only if you need the screen; check the $649 education price or trade-in first.
Laptop buyers: Hold until Wednesday's touchscreen prices; if too high, the $2,499 non-touch model stays on sale.
Apple shareholders: Before the November 2 earnings report, check how much of your savings sits in this one stock.
What not to do: Don't rush to buy the old MacBook Pro on Tuesday; it stays on sale.
Small Apple devices got pricier twice this year. The mini went $499, then $599, then $699, and the answers blame memory-chip costs. A better screen and water resistance come with it.
Old stock may not get cheaper. The shortage that drove the rises has not eased, and the old non-touch laptops stay on sale. Waiting for Wednesday costs you nothing.
Wait until Wednesday, October 28, to decide. If you want the mini, order that day, and it reaches stores November 6. If your tablet or laptop still works, keep it and see the touchscreen prices first.
This is what most AIs advise. Each AI explains it in its own words below.
What the world's leading AIs think
They agree
7 of 10: wait for Wednesday's prices before buying a laptop.
They split
StepFun: buy old MacBook Pro Tuesday.
Not obvious
The memory shortage behind the hikes hasn't eased, so discounts are unlikely.
What to watch
If the touch MacBook Pro lands near $2,999 on Wednesday, the price rises continue.
Most of the ten agree that this is a price week more than a product week. The mini now starts at $699. That is $100 above June's $599, which was itself $100 above the old $499, and the answers tie both rises to memory-chip costs. Most also say: do not rush. If your device works, keep it.
Most answers also agree that Wednesday, October 28, is the day to decide. Mini orders open then, and Apple is expected to show touchscreen MacBook Pros. Estimates put them up to $500 above today's $2,499 14-inch. The older non-touch models are expected to stay on sale for now.
The sharpest split is about the old laptop. StepFun says to buy the current MacBook Pro on Tuesday before new prices land. Claude, DeepSeek and others say there is no need, since it stays on sale. Answers also split on old iPad minis. Some expect discounts, while Claude warns they may not come.
Several answers add details the rest miss. The education price is $649, and trade-ins lower the cost. Local prices differ, with one answer giving 2,849 dirhams in the United Arab Emirates. For Apple shareholders, the better test is the earnings report on November 2, not the event-day buzz.
They split: StepFun: buy old MacBook Pro Tuesday. What settles the dispute: Wednesday's touch MacBook Pro prices will show who is right.
No clear split: the AIs from the USA and from China both say wait until Wednesday.
Who wins, who loses: Apple and its shareholders gain; buyers pay more for the same kind of device.
The final answer, written by an AI
Next to each AI: its place today and its score out of 10, given by other AIs acting as judges. Tap an answer to read it.
1ClaudeUSA8.1Before late June the iPad mini cost $499; the new one costs $699
The main point: gadgets are getting more expensive, and this week shows it. The cheapest new iPad mini is $699, which is $100 more than the $599 Apple charged after its June price rise, and that $599 was itself $100 more than the earlier $499 (macrumors.com).
Apple blamed the June rises on AI data centers buying up memory chips, and they applied everywhere, not only in the US (cnn.com, thurrott.com).
For the money you do get more: twice the starting storage of the 2024 model, a screen more than twice as bright, and protection against dunking in water up to 1 meter deep for 30 minutes (engadget.com, apple.com).
Laptop buyers face a bigger jump. Today's high-end 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the touchscreen models will cost significantly more, the older non-touch models stay on sale for now, and a cheaper base model with a new chip may follow (iclarified.com, notebookcheck.net).
One estimate puts the extra cost at up to $500 (breezyscroll.com). Outside the US, orders open Wednesday in 36 countries and regions (apple.com).
But Apple's new Siri AI is not yet available on iPads in the European Union (apple.com). People who own Apple shares have a different week. The stock fell about 1.5% early Monday after a Jefferies analyst called it overpriced, and Apple reports its results on November 2 (tipranks.com, stockanalysis.com).
Wait until Wednesday, October 28, at 1 p.m. New York time (10 a.m. in Los Angeles), if you are shopping for a laptop. That is when Apple is expected to reveal the touchscreen models (macrumors.com). If you want a small tablet, you can order it the same day, and it arrives or reaches stores from Friday, November 6.
You can also cut the cost with an education discount ($649) or a trade-in (apple.com). If your current device still works, keep it, and don't buy an older model in a rush on the guess that prices will fall soon, because the memory shortage behind these rises has not eased.
Its own forecast: On Apple's US website or newsroom, the cheapest touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro announced on October 28 is priced at $3,499 or more. — 55% chance by Oct 28, 2026
2ChatGPTUSA7.9Apple's touchscreen laptop could make the iPad a tougher sell
The biggest change for buyers is choice, not urgency: Apple's small tablet now costs $100 more than its immediate predecessor, yet its screen grows only from 8.3 to 8.5 inches (macrumors.com; theverge.com).
The brighter screen, water resistance and faster processor make it more attractive for travel, reading and everyday work, but people with working devices have little reason to rush (apple.com). Apple's expected touchscreen MacBook could also give laptop buyers a new alternative to carrying both a tablet and computer, although its price and capabilities remain unconfirmed (finance.yahoo.com).
For parents and students, the important number is $649, Apple's discounted starting price for eligible education buyers, versus $699 normally (apple.com).
For businesses equipping travelling workers, the new tablet's water resistance and 5.4-millimeter body may matter more than its screen, while the $100 increase per device makes larger purchases harder to justify (apple.com; macrumors.com). International shoppers should compare local prices rather than assume American prices apply: the new tablet starts at AED 2,849 in the United Arab Emirates (tbreak.com).
Wait until Wednesday, October 28, buyers: if you need a small tablet immediately, compare discounted older models; if not, wait until November 6 to try the new one in stores (apple.com).
Laptop shoppers should wait for Wednesday's announcement before choosing a MacBook, because touchscreen features, final prices and release dates still need confirmation (finance.yahoo.com). My expectation is that this week will make premium Apple devices more appealing without making existing phones, tablets or laptops obsolete.
Its own forecast: By November 6, 2026, at least one major independent technology publication will publish a hands-on review or first-impressions article of the touchscreen MacBook Pro that explicitly criticizes its high price. — 65% chance by Nov 6, 2026
3DeepSeekChina7.8The $699 iPad mini is 17% pricier than the last one
Wait: this is a week to delay a tech purchase, not rush one. Apple's new iPad mini starts at $699, $100 more than the previous $599 model, and it reaches stores on Friday, November 6 (macrumors.com; apple.com).
That makes the old mini the value check: if your current tablet still works, the OLED screen is a nice-to-have, not an emergency.
For laptop buyers and Apple investors, Wednesday, October 28, is the date that matters. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple will show 14-inch and 16-inch touchscreen OLED MacBook Pros in Los Angeles, and the reported price range for the 14-inch starts at $2,799 to $2,999 — above the current $2,499 model (macrumors.com; digit.in).
Apple's stock closed at $347.73 after touching a record $351.73 during the day, so the product week is also a test of whether buyers will accept higher prices (finance.yahoo.com).
Wait, tablet and laptop buyers, until Wednesday, October 28, before deciding: if your tablet is failing and you want the OLED mini, preorder then; if it is fine, wait for store demos on November 6 and for reviews.
If you are replacing a work laptop, see the October 28 touchscreen price first; if it is too high, the non-touch 14-inch model at $2,499 stays in the lineup for now (macrumors.com).
Its own forecast: Apple shares will close above $350 on at least one trading day by November 25, 2026. — 58% chance by Nov 25, 2026
4KimiChina7.3Rumored touch MacBook starts near $2,999, $500 above today's 14-inch
Shoppers, wait until Wednesday, October 28 at 10 a.m. Pacific: if you want the smaller iPad, pre-order the $699 OLED mini then; if you do not, keep your current tablet and skip the first price jump.
The real change is price, not just screen: the 8.5-inch OLED iPad mini starts at $699, $100 above the prior $599 model, with cellular at $849, pre-orders Wednesday and store arrival November 6 in 36 countries and regions. Around the world, Apple says the same pre-order and arrival dates apply across those launch markets.
For Apple shareholders, the week is a sentiment test, not a finished verdict: Yahoo showed AAPL near $344 midday Monday, down about 1%, below the $351.73 52-week high, with earnings due November 2 and an average target of $329.25.
People on a budget should not stretch for a status laptop: wait for Wednesday's touch MacBook Pro, because reports say the OLED touch model can cost up to $500 more than today's $2,499 14-inch MacBook Pro, while old models stay for now. If money is tight, buy discounted current Macs or keep what you have; if you need water resistance, the brighter OLED screen and the bigger 8.5-inch display, set a $699 budget cap before the October 28 pre-order opens.
Its own forecast: Apple's October 28 release will use the MacBook Pro name, not MacBook Ultra, for the touchscreen laptop — 75% chance by Oct 28, 2026
5Z.aiChina7.2iPad mini jumps $100 to $699 — Apple's second price hike
The tablet math got worse for shoppers: the iPad mini now starts at $699, up $100, and that is the second increase in a row, driven by surging memory-chip costs that Apple's own leadership called a '100-year flood'. You do get more for the money: a bigger 8.5-inch screen of the brighter, deeper-black OLED kind, plus the first mini that shrugs off splashes and dust. Orders open Wednesday, Oct 28, and stores get it Friday, Nov 6.
Wednesday's Los Angeles show matters for Mac buyers too: Apple is expected to add its first touchscreen laptop as a more expensive model above today's lineup — the 14-inch started at $1,599 a year ago and now lists from $1,999 — so touch will likely cost extra, while a cheaper M6 model may appear alongside it.
For anyone holding Apple stock, this is a heavy week: shares closed near $346 today, a few dollars under the all-time high of $348.22 set Thursday, with the Mac show Wednesday and Apple's money report Monday, Nov 2.
Decide by Wednesday morning, Oct 28, where you stand as a buyer: if you want the new mini, order it the moment orders open that day; if $699 stings, wait until after the Nov 2 money report, which will show whether more price increases are coming. Either way, hold off on any new MacBook until you see Wednesday's touchscreen prices. If you own Apple shares, brace for a bumpy two weeks and don't chase the stock on event-day excitement alone.
Its own forecast: By Friday Oct 30, Apple's US online store will list the new iPad mini's standard delivery estimate slipping past its Nov 6 launch date, a sign pre-order demand beat supply. — 55% chance by Oct 30, 2026
6StepFunChina7.2The first touchscreen MacBook Pro may start near $2,999 — up $500
Apple's cheapest small tablet is no longer a cheap tablet. The new iPad mini starts at $699, which is $100 more than the model it replaces and the second price rise in four months, because memory chips have become so expensive that Apple already lifted Mac and iPad prices once this year.
Buyers get more for the money — an 8.5-inch OLED screen that is brighter with deeper blacks, water and dust resistance, a faster chip — but the entry price has moved.
For anyone holding out for a $499 small tablet, that door is closed. Laptop buyers face the same maths this week: the first touchscreen MacBook Pro is expected Wednesday at around $2,999, roughly $500 above today's 14-inch, and offices that refresh machines every few years, plus parents buying a school device, now budget about $100 more per unit than they did in June.
Investors are watching too, since Apple shares sit about 2% below their record close of $351.73 from Friday.
Wait for Wednesday, October 28, at 1 p.m. Eastern, when Apple publishes the MacBook prices, before you spend anything. If you want the small tablet and $700 is fine, order Wednesday morning and it reaches stores Friday, November 6. If you were about to buy a $2,499 MacBook Pro, buy it Tuesday before the new prices land; if you can wait until November 6, the touchscreen model may be worth the extra few hundred dollars.
Its own forecast: By November 25, 2026, Apple will not have added a 120Hz (ProMotion) screen to any iPad mini — the new $699 model will still be listed at 60Hz on Apple's site. — 85% chance by Nov 25, 2026
7Nemotron + MercuryUSA6.6Bloomberg: Apple to show first touchscreen MacBook Pro Wednesday
The new iPad mini is a genuine upgrade with an OLED screen, water resistance, and a faster chip, but it costs $100 more than the old model. Pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28, and it ships November 6. If you want a small tablet, order Wednesday; if you need a laptop, wait for Wednesday's event.
Investors should watch Wednesday's 'Pro and Tell' event — Bloomberg says Apple will unveil its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, plus possibly a new iMac and a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip. The iPad mini alone is a niche product and unlikely to move the stock much.
Buyers, decide before Wednesday, October 28: if you want the smallest iPad, pre-order the mini that day; if a laptop is your next purchase, wait until after the event to see the touchscreen MacBook Pro before spending.
Its own forecast: Apple announces a new 24-inch iMac with M6 chip on October 28, 2026 — 65% chance by Oct 28, 2026
8GrokUSA6.6iPad mini jumps to $699 after OLED upgrade
People shopping for a small tablet now get a brighter screen with true blacks and protection from water and dust, but they pay $100 more than the last model’s $599 starting price. The upgrade arrives in stores on November 6 after orders open Wednesday, so waiting a few days lets buyers compare the real device against cheaper older stock still on shelves.
Investors watching Apple shares face a fresh test this week. The stock recently traded near its highest level in a year, and the dual product news could push it higher if the MacBooks draw strong demand, or stall if higher prices slow sales. Ordinary buyers feel the same pressure on their own wallets if they need a laptop soon.
Tablet buyers, check Apple’s site on Wednesday October 28 if you want the new model; if the $699 base price or missing 120-times-per-second smoothness matters more than the brighter screen, grab a discounted previous version today while stores still have them.
Its own forecast: Apple’s new iPad mini base model sells out of pre-order stock within two days of orders opening — 55% chance by Oct 30, 2026
9MetaUSA6.2Pocket tablet jumps $100 to $699 and can survive pool water
This week turns cheap small tablets into luxury and long-no-touch laptops into touch screens. Your next iPad mini will look the same size but show deeper blacks on an 8.5-inch OLED and survive a splash with IP67, while costing $699 instead of $599.
For readers who carry a mini in a coat, clinic or classroom, it now makes sense as a main reader but feels close to Air money. For anyone shopping a pro laptop, waiting two days could save regret, because the old mini-LED models starting at $2,499 and $2,999 will stay for a bit then go away, and the new OLED touch ones could cost up to $500 more.
Hold off buyers at 10 a.m. Wednesday October 28 in Los Angeles, if you need a mini now order at pre-order open; if not, wait for the Pro and tell hands-on to decide. That timing lines up with pre-orders Wednesday and stores Friday November 6, so you get first pick without paying twice.
Its own forecast: Apple US online store shows estimated delivery slipping past Nov 6 for at least one color of the $699 iPad mini — 60% chance by Nov 3, 2026
10WenxinChina5.9Apple adds touchscreen to MacBook Pro for first time ever
Wait if you were planning to buy a small tablet this week — the new iPad mini costs more than the old one, so now is the time to grab the previous model on sale if you want to save. For everyone else, the big picture is Apple is pushing its devices toward one unified touch-and-pen world, so expect the same screen tricks on iPads to show up on laptops soon.
People who sell phone and tablet cases, parents buying kids a first tablet, and business travelers who live on their laptops all face a choice: spend more now for the newest thing, or hold off until stores stock the old model at a discount. Apple's touchscreen laptop announcement Wednesday in Los Angeles means companies that make laptop accessories will scramble in the next 48 hours to redesign or reprice what they sell.
Check the Apple website or your local store on Wednesday, October 28, when orders open for the iPad mini — if you want the new model, place an order then to get it on your doorstep by November 6. If you can live with the old screen size, look for price cuts on the previous iPad mini at big retailers this week before new stock arrives.
Its own forecast: Apple will list the touchscreen 14-inch MacBook Pro starting at $2,799 US in its October 28 newsroom announcement — 35% chance by Oct 28, 2026
