Apple is apparently planning to do so with the next generation of iPad mini a fundamental design change that could meanonec traditional speaker holes as we know them now. According to reliable sources of the agency Bloomberg The Cupertino giant is testing a new vibration-based sound system that would iPad mini 8 could offer better water resistance while offering a completely new way of playing audio.
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It may sound a bit like science fiction, but the principle is quite simple and there are already devices that use something similar. Instead of classic speakers, Apple could integrate a so-called "exciter" into the iPad body, i.e. minia transducer that vibrates a part of the structure or display to act as the speaker membrane itself. The vibrations would then create sound without the need for any holes for water to penetrate.
This solution would be for Apple a first, but not completely uncharted territory. Huawei, for example, tried a similar technology in 2019 with the P30 Pro, where the display acted as a speaker for calls. LG and Sony have been using the so-called Acoustic Surface system in their OLED TVs for several years, where the entire panel acts as a sound source and can create a surprisingly spatial effect.
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I Apple has patented this technology before. In the patent titled “mechanically activated acoustic panel,” he specifically describes a device whose structure is divided into multiple subpanels that vibrate independently in response to a sound signal. In theory, this would iPad mini 8 could offer stereo sound without classic grilles and at the same time be better water resistant thanks to its closed body.
Of course, it won't be without compromises. Vibrations on a single surface have a problem with bass, which traditionally requires a larger diaphragm and a deeper soundbox. But this can also be solved technically - especially in the relatively large body of the iPad. miniIt is clear, however, that if Apple If he really takes this path, he will have to overcome a number of challenges, for example, the need to "teach" the tablet to respond to how you hold it, so that Accordingly, the device adjusted the vibration profile so that the sound was not muffled by the touch of a hand.
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if Apple really decides to go this route, it will be one of the biggest design changes in iPad history miniThe new product should also get an OLED display, the same A19 Pro chip as iPhone 17 Pro and improved iPhone-level durability. As for the release date, it is expected that iPad mini 8 will arrive in 2026 at the earliest and if this technology proves successful, it can be assumed that it will be Apple will expand to other models over time.
I would like to see an M-series processor in it for full external display support (not just mirror).