Apple announces new iPad Mini and hopes are high for touchscreen MacBook

Apple unveiled a significant upgrade to its iPad Mini on Monday, marking its most substantial enhancement yet. The new model starts at $699, with pre-orders set to begin on October 28 and availability beginning November 6. The iPad Mini boasts a larger 8.5-inch OLED display, available with nano-texture, offering improved contrast and peak brightness of over 2x compared to its predecessor.

It also features a 12-megapixel front camera and an innovative acoustic display for enhanced audio quality. Apple's vice president of hardware engineering, Dave Pakula, praised the device's thinner, lighter design and powerful A20 Pro chip. Apple is preparing to make a splash at its pro and tell event in Los Angeles on Wednesday, where it is expected to unveil a touchscreen MacBook for the first time.

This would be a stark contrast to Steve Jobs' 2010 statement that touchscreens do not work well on portable computers, citing ergonomic issues. While Apple currently uses mini-LED displays in its MacBook lineup, it has a history of introducing products that were initially dismissed but later became successful, such as video-capable iPods, stylus pens, larger iPhones, and medium-sized iPads.

Analysts believe Apple's expertise in supply chain management and dominance in the market could help drive down the cost of OLED screens, potentially bringing the price of a 14-inch MacBook with an OLED display to between $2,799 and $2,999. However, some experts caution that Apple's entry into the OLED market could significantly lower manufacturing costs, making it more affordable for a wider range of products, which may impact the sales of other companies' OLED products.

Despite the potentially slower PC sales in the current market, Apple is poised to make a significant impact at its upcoming event, which will also see the MacBook Pro renamed MacBook Ultra.