The new iPad mini carries an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. The protection is not permanent, and liquid damage is not covered under warranty.
Apple announced the iPad mini as splash, water and dust resistant, with the rating tested under IEC standard 60529. Pre-orders open on Wednesday, October 28, and it ships on Friday, November 6.
IP67 Covers Immersion in 1 Meter of Water for 30 Minutes
The rating comes from lab testing and covers a maximum depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. In the IEC 60529 scheme, the 6 means the enclosure is dust-tight and the 7 means it survives temporary immersion.
Apple points to working outside on a rainy day or reading by the pool as uses. Its wider pitch for the iPad mini spans creators, small business owners, doctors, field service workers and gamers.
A sealed enclosure in the new Acoustic Display speaker system helps the OLED iPad mini reach IP67. The system pairs specially designed woofers with the display for punchier bass and more volume, and it hides custom tweeters between the glass and the aluminum for clearer highs.
The sealed body is 5.4 mm thin, which is 14 percent thinner and 13 percent lighter than the previous iPad mini. It weighs 0.56 pound for the Wi-Fi model and 0.58 pound for Wi-Fi + Cellular, and the cellular models use eSIM and are not compatible with physical SIM cards.
Splash, water and dust resistance are not permanent conditions, and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Apple also says not to charge a wet iPad, and the user guide has cleaning and drying instructions for an iPad mini that gets wet.
Separate from the IP67 rating, Apple specifies an operating temperature range of 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity of 5 to 95 percent without condensation. The iPad mini is tested for operation at altitudes up to 10,000 feet, and its nonoperating temperature range runs from minus 4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
Liquid Damage Is Not Covered Under Warranty, but AppleCare+ Covers Spills
The standard warranty excludes liquid damage on the iPad mini, even with the IP67 rating. AppleCare+ covers accidents like drops and spills, along with theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service and priority support from Apple Experts.
In markets where it is available, AppleCare One protects multiple products in a single plan. In the US, AppleCare One Family extends the same coverage across every eligible device in a Family Sharing group for one fixed monthly price. The iPad mini itself starts at $699 for the Wi-Fi model and $849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular in the US.
