Apple discounts iPad Mini and MacBook Air M5 ahead of Prime Day as lighter OLED MacBook Pro nears

The Wi-Fi-only iPad Mini with 128GB of storage is $499 at Amazon, down $100, The Verge reported. The 256GB Wi-Fi model is $599, and the 512GB Wi-Fi model is $799. The cellular model with 128GB is $649. The publication noted that the base configuration often sold for around $400 throughout 2025, so $500 for a tablet from late 2024 may still feel high. It also said the current discount is the best since late June, and if Apple releases a new version later this year, it might be significantly more expensive. The seventh-generation iPad Mini launched in 2024 with Apple's A17 Pro chip, Apple Intelligence support, Apple Pencil Pro compatibility, and faster Wi-Fi and USB-C. In its review, The Verge appreciated the processor upgrade and Apple Intelligence features but said it lacked some quality-of-life improvements found in larger iPads launched around the same time.

Amazon has also cut $200 from the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip and 512GB of storage, bringing it to $1,099 from $1,299, according to The Verge. The 15-inch version with 512GB is $1,299, down from $1,499. The 15-inch model adds a larger screen, two more speakers for a total of six, and two additional GPU cores for better graphics performance. The Verge said the sale effectively offsets Apple's June price increases and called $1,099 a more palatable price for a machine that is significantly faster than Apple's $699 MacBook Neo. The 2026 MacBook Air with the M5 chip starts with 512GB of storage that is significantly faster than previous generations, the publication said. Its review found noticeable improvements in processor and storage speed, and it remains one of its favorite laptops because of long battery life, a bright screen, and excellent speakers.

Separately, 9to5Mac reported, citing the latest Power On newsletter, that Apple's major MacBook Pro overhaul is expected to debut by next month, or before the end of November. The new machines would be the first touchscreen MacBooks and the first with Tandem OLED. The report said they will use current M5 Pro and M5 Max chips because Apple has chosen to skip the higher-end part of the M6 family to accelerate the M7 launch. The newsletter also said the new MacBook Pros will be significantly lighter than their predecessors. Apple has reengineered the interior by miniaturizing parts and rearranging components to make the computer easier to carry, according to the report. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman did not specify how much lighter the machines will be, 9to5Mac said. For comparison, the current 16-inch MacBook Pro weighs as much as 4.8 pounds, while the 15-inch MacBook Air weighs 3.3 pounds. The report also mentioned changes in macOS Golden Gate to support touch and the Dynamic Island, alongside the debut of macOS 27.2. The newsletter reiterated earlier reports about OLED, touch, Dynamic Island, and a thinner design, but 9to5Mac said it still had not provided a visual of the machine.