The new iPad Mini, launched earlier this morning, is the first iPad in history to boast an IP67 water-resistance rating. This is made possible because the new iPad Mini no longer features speaker grilles for stereo sound along its sides; instead, it introduces a new "Acoustic Audio" system.
The Acoustic Audio system places a woofer beneath the display, with two tweeters positioned between the screen and the metal frame. According to Apple, this new system delivers more powerful bass. What we find particularly intriguing about this development is that it may serve as a precursor to the rumored "portless" (hole-free) iPhone—a concept speculated to arrive next year in celebration of the iPhone's 20th anniversary.
According to these rumors, the "iPhone 20" would not only lack speaker grilles, but would also be devoid of a charging port, power button, volume controls, camera shutter button, and Action button. Instead, all physical controls would be replaced by capacitive, haptic-enabled buttons integrated into the device's side.
Apple has a history of testing new technologies incrementally before rolling them out to more premium models. A recent example is the iPhone 16e, which utilizes an in-house modem—a technology now found across this year’s iPhone lineup (with the exception of units in the United States). Similarly, new motherboard designs and ultra-thin batteries are being tested in the "iPhone Air" before potentially being implemented in the "iPhone Duo."
