The iPad mini 7 may have solved Apple’s long-standing ‘jelly scrolling’ problem
In our iPad mini (2021) review, we didn’t notice any major issues with the display on the sixth-generation version of the tablet, but the slate did draw complaints about a ‘jelly scrolling’ issue – which Apple has now apparently resolved with the iPad mini 7.
If you’re new to the saga, jelly scrolling causes one side of the screen to refresh more slowly than the other, causing a jarring effect when scrolling up and down, especially on pages with text. Apple has said it’s not a problem, but it remains an annoyance for some.
Our review of the 7th generation iPad mini (2024) is still underway, and it goes on sale on October 23rd. In the meantime, noted Apple commentator Jason Snell is on his Six Colors podcast (via MacRumors) that he believes the problem has now been resolved.
Snell didn’t go into specific details about the tweak, or say where he got his information, but his close ties to Apple make this a credible tip – even if the new iPad mini comes with an 8.3-inch LCD panel that appears to be almost identical to the screen of the previous model.
The extent of this depends on how much jelly scrolling on the iPad mini 6 has spoiled your viewing experience. Apple has been adamant that there isn’t a problem, and that it was only noticeable in portrait mode – but once you saw it, it was hard not to see it again while using the tablet.
It was definitely a no-brainer for us to include it in our list of 5 potentially annoying limitations of the iPad mini 7. Other than a performance boost, there aren’t too many upgrades on the new slate – although this one will have Apple Intelligence can run.
According to a rumor that surfaced last year, changes in the way the iPad mini is assembled are responsible for eradicating jelly scrolling. Whatever happened behind the scenes will be a welcome improvement.
You can pre-order the iPad mini 7 from Apple now, or wait until Wednesday to pick it up in store. Prices start at $499 / £499 / AU$799 – which gets you 128GB of storage, while 256GB and 512GB models are also available.