Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the OLED iPad mini will be “considerably more expensive” than the current $599 model. His own guess is something closer to $799. When I compared an iPhone Pro and an iPad mini, then an iPhone Air and an iPad mini, against Apple’s foldable, I concluded the iPhone Duo would need more to beat the two-device price advantage. Apparently the advantage didn’t go unnoticed by Apple either.

At Apple’s current prices, a 256GB iPhone Air costs $1,099 and a 128GB WiFi iPad mini $599. Together that is $1,698, roughly $300 under the Duo’s $1,999. Swap in a 256GB iPhone 18 Pro at $1,199, and the pair comes to $1,798, about $200 under. At $799 for the new OLED mini, the Air pairing sits about $100 under the Duo, and the Pro pairing a single dollar under.

Neither half of the pair is dead. A second-generation iPhone Air is reportedly due next spring, and the new OLED mini is expected around October 27.

The increase itself was also expected. With ongoing RAM price hikes, or RAMageddon as some call it, it was really a matter of time before existing Apple products followed suit. In June, Apple raised the current mini from $499 to $599, blaming the memory demand of AI data centers.

Does a pricier mini make the Duo naturally more appealing? I don’t think so. But at least it muddies the water where one side had the clear advantage. Buying a Duo is no longer a case of ‘I don’t want to charge two devices all the time, so I paid $300 more’. The foldable form factor is the lesser known of the two to the average customer, so the question many will ponder is ‘Even at a similar price point, is having a hinge worth it?’

I am planning to pre-order the Duo, and my own case is very much that choice: two devices to save money, or one device for a coherent experience at the Duo premium. The alleged price increase makes that case more graceful for the Duo. I can only hope the risks of having a first-gen first foldable are worth it.