Android's "iPad mini" tablet looks like a folding phone that doesn’t fold: Oppo Pad Mini

The compact tablet market is about to get a new member. According to leaked specs and images showcasing the Oppo Pad Mini in all of its unreleased glory, the compact tablet is set to challenge the likes of the iPad mini with flagship-tier specs and a very “smartphone-like” design (for a tablet).

Even if tiny, the Oppo Pad Mini reportedly skips mid-range silicon for high-end performance, while maintaining a thin profile despite its massive high-capacity battery. Here are some of the leaked specs we have so far:

• Display: 8.8-inch 144Hz OLED, thin bezels
• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
• Battery: 8,000mAh, with 67W fast charging
• Size and weight: 5.39mm thin, 279g

However, as you can tell by the leaked unboxing and hands-on images, what makes the Oppo Pad Mini kind of unique is its aesthetic.

Compared to an iPad mini (which is roughly the same size), the Oppo Pad Mini has ultra-thin, uniform borders and a punch-hole camera, which makes it look like an oversized smartphone. It more or less resembles the "unfolded" form of the rumored iPhone Fold or Galaxy Z Wide Fold - just without the folding part.

Expected to launch soon (perhaps alongside the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and Find X9s Pro), the Oppo Pad Mini could shake up the predictable tablet market with a somewhat “pocketable” size, which doesn’t feel “small”.