The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have been the main focus of Apple headlines in recent months, but those are far from the only devices in the pipeline. Also under development at the moment is an updated range of iPads, which has now been further detailed.
The 10.8-inch iPad is likely the new iPad Air
In a research note to investors obtained by AppleInsider, trustworthy analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated his earlier claims regarding an unspecified 10.8-inch iPad tablet and the next-generation iPad Mini.
The former was originally expected to replace the existing 10.2-inch budget iPad and, although Kuo himself has still not clarified the situation, newer information suggests it will instead succeed the current 10.5-inch iPad Air.
The larger display looks set to be paired with USB-C rather than Lightning and much slimmer bezels inspired by the existing iPad Pro design. The physical home button will likely be removed and replaced with in-display Touch ID rather than Face ID to keep costs down, if reports are to be believed.
The current 10.5-inch iPad Air
Sitting on the inside of the tablet should be the upcoming A14 Bionic, which is also expected inside the iPhone 12 series. Whether Apple will offer a model with 5G connectivity remains to be seen, however.
Ming-Chi Kuo believes the 10.8-inch tablet is on track to make its official debut later this year, possibly alongside the iPhone 12 lineup in October. This announcement timeline suggests there has been only minimal impact on development from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next iPad Mini will adopt an 8.5-inch display
Regarding the aforementioned iPad Mini model, Kuo previously stated that the display would sit somewhere between 8.5-inches and 9-inches. After some further investigating, the analyst now says Apple has settled for an 8.5-inch panel.
The existing version boasts a smaller 7.9-inch screen yet the tablet should be roughly the same size as the new one. Like the next iPad Air, the next iPad Mini is expected to adopt an iPad Pro-like design with no physical home button.
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Apple may also choose USB-C over Lightning for the tablet, but Kuo has yet to share any information regarding that switch.
The current 7.9-inch iPad Mini
The next-gen iPad Mini is expected to make its debut in the first half of 2021, which means the announcement will likely take place at the March event or at WWDC 2021 in June. It should be accompanied by a 5G iPad Pro.
All iPads will soon ship with a 20W fast charger
As some of you may have seen, a new 20W fast charger from Apple recently leaked. Early information suggested it would ship with the iPhone 12 series, but Ming-Chi Kuo yesterday debunked that theory.
He instead expects the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro to ship without a charger or EarPods in the box. The leaked 20W charger is legitimate, however, and will instead be included inside all future iPad boxes starting with the 10.8-inch iPad Air and 8.5-inch iPad Mini.
Existing 5W and 18W adapters will reportedly cease production by the end of this year. The 12W alternative, on the other hand, should remain in production for another 9 to 12 months until existing iPad models reach their end-of-life.
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