Apple’s iPad Mini may get a ‘Pro’ variant for the first time this year: Report

Apple is already rumoured to launch a 2021 iPad mini table in the first half of this year. However, the moniker might be different this time and as per some reports, the ‘Mini’ might be bifurcated in two broad variants - regular one and a ‘Mini Pro’. Coming from a report by Naver website, the rumoured ‘iPad Mini Pro’ is said to be in P2 stage, which is beyond the R&D stage and the planning stage. The report added that this product might soon reach DVT P3 stage as well.

This also leads to the speculation that the ‘iPad Mini Pro’ might launch later this year. The timeline is not confirmed though. However, the report does reveal that this iPad will sport an 8.7-inch screen size and while the width is longer than the previous model, the vertical width is reduced.

Also read: Reports double down on mini-LED display tech for upcoming Apple iPad Pro, M1-level power

The report cements the previous prediction by Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, who in his last year’s note, said that Apple’s next iPad Mini will have a screen size ranging somewhere inside 8.5-inch and 9-inch range. He added that the product will arrive in the first half of 2021, which we are yet to see. However, the product being pushed to the second half of this year is understandable considering 2020 (pandemic) happened.

Talking about upcoming iPads, Apple is also expected to launch the new iPad Pro models within weeks now. It has also been rumored that the new device will be powered by A14X Bionic, which will be based on the A14 chipset that powers the iPhone 12 series. However, a new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman states that the iPad chipset will be more powerful than what we expected.