Apple is planning on introducing its new lineup of iPad Pro devices, as early as April. The iPad lineup has always brought in more for Apple and the need for an iPad has been particularly felt more than ever by people during the lockdowns and as they continue to work and study from home.
The new models will look similar to the current iPad Pro models and come in the same 11-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes according to the people with knowledge of the matter.
The new iPad Pro tablets will reportedly feature a new chipset, which will be on par, performance-wise, with the M1 chip Apple introduced specifically for its latest MacBooks and Mac mini. Apple is also looking to include a Mini-LED screen with at least the larger model, which would be brighter and have improved contrast ratios
A Mini-LED screen is noticeably better than a standard LCD display with brighter colours and better contrast ratios. The new iPad Pros are also going to have a Thunderbolt connector that will enable connectivity with additional external monitors, hard drives, and other peripherals, while being faster than base rate USB-C.
Bloomberg News also reported that the California-based tech company is planning to introduce an updated version of the iPad Mini with a larger screen, and a thinner and lighter design, as early as this year.
Another report from 9to5Mac citing a research note by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, says that the company may bring its MacBook Air with Mini-LED display by next year. As per the report, the iPad Air will also be getting a new OLED display next year. The OLED displays that the company plans on using for the iPad Air models will be flat, unlike the OLED displays used in iPhones that curve at the bottom. This means the displays will be relatively cheaper to produce.
These OLED displays will be exclusive to iPhones and iPad Air models as because of the screen-burn in characteristic of the panel, Apple doesn’t wants to introduce these in its Macbook and iPad Pro models.
Apple also plans to launch a bunch of other updated devices this year including new iPhones, Apple Watches, iMac Desktops, MacBook Pros, and even an accessory for tracking the location of physical objects that could be called AirTags.