We only saw the iPad Pro 2020 range in March, but rumors have been swirling that Apple might put out more top-end tablets by the end of this year. That might not be the case, however, as analysts now appear to be leaning towards a 2021 release date instead.
The latest analyst to make this prediction is Jeff Pu, as reported by MacRumors, who correctly predicted the iPhone SE (2020) release date. According to Pu, a new iPad Pro range is coming in the first quarter (January-March) of 2021.
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This lines up with what another noted analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, recently said, and it's actually an assertion Pu already made in April, although this latest report includes more information. It seems increasingly likely, then, that the next iPad Pros will arrive in 2021, exactly a year after the 2020 models.
New information includes the release time frame – previously '2021' was all we'd heard – and claims that a 16-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac may be coming later in the year, in the 'second quarter' (April-June) and 'second half' (July onwards) of 2021 respectively.
What's new in this iPad?
The next iPad Pro is expected to use a Mini-LED screen, which would be a big step up over the LCD panels currently in use, as it's a screen tech that allows for high contrast ratios and darker-looking blacks – these are two areas where LCD displays are typically weaker.
The next iPad Pro is also expected to have 5G LTE connection in the models that aren't Wi-Fi-only. Some rumors suggest that a 5G iPad could come later this year, but the only way this would be possible, assuming these latest analyst predictions are accurate, would be if the first 5G iPad wasn't a Pro – so an entry-level model or an iPad Air, which seems very unlikely.
But right now it looks like we won't see a new iPad Pro until 2021, although the iPhone 12 unveiling later this year might give us a clue as to Apple's future direction in terms of screen tech and connectivity.
Via LaptopMag
