iPad Pro 2021 looks even more likely to feature 5G and other big upgrades

Apple iPad Pro 2020
(Image credit: Future)

The Apple iPad Pro 2020 models weren’t exactly a huge upgrade on the 2018 tablets, but it’s starting to look like Apple has been saving all its big upgrades for the 2021 iPad Pro models. A new leak has backed up some of the biggest points we’d already heard about the devices.

This leak comes from @L0vetodream, a new leaker on the scene who doesn’t have much of a track record uet, but has been making some big claims about future Apple products like the iPhone 12 and future iPhones. 

We’d say to take the leak with a pinch of salt, but since this new statement is backing up what we’ve already heard, there’s reason to believe it’s accurate.

The leak states that new iPad Pro 2021 models will have 5G connectivity as well as Mini-LED screens, and also the same chipset we’re expecting to see in the iPhone 12 models (although this latter point is backing up another’s tweet). 

That’s a big upgrade in three major areas, which would make the device a big step up over the previous few generations. We’d heard the first two points before, and the third was something we could presume thanks to precedent, but it’s good to hear them reiterated.

If we were to be cynical we’d suggest @L0vetodream, as a new leaker, was simply repeating popular and likely rumors to help them seem more reliable as a leaker, but since we also heard the iPad Pro 2020 would have some of these features (before it was announced), these features aren’t necessarily confirmed for the device just yet.

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The iPad Pro 2020 will be forgotten 

If the iPad Pro 2021 is set to bring all the upgrades from the iPad Pro 2018 series that we really wanted, it would seem that the 2020 devices were just iterative upgrades.

The iPad Pro 2020 has the same screen and connectivity options as the 2018 models, and its chipset, while slightly different, returned very similar benchmark scores when tested.

There are still reasons to buy the iPad Pro 2020, such as its LiDAR scanner for improved AR, but if you don’t need an iPad Pro right away, it might be worth waiting for 2021 for the real improvements to come about.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.


He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.