Apple’s next small tablet isn’t coming soon, no matter what previous rumors indicated. A trusted analyst and Apple prognosticator says the 2021 iPad mini won‘t be on the market until the second half of the year.
According to unconfirmed reports, this will be a significantly redesigned device, with a larger display.
Don’t hold your breath
In a note to investors seen by Cult of Mac, Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities revealed the timing. He was talking about upcoming positive developments for Apple tablets, and included a “2H21 new iPad mini to drive demand.”
Earlier this year, there there reports that a new mini model would be out soon. But Apple’s April event came and went with no such small tablet in sight. Larger iPad Pro models, yes. But no miniature iPad.
A redesigned iPad mini in 2021?
The 2021 iPad mini won‘t be a simple “speed bump” update, if unconfirmed reports turn out to be correct. Screen bezels could shrink significantly, possibly allowing the display to increase to more than 9 inches. The computer will also reportedly get in-screen Touch ID and a hole-punch camera.
Very reliable Apple tipster Kang said in March that an iPad mini with an edge-to-edge screen is in development. But it’s not close to release. “You want a full-screen iPad with a smaller size. At present, the P2 stage has just passed, and the EVT has not even arrived,” they said (via machine translation). In non-technical terms, testing of the second prototype is complete, but at that point the Engineering Validation Test had not begun.
Ming-Chi Kuo has a 76.6% accuracy rating on AppleTrack for correct Apple-releated predictions. Kang’s rating is 96.3%.
