Apple could launch a 'Pro' version of the iPad Mini in the second half of 2021. According to a new report published by Korean blog Naver (via 9to5Mac), the iPad Mini Pro will sport a 8.7-inch Liquid Retina display and a near bezel-less design.
To add fuel to the fire, Slovakian blog SvetApple has released the snazzy concept render pictured above. It imagines how the iPad Mini Pro could look, complete with Pro-style aluminium case, Face ID, 12MP HDR camera, Apple Pencil 2 support and USB-C socket for fast charging.
It certainly looks the part – but is there any truth to either of these rumours? Well, Korean blog Naver claims that Apple has already prototyped the iPad Mini Pro, and that the device is about to begin "validation tests" (the final stage before getting the green light for mass production).
We're not holding our breath. While Apple is tipped to launch a new iPad Mini in the first half of 2021 – as soon as March, according to some sources – there's little concrete evidence that Apple will follow up with an iPad Mini Pro in the second half of 2021.
Today's rumours also contradict what other Apple analysts have said. Reliable leaker Ming-Chi Kuo, for example, tips the next-gen iPad Mini for an 8.4- to 9-inch screen size but says the design language will remain broadly "the same".
Meanwhile, a recent supply chain rumour published by Japanese site Mac Otakara (via 9to5Mac) suggests the new iPad Mini will sport an 8.4-inch display and look similar to the 2019 iPad Air 3, only with slightly slimmer bezels.
One thing's for sure: any iPad Mini update would be long overdue. Apple last refreshed the design of its 7.9-inch tablet back in 2015, before adding a faster A12 Bionic chip and a True Tone display in 2019.
The new iPad mini is expected to launch alongside a new iPad Pro. Kuo has even hinted that this year's range-topping 12.9-inch iPad Pro could feature a Mini LED display. Fingers crossed Apple won't keep us waiting too much longer...
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