In a new report primarily focused on the redesigned iPad Pro, Bloomberg also sheds new light on what to expect from the iPad mini. The report says that Apple is planning a redesigned iPad mini with smaller bezels and without a home button for later this year.
Apple last updated the iPad mini in 2019, bringing a faster A12 Bionic processor as well as other improvements and Apple Pencil support. Last May, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple would release an iPad mini that’s between 8.5 inches and 9 inches during the first half of 2021. This has not come to fruition, with Apple focused on its other iPad lines instead.
Bloomberg now reports that Apple is planning a new iPad mini update for later this year. “The updated iPad mini is planned to have narrower screen borders while the removal of its home button has also been tested,” the report explains. This would give the iPad mini a design similar to the iPad Air 4 and the iPad Pro. The slimmer bezels would allow Apple to increase the screen size without a major impact on the overall size of the device.
It ultimately remains to be seen whether Apple ships a redesign for the iPad mini as drastic as removing the home button, but we now know it’s at least something in testing. It certainly makes sense if Apple is looking for a way to breathe new life into its smallest iPad in 2021.
Finally, the report says that Apple is also working on a thinner version of its entry-level iPad. This could be released as early as later this year, alongside the new iPad mini. Previous rumors have indicated that the entry-level iPad will adopt a design similar to the iPad Air 3 that was originally introduced in 2019.
What do you think of the rumors of an iPad mini with an iPad Pro-style design? Let us know down in the comments!
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