Apple Could Announce iPad Pro With Thunderbolt Port and Mini-LED Display in April

BY Sanuj Bhatia

Published 17 Mar 2021

A new report from Bloomberg claims that a new iPad Pro with a mini LED display and thunderbolt port could launch “as early as April.” The report also details Apple’s plan of introducing a new iPad mini with smaller bezels, and an entry-level iPad which could be announced later this year.

According to the report, Apple could announce new iPad Pro models “as early as April.” The news comes after the rumors of Apple holding an event in March to launch iPad Pro were reported to be false. The new models will look similar to the current-generation iPad Pro, but will have an improved camera system, powerful internals, and will have a new display technology, the report claims.

The new models are expected to have the same dimensions, with one coming in at 11-inches and the other one having a 12.9-inch display. Notably, the report claims that the new iPad Pro will have a Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt ports are same in size, and dimensions, as the USB Type-C port, and have better data speeds. Having a Thunderbolt port on the iPad Pro will also allow it to be connected to an external display.

“In testing, the new iPad Pros have used a Thunderbolt connector, the same port on the latest Macs with custom Apple processors. The port doesn’t require new chargers, but it would enable connectivity with additional external monitors, hard drives and other peripherals.”

The new iPad Pro will also have an updated processor, the report claims. The new iPad Pro will have a chip “that is on par with the faster M1 chip in the latest MacBooks.” A mini LED display will be included with “at least” the larger 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. The new display technology would result in a brighter display, with it having improved contrast ratios.

The report also sheds some light on the other iPads. It says that a new entry-level iPad is launching later this year. The new basic iPad is expected to have a thinner and lighter design. Apple is also planning to introduce a new iPad mini with a larger screen “as early as this year.” Previous reports have suggested that the new iPad mini will have an 8.4-inch display with smaller bezels.

What are your expectations from the 2021 iPad Pro? Are you looking forward to other iPad refreshes as well? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

[Via Bloomberg]