Sources: faster iPad Pros may come as early as April with better cameras; Apple aims to use MiniLED on at least the 12.9" model and has tested using Thunderbolt
- Company plans updated iPad Pro line with faster processor — Apple's iPad sales have jumped in work-from-home environment
BloombergMark Gurman
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple had already repositioned the iPad Pro around laptop-style connectivity with its 2018 USB-C redesign, while a later report had singled out the 12.9-inch model for MiniLED display treatment. The reported refresh combines that display split with a broader performance-and-camera update.
The significance is not simply a new iPad cycle: Apple is testing whether its largest tablet can justify a more premium component stack and faster wired I/O than the rest of the range.
First-order effects
Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro is positioned to carry the MiniLED upgrade, creating a clearer hardware distinction from the smaller Pro model.
iPad Pro buyers would receive a faster processor and improved cameras, while Thunderbolt testing signals Apple is evaluating higher-bandwidth accessory support.
Second-order effects
MiniLED becomes a launch dependency for Apple’s largest iPad Pro; subsequent production constraints around those panels show how display supply can constrain the planned lineup.
Accessory makers serving iPad Pro users gain an incentive to support faster wired connections if Apple turns its Thunderbolt testing into a shipping feature.
Third-order effects
Apple’s later move to OLED iPad Pro displays suggests a continuing strategy of using premium display technology to differentiate the Pro tier rather than treating display upgrades as a one-off refresh.
If Apple maintains distinct component tiers within iPad Pro, suppliers of advanced displays and high-bandwidth peripherals become more consequential to the product’s release cadence and positioning.
The trend: Apple is progressively differentiating iPad Pro through premium display technology and more capable connectivity, making component supply central to its tablet roadmap.
New story: New iPad Pros with M1-caliber chips (A14X), better cameras, Thunderbolt port, and updated screen on 12.9 inch version coming next month after stay at home sales boost. New iPad mini with a bigger screen and entry-level models also in the works https://www.bloomberg.com…
New iPads are coming in April not in March — new chipset perhaps similar to the M1 macs, mini LED screens, improved cameras and Thunderbolt support. The stuff around the screens will be the biggest user facing improvement. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
iPad Pro coming in April with: • New CPU on par with the processing power of the M1 chip • New Mini-LED display on the 12.9" version • Improved Camera • Thunderbolt port #iPadPro #iPad #apple #iPadPro2021 https://twitter.com/...
OMG Thunderbolt port on the iPad, I can finally use 10GbE on iOS!!! I mean, I'm not going to because I have no need and even less desire to spend $1200+ on a freaking iPad. But I could... https://twitter.com/...
Apple plans to announce new iPads as early as April, adding to a product line that has performed particularly well as people work and study from home https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Report: next iPads will get a Thunderbolt port, not just USB-C. This is entirely feasible since new Macs powered by M1 processors support Thunderbolt. (Thunderbolt uses USB-C connector but offers better reliability and somewhat higher speed.) https://twitter.com/...
I hope that with thunderbolt inclusion we'll see the 4:3 crop when plugged into a monitor go away. Could be an amazing little productivity tool. https://twitter.com/...
‘M1 Caliber’ seems crazy, but I guarantee the M1 and A14X are nearly *IDENTICAL*, key differences being hardware accelerators being enabled/disabled. Thunderbolt capabilities would be a nice bonus 👀 https://twitter.com/...
@jetscott I hope Apple moved the camera. Even without a lot of videoconferencing on my iPad, I use it in landscape much more often, and *every time* I face unlock I have to move my hand around awkwardly to uncover the camera.
If iPad Pro switches to Thunderbolt, imagine how sweet proper external display support in iPadOS 15 would be with a new Apple display / Pro Display XDR... 🤞 https://www.bloomberg.com/...