There's a possibility that today's California Streaming event is, well, very streamlined. We know we'll see the iPhone 13 lineup debut later today, and the Apple Watch Series 7 is a safe bet as well. What's up in the air, though, is whether or not we'll see any new iPad models showcased today, or if we'll see the third-generation AirPods for that matter.
Images of a purported iPad mini 6 mold have corroborated earlier reports that the next iPad mini will switch to an almost fullscreen design, with Touch ID built into a power button.
Right now, the iPad mini is still a pretty small tablet. Even with a screen that measures in at 7.9 inches. But apparently Apple's ready to stretch the meaning of the word mini, and will be upping the size of the upcoming redesigned tablet's display.
There have been rumors swirling around for a bit that Apple is ready to redesign the iPad mini. A bold change for the small tablet. And now another report aims to tell us that the upcoming tablet will have one more change to the design.
Some of the claimed iPad mini 6 features will reportedly include Apple's unreleased A15 chip, with better connectivity via USB-C and Smart Connector support also part of the package.
In 2021, Apple started to make the transition to mini-LED displays with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. There have been rumors swirling around for quite some time that Apple would make that change, with more than one device expected to boast the technology in the future. But, at the same time, there are expectations that Apple's true destination is more OLED panels in mobile devices.
The iPad mini has retained that familiar, big bezel iPad design for a long time. But it sounds increasingly like Apple's looking to change things up in the near future. Even before the end of 2021, even.
Apple will update the iPad mini later this year with an overhauled design featuring slimmer bezels and no Home button though it's unclear if the refreshed tablet may adopt Face ID.
Before Apple officially made the switch to a mini-LED display in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, there was a bit of a back-and-forth going on in the rumors department. Some stories said Apple would make the leap to OLED. Others pointed to mini-LED.
And now we know that Apple chose the latter, going with that display technology for its largest and most powerful tablet this year. However, there is still an expectation that Apple's simply biding its time, still planning to adopt an OLED display in at least one iPad model in the near future. Indeed, many believe that switch will happen in 2022.
Apple launched some new hardware back in April, but there's always more on the horizon. The new iPad mini is one of them, along with the oft-rumored foldable iPhone.
We're now just over a week into January, which means the rumor mill is starting to really kick into gear. As such, we're starting to get a picture of what we might expect for new iPad models this year.
Not too long from now, Apple is going to announce new devices. While the majority of the attention will be on the iPhone 12 lineup, there will probably be more to enjoy.