Apple is expected to announce new iPad Pro models as early as April, and ahead of time, accessory maker ESR has added a variety of 2,021 iPad Pro covers and folios to its online store that offer some potential design clues.
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Although the cases suggest that the next generation of the iPad Pro will not have any significant design changes, ESR informed MacRumors that there will be fewer holes in the speakers in the new models. This aligns with a report from the Japanese website Mac Otakara, which in January said the number of speaker holes in the new iPad Pro models will be reduced by a third, although the reason for this alleged change is unclear.
A one-third reduction would work as follows:
- 11-inch iPad Pro: 13 holes per speaker → 8-9 holes per speaker
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 17 holes per speaker → 11-12 holes per speaker
The new iPad Pro models are also expected to feature four speakers for stereo sound, with two on the top edge and two on the bottom edge.
The new iPad Pro models are expected to be equipped with a faster A14X chip that is virtually identical to the M1 chip on newer Macs. Last week, BloombergMark Gurman reported that the new models can also support Thunderbolt, which is certainly plausible, given that the M1 chip supports Thunderbolt on Macs. Gurman also expects improved cameras and a Mini-LED screen, at least on the 12.9-inch model.
Mac Otakara reported that the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be approximately 0.5 mm thicker, while the 11-inch model will apparently be the same thickness, further suggesting that a Mini-LED screen may be exclusive to the larger model.
The new iPad Pro is also expected to support 5G with a Qualcomm modem on cell phone models.
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As noted by the French website iPhoneSoft, ESR also listed new cases for third generation AirPods that suggest that Apple’s wireless charging case will be slightly stretched, as rumors have previously said. The new AirPods are expected to have a design similar to the AirPods Pro, but without Active Noise Canceling or silicone tips to maintain differentiation.