Malcolm Owen
Apple won't be bringing out a sixth-generation iPad mini until later in 2021, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, with it said to arrive in the second half of the year.
As part of a note to investors detailing Apple's work on a foldable iPhone, TF Securities' analyst Ming-Chi Kuo added a small detail toward the end about a different product. In a line towards the end of the note, Kuo offers the new iPad mini could appear far later than anticipated.
In mentioning the exit of O-Film from Apple's supply chain potentially helping TPK's iPad business, Kuo adds a number of other factors that will benefit the supplier. The list includes "the adoption of mini-LED and OLED technology to drive shipments, working/studying from home, and 2H21 new iPad mini to drive demand."
If correct, this puts the launch of an "iPad mini 6" as happening from July 2021 at the earliest.
Rumors at the start of 2021 had Apple preparing a new generation of iPad mini, for what would have initially been a March launch. No iPad mini refresh took place during April's "Spring Loaded" event either, leaving a launch of a new model in the first half of 2021 in doubt.
The model was anticipated to have a larger 8.4-inch display, up from 7.9 inches, as well as a design inspired by the 2019 iPad Air. Apple's last refresh, the iPad mini 5 in March 2019, kept the design the same as its 2015 predecessor, but improved the internal specification and added Apple Pencil support.
Kuo previously forecast in May 2020 that Apple would introduce a new iPad mini with a screen between 8.5 inches and 9 inches in size in the first half of the 2021 calendar year.
An image leak of iPad Pro and iPad mini dummy cases in April suggested there wasn't going to be any major changes to the physical size of the tablet, despite having a larger screen.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
3 Comments
This becoming ridiculous! So now, the iPad Mini Pro as well as the Mini 6 will be release at the same time? That is very un-Apple like! I am interested in the iPad Mini Pro!
I’m trying to figure this out. Does the now-negated May 2020 prediction count as a strike, foul, or out when calculating Ming-Chi Kuo’s much-ballyhooed batting average? Was he wrong about the mini a year ago, or or does it count as right, so long as an iPad mini comes out sometime? If one emerges later this year, does he get counted right once, or is it twice, because this is the second time he’s mentioned it? Keeping score has to be very confusing, but surely all the pronouncements we keep reading about Kuo’s legendary status aren’t just anecdotal hyperbole.
You mean Apple won't be rolling out a new iPad in the next 2 months after just having a huge product announcement event just weeks ago? Shocking.