Apple

3 Reasons to Wait for the 2021 iPad & 4 Reasons Not To

Published

4 years ago

05/19/2020

Apple is reportedly working on a new version of the 10.2-inch iPad. With a release apparently in 2021, we want to take you through the best reasons to wait for the release and the best reasons to set your sights on another iPad or tablet.

If you’re in the market for a new tablet, be it an iPad or something else, you’ve got a lot of options.

Apple recently announced new 2020 iPad Pro models and they come with an assortment of enticing upgrades including a new processor and rear camera.

The iPad Pro models from 2018 are still great and they’re much cheaper than they once were. The same goes for Apple’s 2019 iPad Air, iPad mini 5, and 10.2-inch iPad from 2019.

If you aren’t married to the iPad, you might want to look at alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, Galaxy Tab S4, Galaxy Tab A 10.5, Microsoft Surface Go, and Microsoft Surface Pro 7.

Apple and its rivals are also planning to launch new tablets in 2020 and 2021 and we’re hearing about those plans as we push deeper into the year.

Samsung is reportedly planning to launch a new 5G-powered Galaxy Tab S7 later this year. We expect a release sometime this summer.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable source for information about unannounced Apple products, the company is working on multiple iPad models that fall outside the iPad Pro family.

One is an iPad mini 6, a new 7.9-inch iPad that will probably launch in late 2020 or sometime in 2021. Kuo also thinks the company is working on a new 10.8-inch iPad for release in 2020. This device could replace the current 10.2-inch model.

Rumors have also pointed to another version of the 10.2-inch iPad that’s set for release sometime next year. Yes, it’s a bit confusing at the moment.

We’ve also heard about plans for an iPad Air 4 though that information comes from a different source.

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2021 iPad Rumors

The 10.2-inch iPad, also known as simply iPad, is Apple’s budget option and it has a lot of appeal if you want a larger screen, but don’t want to break the bank on an iPad Pro.

We haven’t heard a whole lot about the 2021 iPad, but Kuo believes it’s in development. He hasn’t provided a clear timeline regarding its launch, but it looks like it will arrive sometime next year.

In a new note, Kuo claims that Apple’s mini-LED products, which reportedly includes a new 10.2-inch iPad, have been pushed into 2021.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, another reliable source for information about future Apple products, says the company is working on “refreshed budget iPads” but he doesn’t call the devices out by name.

With new iPads on the way, those of you in the market for a new tablet are in a tough position. There are some great reasons to wait, but there are also some great reasons to buy something right now or at some point in the near future.

If you’re on the fence, allow us to take you through the best reasons to think about waiting for the 2021 iPad and the best reasons to go with another device.

Wait for Performance Improvements

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If Apple is working on a 2021 version of 10.2-inch iPad, you can expect it to come with numerous performance improvements. We've already heard about one potential change.

According to Kuo, the new model will feature mini-LED backlighting. The company is reportedly bringing the technology to the iPad Pro line, the iPad Air 4, the iPad mini 6, the MacBook Pro line, and the Mac Pro.

This would be a pretty big deal because mini-LED has some advantages over the LCD and OLED displays that are on most devices.

Mini-LED displays provide higher contrast, deeper blacks, higher brightness, and they're also less prone to some of the burn-in issues that can plague OLED displays. They're also more power-efficient which could help with battery life.

In addition, you can expect Apple to tack on a new processor which also could help with battery life, overall speed, gaming, and multitasking.

It's important to note that the other rumored 10.2-inch follow-up, the 2020 10.8-inch model, probably won't have mini-LED tech on board.