iPad mini Pro details leaked – here’s what you need to know

(Image credit: Apple)

published 10 May 2021

There was one big absence from the Apple spring event, or rather a mini one. While we saw a new iPad Pro, there was no mention of the much-anticipated iPad mini. Now though, we have some details about an upcoming mini – but not the one we expected.

Twitter tipster @FrontTron released details on Friday of an upcoming iPad mini Pro – or should that be iPad Pro mini? According to the post, the new model will feature a slimmer bezel design, like the other iPad Pro models, but with a smaller 8.7-inch display.

As has been suggested about the iPad mini 6, Tron also mentions a squarer casing for the iPad mini Pro. Whether that means a squarer display too is still to be confirmed. At this size, it is unlikely to feature the mini-LED screen of the 12.9in iPad Pro, though will presumably share the M1 chip.

The post also says that the device will be available in silver and gray versions and support a 5G connection. Along with a suggestion of availability in the second half of the year and a price of $649. The pricing fits with what we’ve seen in other size variations on Apple products and the date puts it alongside the expected September release of the iPhone 13 and Apple Watch 7.

Adding a smaller Pro iPad makes sense from what we have seen in the past. Though the iPhone 12 mini followed similar thinking, and despite it being a great little phone, it has struggled to do the numbers.

As much as I like the idea of a more powerful iPad mini, an 8.9-inch screen feels a little small for any kind of pro use. If the iPad mini 6 comes with a new A13 chip, it’s likely to be enough for most users wanting a small tablet. Unless Apple has something else up its sleeve with the iPad mini Pro, it’s a pass from me.

As T3's Editor-in-Chief, Mat Gallagher has his finger on the pulse for the latest advances in technology. He has written about technology since 2003 and after stints in Beijing, Hong Kong and Chicago is now based in the UK. He’s a true lover of gadgets, but especially anything that involves cameras, Apple, electric cars, musical instruments or travel.