Update June 4, 2021: If you are a fan of the iPad mini, you can expect a new model this year, without a home button and with narrower edges. This will be the first redesign in six years, Bloomberg claims. The new model has narrower bezels so that the screen can grow from the current 7.9-inch to 8.5- to 9-inch.
You can read our original article from May 3, 2021 below.
iPad mini 6 in second half of the year
Some people hoped that a new iPad mini would hit stores this spring, but we'll have to wait until the second half of the year for that. According to Kuo, Apple didn't order screen panels for its next iPad mini until later this year. It will then be the sixth generation of the small tablet. Kuo previously said that Apple is working on a new design for the iPad mini, with a larger 9-inch screen. However, the Japanese rumor site Macotakara expects an 8.4-inch screen. The bezels around the screen shrink and the Touch ID button moves to the side button.
Kuo writes that global developments (due to the corona crisis) have ensured that iPad sales are doing well. The newly released Pro models in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes will ensure that sales increase even further. But Apple can also boost sales in a completely different segment by releasing a new model of the iPad mini. Kuo was actually expecting the iPad mini 6 in the first half of this year, but has now adjusted his predictions. This may be due to shortages in the supply chain. Additionally, Kuo expects the entry-level iPad to be refreshed in the fall.
In the longer term, Kuo expects the iPad mini to feature a mini LED screen, the type now found in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro . This provides a better viewing experience in terms of contrast and HDR reproduction. But that won't happen this year. Apple releases updates to the mini at irregular intervals, so it may well be 2023 before we see this.