New iPad Pro with miniLED display still coming this year (report)

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple unveiled its updated iPad Pro 2020 this week with both 11-inch and 12.9-inch models serving as laptop replacements for some users. But before you click that buy button, you may want to consider that another iPad Pro with a miniLED display could still be coming this year, according to a report from Digitimes (via MacRumors).

This reaffirms an earlier rumor from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claims Apple is planning to release a half dozen new devices with miniLED displays by year's end, including a 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

That would be a tight turnaround for an iPad update, but coupled with the rumor that a 5G iPad Pro is coming by the end of the year, you can see how there are enough changes for Apple to justify a refresh in time for the holidays. 

It's worth noting that the 11-inch iPad Pro has not been referenced in any of the rumors regarding a miniLED display this year. If the smaller iPad Pro is more your size, it will probably be another year until that model gets the new screen tech.

As a reminder, the miniLED tech is not the same as microLED. Instead, it is simply a new backlighting tech that enables improved black levels, contrast ratios and increased brightness.

With the new A12Z chip, LiDAR sensors, dual-camera array and improved microphones, the iPad Pros released this week are already a significant upgrade, but you'll pay $1,000 or more for most configurations, so it's understandable that you'd want something a bit more futureproof.

Sean Riley

Sean Riley has been covering tech professionally for over a decade now. Most of that time was as a freelancer covering varied topics including phones, wearables, tablets, smart home devices, laptops, AR, VR, mobile payments, fintech, and more.  Sean is the resident mobile expert at Laptop Mag, specializing in phones and wearables, you'll find plenty of news, reviews, how-to, and opinion pieces on these subjects from him here. But Laptop Mag has also proven a perfect fit for that broad range of interests with reviews and news on the latest laptops, VR games, and computer accessories along with coverage on everything from NFTs to cybersecurity and more.