The next iPad Pro's design has been leaked thanks to new detailed 3D models.
These CAD renders were published by 91Mobiles and MySmartPrice, both apparently acquired from a trusted anonymous source. It looks like a lot of the 2021 iPad Pro is familiar, but there are some minor exterior changes alongside some big expected internal upgrades.
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The 91Mobiles render is for the larger 12.9-inch version of the iPad Pro. The render shows that new iPads will have slimmer bezels, but it's hard to tell just from these illustrations, particularly since there's no scale given in the images.
MySmartPrice's renders, although superficially similar, are apparently of the smaller 11-inch model. It offers more detail about the tablet's size, with the precise dimensions of 245.74 x 176.61 x 5.90mm, or 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.23 inches. That means the new model will be the same thickness as the 2020 iPad Pro, but the height and width will be slightly smaller, which backs up 91Mobiles' suggestion that Apple's shrinking the bezels.
A lot of what we can see is still identical to the 2020 iPad Pro. There's Face ID in the top bezel, a USB-C port on the bottom edge, and a square camera bump on the back which contains main and ultrawide cameras and a LiDAR depth sensor. There's also a Smart Connector on the back, which means this new iPad will still work with the Magic Keyboard accessory that Apple introduced last year.
A change we expect to appear on the next iPad Pro, but won't show up on a CAD image, are the addition of a 5G capable A14 chipset. Since the iPad Pro is meant to be Apple's most powerful tablet, and the current iPad Air already uses an A14 chip, we can perhaps expect a modified "A14X" chip to keep the Pro model at the top of the benchmark leaderboards.
We may also see the return of Touch ID to complement the Face ID system as an alternative unlocking method. While there's no home button anymore, we'd imagine the iPad Pro could use the same power button-mounted sensor that the iPad Air uses.
Finally, there may be a big display upgrade in store too. Claims made by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo say that the iPad Pro will be one of the first Apple products to use mini-LED, an evolution of existing LCD panels that offers greater clarity and more vivid colors. Kuo also says to expect the new iPad Pro to arrive in the first quarter of 2021, so keep your eyes peeled for more leaks and an official announcement over the next couple of months.
