Display analyst Ross Young said on Twitter today that the refreshed 11-inch iPad Pro, expected sometime this year, can no longer feature a mini-LED display like its larger 12.9-inch sibling. Earlier rumors suggested that Apple would expand this newer display technology to a smaller 11-inch form factor after mini-LED was only available for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro in 2021.
That’s no longer expected this year, Ross Young said in a tweet, because the 12.9-inch iPad Pro “works really well” and Apple doesn’t need to bring mini-LED to a smaller form factor.
If the 11-inch iPad Pro gets a mini-LED display, it would make the experience more similar for the two iPad Pro sizes and significantly lessen the appeal of the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Both iPad sizes share the same M1 Apple chip, camera and design, with display technology and battery capacity being the only differences. Apple is planning to update the iPad Pro sometime this year, and rumors remain a little vague about what to expect.
Rumors suggested that the iPad Pro would support reverse wireless charging for devices like the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, but subsequent reports also revealed the problems Apple faced in developing the feature. Apple originally wanted to develop a glass back on the iPad Pro, but it may opt to replace wireless charging with a large glass Apple logo.
Regarding performance, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that the new iPad Pro running iPadOS will likely feature the M2 Apple Silicon chip, which is more powerful than the M1 chip found in the current iPad Pro and the new fifth-generation iPad Air.