Apple isn't done with new iPads just yet. Fresh off unveiling this year's latest iPad Pro model with significantly reduced bezels and Face ID, the Cupertino brand is apparently gearing up for two more models in 2019: an iPad Mini and a regular 10.5-inch model.
The fifth-generation iPad mini would come sometime in the first half of 2019, according to supply chain sources cited by China Times, then it would be followed by the new entry-level iPad, which comes in two versions, apparently.
The report was first spotted by Japanese blog Mac Otakara, and it claims the release of the iPad mini 5 is an attempt to halt a general decline in iPad sales. Mass production is expected to begin by the end of December.
Fifth-Generation iPad Mini
The iPad mini is Apple's smallest iPad option, perfect for folks who find tablets too unwieldy and phones too small. The company hasn't updated the mini line since 2015, however, although it did slash its price in 2017, with the 128 GB model costing $399. In any case, the current model is sorely lacking in terms of specs and aesthetics, and it's unarguably the perfect time for Apple to update this wee device and bring it up to speed.
Every rumor, of course, must be taken with a grain of salt. Do take note, however, that famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed back in October that Apple was developing a new iPad mini model with an upgraded processor and a lower-cost display panel. He claimed the device would be launching in 2018 or early next year.
New Entry-Level iPad
As for the 10-inch iPad, the report claims the device would be replacing the sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPad Apple currently sells and that it will be priced similarly but have an updated design with a narrower frame. There would be two versions of this device, apparently, and the report mentioned "second half" of 2019 as the release date.
It's not certain whether these rumored devices would come with thinner bezels and Face ID like the iPad Pro, although considering they're essentially mid-tier devices, the notion is probably unlikely. The rumored refreshed iPad is more surprising of the two here, as Apple already revamped its entry-level tablet this past April. However, that model didn't really come with a ton of new features aside from a new chip and Apple Pencil support, so it wouldn't be impossible for Apple to do a more significant update that brings that standard iPad more in line with the latest iPad Pro.
Thoughts on the rumored iPads coming next year? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
