The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is rumored to get an update this year and feature a new mini-LED display. It was expected that Apple would launch the new Pro model alongside more products at an event this month. However, a new piece of information suggests otherwise. It is now being said that this new mini-LED-equipped iPad will only start shipping in the second quarter of 2021, which means anytime after April 1.
According to DigiTimes citing industry sources, mass shipments for the new iPad with mini-LED will begin in the second quarter. A previous report did mention a tentative period of March-end, but it seems that that is no longer the case.
Epistar has become the exclusive supplier of mini-LED chips to be used in 12.9-inch miniLED-backlit ‌iPad Pro‌, with nearly 50% of the corresponding production capacity booked up for the tablet and volume shipments to begin in the second quarter of 2021, the sources said.
This could essentially mean two things- either Apple will announce the iPad Pro this month and set a shipping date for next month, or it will postpone the launch altogether. While Apple hasn’t confirmed any date for its event, we have heard multiple sources claiming that the launch could be scheduled for March 23. But even that seems to have changed recently.
Popular Apple tipster Jon Prosser recently tweeted, suggesting that Apple could have changed its plans and moved the event to April. The only possible reason that we can point at, is the delay in the mass shipments of the mini-LED-equipped iPad. Prosser had also mentioned in a video a couple of weeks ago that the new iPad Pro range is also expected to get a new chipset based on the M1 SoC available on the new Mac products. Apple is also expected to announce new AirTags and AirPods 3 alongside the new iPad Pro models for 2021. Most of the information is speculative, so it's best that you hold on, and wait for Apple to make an official announcement in the coming days.