New iPad Air 2020 could take two of the iPad Pro’s best features

A big size and USB-C port

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The iPad Air line of devices sits between the entry-leveliPadand top-endiPad Proin terms of price, but a new leak suggestsApplewants its next iPad Air to function a lot more like its iPad Pro devices.

This is according to a report from Chinese siteMyDrivers, based on insider sources in Apple’s manufacturing chain. According to the report, the next-gen iPad Air is set to make two big changes over theiPad Air (2019)- a bigger screen, and a USB-C port instead of the Lighting connector.

The third-generation iPad Air has a 10.5-inch display, but apparently the upcoming version will have an 11-inch display. That’s the same size as the smaller iPad Pro - in fact, MyDrivers states Apple will literally use the same mold for the screens for both devices.

That could imply the next iPad Air 4 could come with some of the iPad Pro’s features too, if they’re set to be so similar - perhaps Face ID or a variable refresh rate could make an appearance.

The use of USB-C would arguably be a bigger change as currently most portable Apple devices, including iPhones and many iPads, use the company’s proprietary Lightning port, which is generally slower for data transfer and charging.

USB-C could let the iPad Air charge quicker, and also transfer data through USB much quicker.

The iPad Mini was detailed too

Apparently the next-gen iPad Mini will stick with the Lightning port, so if you’re looking for a new device and don’t want to lose all the Lightning cables you’ve got, it could be a good choice.

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It seems the iPad Mini will get a screen size increase to 8.5 inches, over 7.9 like the currentiPad Mini (2019). This would keep it as the smallest iPad, even smaller than the entry-leveliPad 10.2.

According to the report, the iPad Mini will remain more costly than the entry-level iPad as it will feature an A13 Bionic chipset, as seen in theiPhone 11, to give it top-end processing power.

Apple doesn’t release its tablets in yearly cycles, so it’s hard to know when we might see the next-gen iPad Air and iPad Mini (although the current-gen versions were released in 2019).  On top of that, the MyDrivers report doesn’t contain any predictions or estimations on release dates so it’s hard to know for now.

Either way, we’ll know if these iPad Mini and iPad Air rumors are true whenever they are launched.

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.

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