Now that 2020 is winding down, lots of leaks and rumors are focusing on the new devices that'll come out in 2021. And today some info on Apple's new mobile products for 2021 has come out.
The iPad will reportedly adopt a couple of new technologies next year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors), who has a history of accurately predicted Apple's upcoming moves, says that the iPad's growth momentum in 2021 will come as a result of using new tech like Mini-LED backlighting and 5G.
While Kuo doesn't go into any other detail about which products will include these technologies, the next iPad Pro seems likely. Past rumors have suggested that the new iPad Pro will adopt a Mini-LED display and 5G connectivity next year, and Apple has previously chosen the iPad Pro to new features in the iPad family first, like ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate and USB-C.
Kuo also suggests that a new low-cost iPad will launch in the second half of 2021. This will likely be a new entry-level ninth generation iPad model.
Third generation AirPods are likely to launch in the late second quarter of 2021, Kuo suggests, which means they could arrive in May or June. Previous reports have suggested that these AirPods could look similar to the current AirPods Pro, but without noise cancellation.
Finally, Kuo says that "new Apple Watch shipment's momentum in 2021 will benefit from innovative health management functions and improved form factor design." What's not clear is what the "improved form factor design" might be. It seems to suggest that the Apple Watch Series 7 could come with an updated design after the Series 4, 5, and 6 versions all used a similar look. But it's also possible that this could just be new aluminum colors, like the blue and red versions of the Apple Watch Series 6.