New iPad Pro with mini-LED display and Thunderbolt port coming ‘as early as April,’ says Bloomberg
Apple’s next iPad Pro may feature a Thunderbolt port, according to a report from Bloomberg.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman shared an interesting piece claiming that Apple has experimented with adding a Thunderbolt connector to the iPad Pro, which would make the device more compatible with external monitors and hard drives, as well as offering faster data syncing speeds, and more.
Gurman suggests the next-generation iPad Pro will feature updated A14X processor that will put the device “on par” with the M1 chip in the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air, with improved cameras and a long-rumored mini-LED display, offering many of the same benefits as OLED with less power consumption.
In testing, the new iPad Pros have used a Thunderbolt connector, the same port on the latest Macs with custom Apple processors. The port doesn’t require new chargers, but it would enable connectivity with additional external monitors, hard drives and other peripherals. It’s also faster at syncing data than the USB-C technology used in the current models.
“The new models will look similar to the current iPad Pros and come in the same 11-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes,” says Gurman, backing up earlier claims after alleged CAD renders leaked earlier in the year, hinting that few changes will be made to the overall look of the new model.
The news comes as serial leaker Jon Prosser tweeted that Apple’s rumored March event will now take place in April, where the company is expected to announce its updated iPad Pro alongside AirTags and a possible update to the Apple TV.
In the report, Gurman says Apple will likely also introduce a “thinner and lighter” version of the entry-level iPad at some point this year, as well as a new iPad mini featuring a larger display.