Bloomberg: Apple still working on a new iPad mini with smaller bezels

iPad mini 5
iPad mini 5 (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple is reportedly working on a new iPad mini.
  • The new tablet will have smaller bezels and might do away with the Home button.

Apple plans to release the first refreshed iPad mini in six years, with a launch window of "this year" reported by Bloomberg.

We've seen rumors of a new iPad mini before, potentially even in multiple iMac-like colors. But so far, so few iPad mini refreshes. That could be changing soon.

The Cupertino, California-based company is planning to release the new iPad Pro in 2022 and the iPad mini later this year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The main design change in testing for the iPad Pro is a switch to a glass back from the current aluminum enclosure. The updated iPad mini is planned to have narrower screen borders while the removal of its home button has also been tested.

That new iPad Pro is rumored to have reverse wireless charging, but it isn suggested the same feature will come to an iPad mini any time soon.

The removal of the Home button makes tons of sense and will position iPad mini as a smaller iPad Air, something its relatively costly price would also tie into. Upgraded internals and a potential move to USB-C could be in the cards, too.

The same report also suggests Apple continues to work on AirPower despite its previous problems. The project that refuses to die, AirPower was previously canned due to overheating issues.

A refreshed iPad mini could well be the best iPad for many people and many tasks. An announcement before the end of 2021 is rumored so it's time to cross those fingers and toes that the iPad mini lineup will soon get the attention it needs.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.