Apple iPad 2021: everything we know so far about Apple’s incoming iPad models

The iPad 2021 we heard suggested it’d come with the A13 Bionic chipset which we saw in the iPhone 11 phones, alongside 4GB RAM. The leak also suggested the tablet will have a 10.5-inch screen, 0.3 inches bigger than its predecessor.

It also said that it’ll have 64GB storage in its most affordable variant, which would be a big step up from the 32GB currently available on the standard iPad.

Finally, that leak detailed the design, but it mostly sounds like the previous iPads with a Touch ID home button and big bezels.

1. High resolution selfie camera

If you go to take a selfie with the iPad 10.2 (2020), or jump on a video call, you might find yourself looking a little grainy. That’s because the tablet only has a 1.2MP front-facing camera, which is pretty low resolution.

Now a tablet doesn’t need a super-high-res selfie snapper – you’re probably going to take better-looking snaps with your phone, and if you want a professional portrait, a tablet isn’t how you’re going to do it.

Even still, 1.2MP is very low, and we feel Apple could bump that up to 8MP or so for improved selfies and video calling.

2. A big design change

The ‘main’ iPad line has not fundamentally changed its appearance ever since the original debuted, over 10 years ago. The iPad 10.2 in 2020, the eight-gen model, looks positively outdated, even compared to affordable Android tablets, and the existence of more futuristic-looking iPad Air and iPad Pro models has done little to offset this.

The entry-level iPad line is well due a design upgrade, much like what the iPade air had, though we’re not asking for an exact design replication. We just want a new entry-level iPad that feels modern in the hand, and is easily discernible from its myriad predecessors.

3. More storage space

Why do most smartphones have at least 128GB storage, yet Apple still sells tablets with only 32GB? In the modern age where people download games, movies, TV shows, music, work documents and more, that’s just not enough.

Sure, you could opt for a higher-storage option, but the 2020 iPad only came in 32GB or 128GB options – a tiny amount, or a fair amount, but that might not be enough for some people who want to download loads of content. iPad Pro models come with up to 1TB or 1,000GB, after all.

4. Faster charging

Most entry-level iPads come with 10W charging, which is about as fast as a melting glacier. Even though the 2020 model came with 20W charging, that’s still pretty slow, and it can lead to a slate taking a while to charge.

Apple products have never been good with battery life or fast charging, but we’d like the company to step up its game just a little bit. This would be helped with our next point…

5. A USB-C port

…a USB-C port is something we’re scratching our heads over why it’s not used in all iPads yet. Though iPad Pro models have them, and the newest iPad Air does too, Apple’s entry-level and Mini series of iPads have so far stuck with the inferior Lightning port.

USB-C cables are much faster for charging than lightning, and have quicker data transfer too. USB-C is much more common for cables, so if you had an iPad with it you could use it with all your cables and gadgets that also use the standard, and the physical jack itself is just way more durable than a flimsy Lightning connector.

Apple likely uses Lightning Ports still as that’s its proprietary tech, so it makes more money off selling you its own chargers and accessories instead of you buying cheaper third-party ones. But given how slow and flimsy they are, Apple can’t keep dragging its boots with this antiquated technology forever.