This year's new cheap iPad model could be much larger than its predecessors
Another size jump
Below the iPad Pro and iPad Air lines sits the 'basic' iPad, a cheap and cheerful entry-level device that recently has been getting yearly iterations with small tweaks. But it seems that this year one of those 'small' tweaks could actually be another increase in size.
According to an investor note written by Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with a great track record for Apple leaks, and published by Macrumors, the new 2020 iPad will have a 10.8-inch screen. That's quite a step up from the iPad 10.2 in 2019, which was itself a jump from the iPad 9.7 in 2018.
- These are the best iPads
- Read our iPad Pro 2020 review
- These are the best cheap tablets
The new iPad 10.8 wasn't the only product Kuo mentioned, as he also claimed that there's a new iPad mini coming in the first half of 2021, which will supposedly have a screen measuring somewhere between 8.5 inches and 9 inches.
Again, that's much bigger than the iPad mini (2019), which has a 7.9-inch display - and if it turns out to be 9 inches then it would be a more dramatic size increase than the standard iPad is said to be getting.
Upsizing
If Kuo is correct, Apple is in the process of bolstering its iPad range with devices that are larger than before.
It's possible that this is indicative of a broader trend, and we'll see this size increase in the iPad Air and iPad Pro ranges too, although the latter is already so big that a size increase is arguably unlikely - the iPad Pro 12.9 would be bigger than some Apple laptops if it got a larger screen.
Kuo didn't mention any new iPad Pro models though, and it's possible he would have done if any were coming this year. That's worth noting, as elsewhere there have been rumors that there's a new iPad Pro coming later in 2020.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Either way, we'll find out if Kuo is correct in due course - the iPad 10.2 was released towards the end of 2019, and if we are indeed going to see an iPad 10.8 then it'll likely be out towards the end of this year.
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.