Certifications point to Apple unwrapping new iPads later this month
Apple is expected to hold an event on March 25th during which it might unveil the AirPods 2, some new subscription services for news, video streaming and games, and possibly the iPad mini 5. But there could be some more tablets announced by Apple on that date as well. According to MySmartPrice (via Apple Insider), two new iOS slates were certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The models that received the certification were A2124 and A2133.
Those two model numbers appear in a list of seven that were certified in January by the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The models receiving EEC certification include A2123, A2124, A2126, A2153, A2154, A2133, and A2152. Considering that each iPad usually has Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions, that would lead us to expect three new tablets to be introduced by Apple as soon as this month, with one of them being the new iPad mini.
There are no specs listed on either the EEC or BIS documentation, although both list the certified devices to be tablets. The BIS document does show that the new iPads will be assembled by a company called Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry, which is a subsidiary of Foxconn. The latter, of course, is one of Apple's main contract manufacturers.
Last month, reliable TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expects Apple to expand the screen size of the next iPad from 9.7-inches to 10.5-inches. This could mean that the recent design changes made to the iPad Pro will be coming to the smaller (and less expensive) iPad models. Besides the larger screen, we could see the removal of Touch ID and the addition of Face ID, thinner bezels, an edge-to-edge display and a USB-C port. The new units will most likely carry support for the Apple Pencil, a feature found on the sixth-generation model.
Kuo also said that instead of expecting a brand new design for the iPad mini 5, Apple will simply update the chipset on the iPad mini 4. The latter is equipped with the A8 SoC, which was used on 2014's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Two new iPad models are certified by India's BIS
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