New 11-inch iPad case found at Target as rumors revolve around next refresh

As rumors circulate about an upcoming refresh of the iPad Pro, which could be announced as part of an alleged Apple event on Tuesday, March 23, it appears at least one accessory maker has already started to prepare. .

A photo shared on Reddit today shows what appears to be a Speck folio listed as being compatible with an as yet unannounced 2021 model of an 11-inch iPad, in addition to the 11-inch iPad Pro and the 10.9-inch iPad. air. The user who submitted the photo said he found the folio on Target’s shelf, but when he attempted to purchase it, the payment system said the item could not be sold until 6 April.

The packaging doesn’t explicitly mention that the new 11-inch iPad is a Pro model, but it’s almost certainly the device it would refer to, as no other iPad to come would feature an 11-inch display. The ninth-generation iPad, for example, is rumored to have a 10.5-inch display like the third-generation iPad Air.

While it’s hard to draw definitive conclusions from photos like these, it’s possible that Speck has learned that the upcoming 11-inch iPad Pro will be very similar in dimensions to the current model. That wouldn’t be too surprising, as there haven’t been any rumors of a major overhaul of the upcoming iPad Pro, with key new features expected to include a Mini-LED display, faster A14X chip, and support for 5G on cellular models.

We wouldn’t read too far Target’s alleged on-sale date of April 6 for the Speck folio either, but at least it’s in the approximate end of March to early April timeframe for the next update of the. iPad Pro which was reported by DigiTimes earlier today.

Interestingly, most rumors only mention a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro and not an 11-inch model, but the devices are usually updated simultaneously. March is a common month for Apple to announce new or updated products, with other products rumored to include the long-awaited AirTags, a new Apple TV, new AirPods, and more Apple Silicone Macs. .

Apple last updated its iPad Pro line in March 2020 with a slightly improved A12Z chip, ultra wide camera, LiDAR scanner, and better microphones.

(Thanks, Greg!)