Apple Rumor: The 2017 iPad Could Be Redesigned

According to Japanese Apple blog Mac Otakara, the 2017 iPad could see a complete redesign.

In the report, Mac Otakara claims that the next iPad won’t have a home button, which, incidentally, coincides with rumors of Apple killing off the home button on their 2017 iPhone. (Another example of Apple forcefully propelling us into the future, it seems.) Furthermore, it’s insinuated that the 2017 iPad will be borderless.

“New iPads in March — Bezel-less [like the upcoming iPhone] — We expect the 9.7 [inch] to move to a low-cost model, a refresh of the 12.9 [inch] pro and a new 10.9 [inch], which is likely the same physical size as the 9.7 [inch] but with a borderless screen,” an analyst wrote, as stated by Business Insider.

Curiously, Mac Otakara’s statement seems to contradict that of the analyst in the Business Insider post, writing that “[the] whole model is not necessarily bezel-less, but the bezel is left in the top portion where the FaceTime camera is equipped, and the Home button would be also removed.”

As confusing as the language is — it is translated from Japanese to English, so some comprehension may have been lost during the translation process — this suggests that the only bezel on the 2017 iPad will be at the top of the device for the FaceTime camera; the rest of the device will be bezel-less.

These rumors began surfacing earlier this year courtesy of Business Insider, who stated that “Apple is preparing new iPads for a launch in March.”

Ming-Chi Kuo, KGI Securities analyst and fervent Apple predictor, originally stated in a report that Apple would be introducing new iPads as soon as 2018 but that a new 10.5-inch iPad would be announced sometime next year. This would mean there would be four iPad sizes: the iPad Mini at 7.9 inches, the classic iPad at 9.7 inches, the new 2017 iPad at 10.5 inches, and the larger iPad Pro at 12.9 inches.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Apple is rumored to ship three new iPad Pros in the spring of 2017. Along with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, there are, purportedly, two new “Pro” size options: a 7.9-inch model (the same size as the iPad Mini) and a 10.1-inch model (which is dangerously close to the rumored 10.5-inch iPad). With this information, that would mean there are three new iPads launching in 2017: a 7.9-inch iPad Pro, a 10.1-inch iPad Pro, and a 10.5-inch iPad. (It’s unclear whether this new iPad is a “Pro,” a “Mini,” or just an iPad.) Along with the redesigns, it seems Apple is preparing for a hefty iPad launch next year.

Apple Redesigns

The iPad isn’t the only device to see the classic redesign treatment from Apple.

The iPhone 4 introduced us to a device that was exorbitantly different — and smaller — than its iPhone 3GS counterpart. The iPhone 5 introduced us to a phone that was vastly different — and thinner and slightly larger — than its iPhone 4 counterpart. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus introduced us to a newly designed iPhone, a device that is starkly different — and curvier and much taller — than its blocky iPhone 5 counterpart.

Similarly, Apple’s desktops and laptops have seen quite a few redesigns over the years as well.

The MacBook Pro introduced us to an aluminum design that was different from the polycarbonate design of the original MacBook. The MacBook Air took the aluminum design of the MacBook Pro and shrunk it to make the notebook more portable. The MacBook took the aluminum design of the MacBook Pro and the thinness of the MacBook Air to make the notebook even more portable. After more than 10 years, the Mac Pro finally saw a redesign that made the workstation sleeker, leaner, and more compact, even if it resembled a trashcan. And the iMacs finally shrunk in size and weight, making them easier to set up on a desk without taking up a ton of space.

With 2017 in our midsts, March is right around the corner, and with it comes a supposed Apple keynote event that should answer all of these lingering questions and rumors.

[Featured Image by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images]