The new 108-inch iPad will launch in late 2020, a notable size change for Apple's flagship tablet And it will be followed by a new 85-inch iPad mini in the first half of 2021, according to Apple oracle and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo

In his latest research note seen by MacRumors, the often accurate analyst claims that two new variants of the inexpensive iPad will appear: either the 108-inch iPad will be a refresh of the 105-inch iPad Air or the 102-inch iPad replacement model is not clear

The current "standard" iPad is overdue for a refresh, as it uses the bezel-heavy design that Apple has used on generations of iPads and is powered by a reasonably aged A10 Fusion chip Apple's latest chips are the A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro and the A12Z in the iPad Pro 2020

The iPad Air was last updated in 2019, with the tablet featuring the same design as the 2017 iPad Pro and the A12 Bionic system-on-chip While still a very capable tablet, it definitely looks a bit dated compared to the iPad Pro tablet with its narrow bezels and Face ID technology

The same can be said for the iPad mini Finally, Apple's smallest tablet, refreshed in 2019, also has an A12 Bionic chip, which provides a good amount of power However, it uses the same chassis design as the original iPad mini from 2012, and the 79-inch Retina display feels quite cramped when compared to the bezel-less smartphone from 2020

Thus, all three of the aforementioned iPads may need a refresh; Kuo predicts that both the 108-inch iPad and the 85-inch iPad mini will have larger displays than the previous tablet models If so, they will likely mimic the current iPad Pro design, with significantly narrower bezels, eliminating the physical home button, and adopting Face ID This would allow both iPads to have larger displays without further increasing their overall size

It is also expected that Apple will equip the two new iPads with the latest A-series chips, possibly the A14 chip expected to be used in the iPhone 12 And since the iPad lineup seems to be more complex than before, with four models to choose from, it would not surprise me if the 108-inch iPad will replace both the current iPad and the iPad Air

The larger size could also make it easier for the new iPad to compete with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which has powerful specs and is rumored to come in both 11-inch and 124-inch variants Also, the size of the iPad will be in line with the iPad Pro, which will start at 11 inches

If Kuo's prediction is correct, the new 108-inch iPad will be revealed at the same event as the iPhone 12 Or, Apple may unveil the new iMac 2020 at another launch event in a few weeks