Apple's next iPad Air could be closer to the iPad Pro 2020, with a USB-C port instead of the Lightning connection of the current generation of mid-range tablets. It should also be expected to have a larger display than the current 10.5-inch panel.

Supply chain blog Macotakara reports that sources say the iPad Air 4 will have a USB-C connection, but the revamped iPad mini will still stick with the Lightning port. This will allow the iPad Air to connect to DSLR cameras and other accessories without the need for a dongle.

Indeed, Macotakara notes that the next iPad Air could learn a lot from the 11-inch iPad Pro, with slimmer display bezels and potentially larger displays. This could also mean that the next iPad Air will do away with Touch ID and the home button in favor of the Face ID system and gesture-only navigation. [The iPad mini, the 10.2-inch standard iPad, the 10.5-inch iPad Air, and the iPad Pro. This would mean that Apple would effectively have a lineup of low, mid, and high-end tablets.

However, given the similarities between the standard iPad and the iPad Air, it would not be surprising if Apple redesigned the iPad Air 2020. With the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard accessories already available, adding USB-C would certainly expand the device's functionality for work and play.