The current iPad Mini is like the iPhone SE 2020 of Apple's tablet lineup. It is very compact, uses a very old design, and had not received an update since 2015, until last year when Apple upgraded to the A12 Bionic chipset.

However, according to analyst Min Chikuo's note, the iPad Mini could get a new lease of life.

Meanwhile, the new 10.8-inch iPad could arrive even sooner, by the end of the year. This news comes from MacRumors.

According to Kuo, the strategy Apple chooses to take here would be similar to how they have approached its new cheap iPhone. The calling card for both new iPad models will be a fast, flagship-class chipset despite the low price. Affordable iPads are likely to account for 60% to 70% of Apple's total tablet shipments.

No doubt iPad Mini devotees will jump at the idea of a new model with a larger display in that smaller casing. The current Mini's panel is 7.9 inches with a prominent bezel around it, and Apple has not changed the design once since it introduced the tablet in 2012.

MacRumors also highlights that in March, Kuo raised the possibility that Apple would release an update to the existing 7.9-inch iPad Mini with a Mini LED display by the end of the year. However, that doesn't exactly match this latest rumor, so it seems something must be given up. It is unlikely that Apple will release a new 7.9-inch tablet with an advanced display if only to replace it in a few months. Perhaps even an 8.5- or 9-inch A12-equipped iPad Mini could feature a mini LED panel.

The cheapest iPad currently available is the 10.2-inch model with an A10 chip and 32GB of storage, starting at $329. This is followed by the Mini at $399 and the iPad Air at $499. However, it is unclear how these prices will change with the arrival of the new models.

Kuo's iPad report was released at the same time that analysts warned that the rumored Apple Glasses would be in consumer hands in 2022 "at the earliest," but tipster Jon Prosser disagreed with this prediction and said the actual release date would be between March and June 2021 between March and June 2021.