Apple’s 11-Inch iPad Air, 23-Inch iMac Still Releasing In 2020 Despite Pandemic

Apple is still on track to release new devices this year aside from the new iPhones, reports reveal.

A report from China Times, spotted by Japanese blog MacOtakara, claimed that Apple is planning on releasing a new iMac and a new iPad Air model this year, Apple Insider reported. The new devices are said to be affordable variants aimed at consumers looking for new devices amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

China Times (translated via Google) claims that due to the overwhelming market response to the new budget-friendly iPhone SE, Apple plans on selling new devices that are aimed at the budget-friendly category as well. These include a 23-inch iMac and an 11-inch iPad Air that will be released during the second half of the year.

Apple last updated the iMac lineup with 21.5-inch and 27-inch variants in 2019. The report claims that the 23-inch iMac, which might be more affordable, could replace the lower-priced 21.5-inch model. The new iMac will be manufactured by Quanta, the report said.

Apple Insider noted that this won't be the first time that Cupertino will use a display that measures about the same size as the alleged 23-inch model. Fans will remember that Apple released a 24-inch version of the iMac in 2007.

The report also noted how the stay-at-home policies caused by the COVID-19 outbreak caused iPad sales to rise. This is because of the increase in the need for people to study at home using such devices. The report doesn't specify it, but it does imply that Apple plans to release an affordable 11-inch iPad Air model to take advantage of the situation.

LG Display will be the “largest supplier” of display panels that will be used on the said device, the report claimed. Aside from LG Display, other suppliers include Sharp and BOE. The devices will be manufactured by Foxconn and Compal.

The report said the new iPad Air will start “mass production in the third quarter.” The new iMac, on the other hand, is “planned for the end of the third and fourth quarter,” and mass production could start by the second half of the year.

It's worth noting that the report is written in Chinese and is translated using Google Translate. That said, there could be some errors when it comes to the details given. Fans are advised to stay tuned for more updates as they come.