Tablet

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) is exquisite and delivers even more than the 11-inch model, thanks to its Mini LED display. The step-up to an Apple M1 SoC provides laptop performance in a tablet form factor, too. We have some issues with Apple's latest professional tablet though, and they are more than just iPadOS.

There is an 11.6-inch semi-rugged convertible with 768p touchscreen powered by the Snapdragon 7c SoC coupled with 4 GB LPDDR4 and 64 GB of eMMC storage, whereas the 13.3-inch regular slim and light GWTN133-1 features a slightly faster Snapdragon 850 SoC, 4 GB LPDDR4, 128 GB eMMC storage and a 1080p screen.

First details of what could eventually become the Xiaomi Mi Pad 6 tablet have been shared by a prolific leaker. Once again it appears the popular Chinese OEM has looked to Apple for some inspiration with future products. Meanwhile, the Mi Pad 5 slate is expected to be revealed at a special Xiaomi event in August.

Lenovo has released a premium, Snapdragon 870 SoC-powered 16:10 2K-display tablet that can also act as a second screen via HDMI called the Yoga Pad Pro in China. Now, the OEM has confirmed that it will be re-branded as the Yoga Tab 13 for the global market. The device still has its quad JBL-tuned speakers, 8GB of RAM, 10,00mAh battery and useful kickstand.

Lenovo has unveiled the premium Yoga Tab 13 at MWC 2021; now, it is time for its 11-inch counterpart to take the same stage. This device has many design features in common with the higher-end slate, although its 2K display is 15:9 rather than 16:10. On the other hand, this one has a Wi-Fi only option for the more budget-conscious consumer.

Lenovo has unveiled a new addition to its Tab P line at the latest Mobile World Congress. This Android 11 device has a 2K IPS-LCD display, quad speakers and a 7,700mAh battery. It will be available later in 2021 in 3 colors and a base 4GB RAM model for US$260.

Lenovo has upgraded the Tab M8 with some new hardware and software. Its key specs include an 8-inch screen, a MediaTek Helio P22 SoC, 5,100mAh battery, a USB Type-C port, up to 64GB of internal storage and Android 11 support. The tablet will hit shelves in select markets later this year.

Lenovo has launched the third iteration of its entry-level Tab M7. It packs a 7-inch IPS LCD panel, a quad-core MediaTek SoC, a 3,750mAh battery and runs Android 11 Go Edition out of the box. The tablet will retail for US$110 and will be available for purchase in July 2021.

Intel has taken its first steps towards directly taking on Arm-based chips through a new partnership with potential acquisition target SiFive. The hook-up will see Intel license SiFive’s chip architecture and fabricate a custom SoC expected in 2022.

The new iPad Pro 11 and iPad Pro 12.9 may support up to 16 GB of RAM, but iPadOS cannot use more than 5 GB. The latest iPadOS beta suggests that this could be about to change, though.

Windows 11 may seem like Windows 10 with a fancy skin, but Android app emulation could be a boon for Microsoft's Surface Pro and Surface Pro X series. If Microsoft pulls it off, it could finally provide Apple and its iPad Pro tablets with serious competition.

TCL has made its new NXTWEAR G smart glasses official. The new wearable has Sony OLED lenses equating to a 140-inch view, which can display content from a USB type-C-enabled mobile device or laptop or 2-in-1. The OEM claims it is compatible with over 100 of these, and will be available later in 2021.

Honor has already confirmed that the Magic sub-brand will be updated with a flagship Android phone soon. A new leak suggests that the OEM also has a foldable phablet and clamshell in the works that will also launch under this name, not to mention new laptops, a router and accessories that might include a stylus.

The JingPad A1 has smashed through its funding target on Indiegogo, where it is currently available to back. The tablet is the first running Linux and comes with an AMOLED display, along with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

Google already provides a Find My Device service for Android. Now, a new leak suggests that it is working on making it more like Apple's version. The Mountain View giant is reportedly working on a new OS option that allows devices to join a network that locates missing possessions such as phones.

The Android OEM Vivo has applied to trademark what is most likely the name for its first ever tablet with the European Union's intellectual property office (EUIPO). This may indicate that the device will be launched soon, probably in the same market. It is rumored to have a battery of about 8,000mAh in capacity.

OnePlus, Meizu and Asus are just some of the members of the Mutual Transfer Alliance, a new group that allows its members access to a new, Bluetooth-independent method of localized file-swapping between devices. The option is getting increasingly popular, and may get even more so should Samsung take it up as a new leak suggests.

Samsung has expanded its mobile-device presence in India with the launch of 2 of its latest tablets in the country. The S7 FE and A7 Lite models of the OEM's Galaxy Tab line are promoted as battery champs, particularly the former with its 10,090mAh power-pack. They have been launched alongside their prices for their new markets, although their release comes later in June 2021.

Xiaomi's next tablet series has arrived on the EEC, following several leaks last month. The so-called Mi Pad 5 series is expected to arrive this summer, and will receive a global launch.

Google has been testing the ability to send texts, files and photos through its Messages service with end-to-end encryption for some time. Now, it has announced that it is to become available for the stable version of this app. The Mountain View giant claims that it results in messaged content that stays between 2 people in the same chat.

The latest report from Counterpoint Research shows that the tablet market grew by 51% in the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021) in terms of shipments. Apple, Samsung and Lenovo were leading brands in the space, whereas others such as Huawei and Amazon had dropped off somewhat.

According to a report, Apple has settled on the design for its next iPad mini. The so-called iPad mini 6 contains numerous changes from the current model, including a more modern design, an Apple A14 Bionic SoC and an optional 5G modem. Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support are also due for the upcoming tablet.

Wacom has announced that the entry-level, non-wireless version of its Intuos drawing tablet has joined the Works With Chromebook program. This means the device is certified to integrate "seamlessly" with Chrome OS PCs via USB type A. This might represent a useful new prospect for beginner artists and creators, not to mention remote educators.

A new Twitter leak suggests that Samsung has won the contract to supply Qualcomm with the successor to its flagship mobile SoC, the Snapdragon 888. Should this be the case, the South Korean giant will make this chipset alongside its own next-gen top-end processor, the Exynos 2200, possibly using the same "4nm" process.

Lenovo's latest Windows tablet is barely 4 months old and it's already being discounted. If you're in the market for a Windows Surface Pro, then you may want to consider getting the ThinkPad X12 instead.

The wow-factor of the new slim-bezel iPad Pro's design on its reveal may have quickly transmuted into anxiety when the popular YouTuber Zach Nelson found that its super-slim frame rendered it extremely susceptible to destruction should it encounter bending forces. Now, it is finally time to see how the latest, mini-LED iteration of this tablet holds up to the same kind of testing.

Realme has set the international launch of its flagship smartphone, the GT, for June 15, 2021. Now, its latest teasers hint that it has an additional new product by the same name to debut alongside it. This prospect is presented alongside images that might show the profiles of not only its rumored first laptop, but a tablet as well.

Samsung has delivered on an earlier teaser with the launch of the ISOCELL JN1 camera for mobile devices today (June 10, 2021). It packs the industry's smallest pixel size of 0.64 microns, which fits in well with its relatively tiny overall size. The OEM asserts that it is ready to become the main, wide, ultra-wide or telephoto camera of the mid-range to flagship phones of the immediate future.

Samsung has announced that its next new ISOCELL sensor for smartphone cameras is "for everyone", thereby suggesting a new, mid-range variant is slated to join this series soon. The OEM has invited its Twitter audience to "stay tuned" for more details to be released on June 10, 2021.

Huawei will upgrade over 100 smartphones and tablets to HarmonyOS, its replacement for EMUI. While the jury may be out on what HarmonyOS exactly is, Huawei should receive some credit for committing to updating devices as old as the Mate 9 and P10, among others. All devices should receive HarmonyOS by mid-2022 at the latest.

Apple's WWDC 2021 keynote has introduced the next big things in iPadOS. They include new cross-platform features such as the upgraded Maps, FaceTime and Messages app. However, others, such as fresh split-screen capabilities, better-fitting widgets and the new Shelf, are more tablet-specific.

A new leak suggests that Samsung plans on making its upcoming foldable smartphones a bit more affordable. Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 could be 20% cheaper than their antecedents.

Microsoft has patented a new and particularly futuristic take on its logo: one that integrates camera sensors. This concept, which might come as part of the OEM's hardware one day, uses emerging under-display technology to put a tiny lens behind each square of the iconic Windows-evoking symbol. The new leak hints that it might appear on either the front or rear of next-gen devices.

Google has reportedly informed developers that it will introduce a new setting in Android that allows users to suspend Advertiser ID sharing across apps. The measure might boost privacy, although some app-makers might argue that it might also increase the risk of certain frauds, as well as revenue loss. Nonetheless, the changes are slated to start taking effect from late 2021.

The current US Government has announced a fresh panel of restrictions on a total of 59 companies that, as the administration believes, has links to China's ruling political party. These sanctions prevent the corporations on the list from securing investment from US entities. The measures come into effect from August 2, 2021.

Apple is prepping a next-generation iPad Pro with a new premium glass back finish in order to enable wireless charging reports Bloomberg. Changes are also in store for the iPad mini as well as the entry level iPad.

A Twitter-based leaker claims that Samsung has a new, AirPower-like wireless charger in the works. This pad is apparently thinner than its closest pre-existing counterpart, thanks to slimmer coil and thermal-management technology. The putative accessory is touted to power compatible devices at up to 25W.

Samsung has patented a device known as the "Galaxy Z Fold Tab" on the rumor mill. It seems to confirm that the OEM is planning to launch an inaugural tablet with 2 hinges and that can fold in a number of ways to give a number of modes. Some new renders might hint at how such a device might look and work in the real world.

Huawei has launched a new high-end tablet in Germany called the Huawei MatePad Pro. It features a 12.6-inch OLED screen, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, a 10,000mAh battery and HarmonyOS 2.0. It will retail at EUR 799 and will hit shelves on June 13.

The Huawei Mate Pad 11 is now official in Germany. It runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipset coupled with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 7,250mAh battery. It costs EUR 399 and will be available for purchase on July 13.

Huawei has reportedly hung physical posters teasing its second-gen MatePad Pro up around its domestic market ahead of its imminent launch. They depict a high-end slate with slim enough bezels, not to mention screen contents seemingly lining up with those from earlier HarmonyOS-related leaks. The device might also sell alongside a new keyboard dock and a compatible stylus.

Apple's Podcasts app will soon spawn a new wave of titles, to be published by new partner brands such as the Washington Post and Sony Music and also by independent creators. These new streams will require monthly or yearly fees, for which bonus or early-access content, as well as an ad-free experience, are thrown in. The new subscriptions are to be available in 170 countries from May 2021.

Today (May 31, 2021) is the last day on which LG's production lines for smartphones and tablets will be open. The OEM had previously announced that it would no longer be making these kinds of devices, and will now repurpose their former plant to make new home appliances instead. It might also now churn out new displays and camera components.