Apple could turn to a powerful A14X Bionic SoC for 5G enabled iPad Pro models later this year

There is speculation that Apple decided not to create an A13X Bionic for the new iPad Pro units because outside of adding the LiDar depth sensor and the improved camera setup on the back, nothing on the updated units requires additional heavy lifting by the processor. It also gives Apple the chance to design its first chipsets for the iPad that will be produced using TSMC’s 5nm process node (the A14X Bionic).

The 2020 iPhone 12 series will be powered by the 5nm A14 Bionic. With an 84% increase in transistor density, the A14 Bionic could contain as many as 15 billion transistors each compared to the 8.5 billion shoehorned into the A13 Bionic and the 10 billion transistors found in the A12X Bionic. While this much power would seem to be overkill for a new iPad mini, it would be perfect for the next variant of the iPad Pro. And the latter could be coming later this year if Apple decides to ship a 5G version of its top-of-the-line tablet. The A14X Bionic could make its debut on 5G versions of the 11-inch  and 12.9-inch iPad Pro tablets.

While tablet sales have been struggling for years, the iPad had a couple of good quarters during the second half of fiscal 2019. And thanks to the coronavirus outbreak, game-playing teens, those taking classes or working from home, and people who enjoy viewing streamed content are now  in the market to buy their first tablet or to upgrade an older model.