Apple intends to update the entire iPad lineup in the coming months, according to information leaking out of the company. Details have come to light about models from the smallest iPad mini to the largest iPad Pro.
Included on the list are tablets that haven’t been updated in a couple of years.
Here’s what to expect.
Looking to the iPad future
No new iPads have launched so far in 2023. The last was the iPad Pro models that reached customers in October 2022. And the rest of year will be equally bare of iPad updates, according to a trusted analyst.
However, another source points to at least one coming in Q4 2023. But for most of Apple’s tablet lines, fans of iPadOS may have to set their sights on 2024.
Starting small with iPad mini 7
Photo: Apple
The iPad mini 6 hit the market in September 2021, and an improved version of the tablet is finally on the way. It could arrive before the end of the year, according to Digitimes, but that hasn’t been confirmed by other sources.
The previous version included a significant redesign. It dumped the Home button to make room for an 8.3-inch screen, up from the old 7.8-inch one. It also dropped Lightning in favor of a USB-C connector, and added support for Apple Pencil 2.
iPad mini 7 is likely to keep the same design, with the major change being a faster processor. The current version runs an Apple A15, while newer iPhones run either an A16 Bionic or A17 Pro.
Pricing remains unknown at this time. The current version starts at $499.
And an iPad 11 with a faster processor
Photo: Logitech
Apple traditionally brings out a fresh version of the basic iPad every fall. That’s been the pattern since 2019.
When we’ll see the iPad 11 is still up in the air, though. It didn’t launch in September with the new iPhone 15 series, but theoretically could still land in October. However, there have been no rumors that point to a refreshed iPad being imminent. And there’s that report of no new iPads in 2023.
Apple is supposedly working on a new version of its budget model. The 2022 edition brought a larger screen, USB-C and other enhancements while kicking out the Home button. The iPad 11 is expected to keep the design and $449 price but with a newer, faster processor.
Two iPad Air versions on the way?
iPad Air 5 is Apple’s “prosumer” tablet, and the company is reportedly thinking of replacing it with two models. “Apple may be considering introducing a larger version of the iPad Air, or a more expensive model with better specs,” said 9to5Mac after speaking recently with unnamed sources.
Whatever the design or designs turn out to be, iPad Air 6 is likely to launch with an Apple M3 processor, the next generation of Apple silicon.
The release won’t happen until 2024, and pricing depends on the final configuration.
Bring on an OLED iPad Pro
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Both sizes of the next iPad Pro models will boast an OLED display, according to multiple sources. With OLED (short for organic light-emitting diode) displays, each pixel glows on its own. This leads to a bright, even image with strong contrast.
The current 12.9-inch iPad Pro model supposedly will be replaced with a slightly larger one at 13 inches. The 11-inch version will stay the same.
These undoubtedly will premiere running the Apple M3 processor, bringing an increase in performance and battery life.
The additional features might be accompanied by an increase in price. The current models start at $799 and $1,099, depending on size.
When the next iPad Pro versions launch in Q1 2024, they supposedly will be accompanied by a new Magic Keyboard that will feature a larger trackpad and make the new tablets look more like laptops.
