Apple could announce new iPads as soon as Tuesday, according to a new report. The company could unveil a new entry-level iPad, an updated iPad Air and the iPad mini 7.
All refreshed iPads purportedly will sport a minor spec bump but few other changes.
New iPads with minor upgrades reportedly incoming
The Saturday report from Supercharged comes from sources “familiar with Apple’s media plans.” Seemingly, the M1 iPad Air, which launched in March 2022, will get an update with a faster M2 chip. Similarly, the iPad mini will get a faster A16 Bionic SoC. Apple should also fix the “jelly scrolling” issue that plagues the iPad mini 6 with this refresh.
It’s unclear what upgrade the entry-level iPad will get, but it should be similar to the other tablets. There could be some minor improvements related to connectivity, but that’s about it.
“Apple is planning briefings with select media personnel scheduled for later this week specifically focused on the iPad,” Supercharged wrote in a Sunday update.
A recent rumor on Weibo claimed that Apple might soon unveil the third-gen Apple Pencil with USB-C. The accessory could go live alongside the new iPads on October 17.
No Apple October media event this year
Apple typically announces new iPads every October, so the report sounds plausible. And given the minor refresh, it makes sense for the company to announce the updated tablets via press release rather than holding a media event.
However, not everyone is convinced Apple will deliver the new tablets so soon.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who previously said Apple planned to release new MacBooks and iPads in October, now says “the latest indications are that it won’t happen this month.”
However, that could just mean Apple won’t try to make a big splash with another of its hybrid media events. And that could jibe with the rumored press release announcements.
Gurman did confirm that new Apple tablets are on the way in his Sunday Power On newsletter.
“A new entry-level iPad, iPad Air and iPad mini are all in development with faster chips,” he wrote, “but I don’t believe updates of any significance are imminent.”
iPad preorders should start on the same day
If the October 17 rumor proves true, the new iPads likely would go up for preorder immediately after the announcement, then go on sale about a week later. Apple is also rumored to release iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1 by October 24, which likely will be when the new iPads hit retail stores.
The M2 iPad Pro is unlikely to be refreshed, as it was last updated in October 2022. Apple’s iPad Pro lineup typically operates on an 18-month refresh cycle.
Note: We originally published this news story on October 14. We updated it with additional information.
