Get ready for big changes in the iPad 2024 lineup. Apple plans to shake things up next year, offering new versions of every tablet model, from the basic budget offering to the largest iPad Pro.
Details of the upcoming changes leaked out early, so we can tell you now what’s coming to the iPad in 2024.
iPad 2024: End the Apple tablet drought
No new iPads launched in 2023. None came out in the spring for dads-and-grads season, and the September and October Apple events came and went without a mention of a tablet. The Apple Pencil (USB-C) was unveiled this fall all by itself, without a new iPad to accompany it.
2024 will be very different. We can break down the changes coming to every model of iPadOS device on the docket for next year.
Table of contents:
- iPad Pro 2024: Apple’s pro tablet goes OLED
- iPad Air 2024: Go big or go home
- Or go small with iPad mini 7 next year
- Maybe go cheaper with iPad 11
iPad Pro 2024: Apple’s pro tablet goes OLED
Photo: Cult of Mac
Multiple sources indicate 2024 will bring the first iPad Pro with an OLED screen rather than the tablet’s traditional LCD. 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 change supposedly will come to both sizes of the iPad Pro in 2024. And speaking of sizes, tipsters say the next iPad Pro models will measure 11 inches (the same as the current model) and 13 inches (up slightly from 12.9 inches).
Expect an M3 processor — and a price hike
The current versions start at $799 and $1,099, depending on display size. OLED screens are beautiful but cost more than LCDs. It’s quite likely the iPad 2024 models will get a price hike due to the improved screen technology.
Other changes are possible, too. Leaks indicate the 2024 iPad Pro will come with the new Apple M3 processor that’s also used in some 2023 MacBooks. That’ll improve the tablet’s performance without affecting battery life.
The tablets are expected in March. And that’ll be a big month for iPad.
iPad Air 2024: Go big or go home
Photo: Apple
Also reportedly coming in March 2024 is the first 12.9-inch iPad Air. It’s been the subject of multiple leaks, so a launch seems likely.
As noted, the OLED iPad Pro models apparently will go up in price. The new, larger Air will serve as a more affordable option for anyone wanting a jumbo-size tablet, as it’ll stick with an LED screen.
More power, thanks to the M3 chip
Apple also likely will release an updated 10.9-inch version of the iPad Air at the same time. Both sizes supposedly will get the M3 chip, too.
The smaller one might stay at $599. The larger version could go for $899.
Or go small with iPad mini 7 next year
Photo: Apple
There hasn’t been a new iPad mini version since September 2021, so an update is due. That model included a significant redesign, dumping 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 for the iPad mini 2024 remains guesswork at this time. The current version starts at $499, and an increase is possible after about three years. The release is expected to come later in the year … perhaps in the autumn.
Maybe go cheaper with iPad 11
Photo: Apple
The “regular” iPad 2024 is also expected to get a new, faster chip as its major upgrade. The 2022 edition brought a larger, 10.9-inch screen, USB-C and other enhancements while kicking out the Home button. The iPad 11 is expected to keep the design.
It’ll also likely keep the $449 price when it launches later in the year — probably at the same time as iPad mini 7.
Apple supposedly will drop iPad 9 from its product lineup when the new entry-level tablet launches. That’s the last model still available with a Home button and a Lightning port.
