Apple has remained quiet since the launch of the iPhone 15 series, and new Apple Watches. Now, rumours are circulating new iPads could be on the way, however as originally suspected, the company didn’t announce new versions on October 17th.
The imminent announcement will likely take place through an online press release, not press event, making it the perfect time as holiday shopping is right around the corner. But even if the announcement happens, the iPads won’t be released this month.
There is speculation Apple are set to announce updated versions of the iPad Mini, iPad Air, and base model iPad.
Mark Gurman from Bloomberg believes that the announcement is coming up, however no significant updates will occur soon. He also claimed the new iPads are not expected to be launched this month.
Over the years, there have been 6 mini iPad models. The current version was announced over two years ago alongside the 9th Gen iPad and iPhone 13 series. It has an 8.3 inch display and was fairly similar to the iPad Air 4th Gen launched a year earlier. It was then discontinued in March 2022.
The 6th Gen iPad mini is equipped with the A15 Bionic chip, boasting a more powerful chip than the 10th Gen iPad, released a year later with the A14 Bionic chip. The iPad mini also usually has better internals than the budget iPad, along with higher price points.
The iPad Air features the M1 chip, while the M2 chip powers the latest iPad Pro models.
Rumors are suggesting a 7th Gen iPad mini to feature an A16 Bionic chip, as well as a new display controller to remove the jelly scrolling issue.
Information regarding the 6th iPad Air and 11th iPad is minimal. The iPad Air is tipped to feature the M2 chip, and possible updated features including ProMotion 120Hz technology for the display and a 10 core GPU powered by the M2 chip. There is also possibility of a USB-C connector with Thunderbolt/USB 4 support, as well as an upgrade to WiFi 6, speeds up to 2.4 Gbps.
The iPad Air and Pro are likely to differentiate in terms of the camera system and authentication. The Air is tipped to not include an ultrawide camera, or Face ID. Also it’s not likely storage will extend 256GB. There are also rumours of multiple colour options.
The current base model iPad was last updated a year ago, featuring an A14 Bionic chip. The next gen version is tipped to have minor updates such as an A15 Bionic chip, and feature a 10.9 inch Liquid Retina display and Touch ID.
With the arrival of an 11th Gen iPad, the 10th Gen should stay but be lowered in price if we take note from past years.
For those wanting a new iPad Pro model, it will likely be another year for the latest updates. The upcoming iPad Pro lineup, is expected to launch sometime next year, and is tipped to have OLED screens and be powered by the new M3 chip.
The largest iPad Pro could also feature a slightly bigger display of 13 inches, up from the current 12.9, along with new glass bodies. The 11 inch and 12.9 inch iPad Pros were updated a year ago.
