Yes, Apple has been working on new iPads, and this doesn’t come as a surprise to those who read 9to5Mac frequently. Following our report earlier this month, there were reports from other sources that also suggested that Apple will be launching new iPads – or at least new accessories – very soon. Now, we want to know which iPad-related announcement you’re most excited to see next.
Rumors about new iPads
According to 9to5Mac’s sources, Apple has been working on multiple new iPads. This includes updated models of the entry-level iPad, iPad mini, iPad Pro, and even new versions of the iPad Air.
Since the current iPad Pro already has the M2 chip, it seems more likely that Apple will wait until the M3 chip is unveiled to introduce a new generation of iPad Pro. In other words, we shouldn’t expect a new iPad Pro any time soon, as the first M3 Macs aren’t expected to be unveiled until 2024.
But three other iPads are likely to get an upgrade any time now. The iPad mini, for example, was last updated in 2021, when it got a new design and the A15 Bionic chip. Codenamed J410 and J411, the new iPad mini 7 will keep the same design but with a faster chip (probably the A16 Bionic).
Apple has also been running tests with an updated version of the entry-level iPad, codenamed J126b. The 10th generation iPad was introduced last year and features a similar design to the iPad Air, in addition to a USB-C port. But on the inside, this iPad has the A14 Bionic chip. iPad 11 is also expected to get a spec bump with minimal or no design changes.
When it comes to the iPad Air, rumors are a bit bolder. We’ve heard from our sources that Apple has been working on two different models: one is a replacement for the iPad Air 5 (codenamed J507 and J508) with the M2 chip (the current one has the M1 chip), and there’s another version that may have different hardware (such as a larger display).
This second version (identified as J537 and J538), however, is experimental and may be scrapped or introduced at another time. This wouldn’t come as a surprise since the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air was introduced a year after the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air.
There’s something going on
Supercharged’s Sami Fathi reported over the weekend that Apple has been inviting the press to share some iPad news later this week. 9to5Mac was able to corroborate these reports with independent sources. The announcement could come as early as tomorrow, October 17.
Top comment by Nutmac
I voted entry level iPad because it offers what most people use iPad for (consumption) with minimal compromises. It doesn't help that recent iPadOS improvements have been ho-hum at best.
So bump it up to A16, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and add Pencil 3 compatibility and you have an ideal iPad for $450 (64GB) or $600 (256GB).
For iPad Pro to be more appealing, Apple must bring mini-LED to 11" model. That leaves iPad Air in a sad place. Unless Apple bumps up its base storage to 128GB, it doesn't have much of a place in the lineup IMO.
It seems obvious to think that Apple will announce some new iPad models via a press release or a small pre-recorded event. The company did exactly that last year to introduce the iPad Air 5 and the M2 iPad Pro. However, the Japanese website MacOtakara reported on Monday that this week’s announcement could be related to a new Apple Pencil rather than new iPads.
A few weeks ago, the X user known as “Majin Bu” reported that Apple was working on a new generation of Apple Pencil with interchangeable magnetic tips. Apple would provide different tips better suited to writing or drawing, for example. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seem to believe that Apple won’t be launching new iPads this month.
But would Apple introduce a new Apple Pencil out of the blue without a specific reason?
Which iPad-related announcements are you most excited to see?
Given the latest rumors, which iPad announcement are you most excited to see? Share it with us in the poll below, even if it’s not the most likely to happen this week.
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