Apple didn’t release a single iPad in 2023 but it seems the company will revamp its entire iPad lineup in 2024. If reports are accurate, this might happen as early as the spring of this year.
In his PowerOn newsletter, Bloomberg reporter and Apple tipster Mark Gurman has once again stated that new iPads will ship sometime in spring. The reporter claims Apple wants to launch the revamped iPad line before its WWDC event, which typically happens in June. That being the case, new iPads could potentially drop between late March or late May.
As we’ve previously reported, Apple could release an OLED iPad Pro and a 12.9-inch iPad Air. Previous reports also suggest the 9th generation iPad could be discontinued, with the current iPad 10 replacing it as the cheapest iPad. There might also be an iPad Mini 7 released in 2024.
Keeping in mind that Apple hasn’t officially announced new iPads, here’s everything we’ve heard about the iPads we might see in 2024.
iPad Pro 2024
The iPad Pro 2022 I reviewed is currently the most powerful iPad thanks to its Apple M2 chip. If rumors are true, then its successor could take that position since it will reportedly have the same Apple M3 chip found in the new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro. This would effectively make the iPad Pro as powerful as a MacBook Pro.
Rumors and reports also claim that the iPad Pro will finally get an OLED display. OLED screen technology would be a big improvement over the current mini-LED tech in the 12.9-inch model. Gurman claims the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will get bumped up to a 13-inch screen, a rumor we've heard from other sources too. The 11-inch tablet will reportedly not receive an increase in size. Display analyst Ross Young also made this claim. Another rumor suggests the iPad Pro could get a 14-inch version.
iPad Air 6
According to analyst Ming-chi Kuo, the iPad Air 6 will come in two different sizes for the first time — the existing 10.9-inch version and a new, larger iPad Pro-matching 12.9-inch model. Kuo also claims that while this larger iPad will still sport an LCD panel, it will have an Oxide backplane with “the same spec as the existing mini-LED iPad Pro’s.” However, we’ve also heard that the new iPad Air will have an OLED panel.
The current iPad Air 5 has an M1 chip. Apple will reportedly skip an M2 model and release a tablet featuring an M3 processor, making the iPad Air 6 the fastest model in the series. We haven’t heard anything regarding a design change, though I’m curious to see if the reported 12.9-inch iPad Air will just be a bigger version of the 10.9-inch model.
iPad 11
Since the iPad just received a new design, we don’t expect Apple to alter things with the iPad 11 beyond upgrading from an A14 Bionic chip to the A16 Bionic found in the current iPhone 15.
Even if this entry-level iPad isn’t a major update from the current model, a refocus on Apple Pencil support would be welcomed. With the release of the USB-C Apple Pencil, it might be time for Apple to ditch the first-generation Apple Pencil to simplify options for people.
The USB-C Apple Pencil released in October 2023 for $79 — making it the most affordable Apple stylus. While it magnetically attaches to the iPad 10, it doesn’t receive a charge. It’d be good if the iPad 11 offered this type of charging. We haven’t heard any rumors suggesting Apple would add wireless charging (and pairing), but we’d like to see it.
iPad mini 7
As for the iPad mini 7, there’s little to say regarding specs. It would be good to see a new iPad mini 7 that upgrades the current A13 Bionic to the A16 Bionic or A17 Pro chip found in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max, respectively.
One report claims Apple will release an 8.7-inch iPad mini in 2024. And no, that measure isn’t a typo. While the current iPad mini has an 8.3-inch LCD screen, ETNews (via 9to5Mac) suggests it’s going to grow a decent amount in the next few years. Whether that will be by losing the bezel as the iPad mini 6 did over its 7.9-inch predecessors, or if it’s going to have a larger footprint is anyone’s guess.
Outlook
As always, take everything in this post with a healthy dose of skepticism since there are no official reports concerning iPads in 2024. That said, I don’t expect Apple will let another year go by without releasing new models of its popular tablets. While there’s no official word, I’m inclined to believe Gurman’s claims about a potential spring launch date. It won’t be long until we find out, one way or another.
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