We’ve already heard reports that Apple may not release any new iPads in 2023, instead focusing its effort on the Apple VR/AR headset. But according to Ming-Chi Kuo, 2024 could be a big year for the iPad, with the analyst predicting the launch of the iPad mini 7 and the long-rumored foldable iPad.
Kuo predicts that the next big iPad release will be the iPad mini 7, which he expects to enter mass production in the first quarter of 2024. Kuo is also optimistic that the foldable iPad will arrive next year, complete with a kickstand made of carbon fiber
(3/3)Anjie Technology will be the new beneficiary of the all-new design foldable iPad. There may be no new iPad releases in the next 9-12 months as the iPad mini refresh is more likely to begin mass production in 1Q24.January 30, 2023
(4/4)Thus, I'm taking a cautious approach to iPad shipments for 2023, predicting a YoY decline of 10-15%. Nevertheless, I'm positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix.January 30, 2023
Kuo isn’t the only person predicting a weak year for iPad refreshes. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has claimed most Apple products will be taking a break in 2024. Barring the iPhone, which will no doubt religiously stick to its annual refresh cycle, we’re not likely to see any updated products until the first half of 2024.
While Kuo has tipped the iPad mini 7 to come first, Gurman has had more to say about the next wave of iPad Pros. There may be an OLED display coming to the iPad Pro range, alongside a glass back capable of wireless charging. There have also been rumors of larger iPad Pros, up to 16 inches in size, though very little has been reported on that possibility.
But none of that compared to the possibility of the foldable iPad. We’ve heard some rumors suggesting the tablet could arrive in 2024, including talk from the current-foldable king, Samsung. We still don't know what sort of specs to expect, but Kuo believes it will have a kickstand made out of the super-strong and lightweight carbon fiber. Not just that, but the analyst expects that may help kickstart a trend of foldables with kickstands in the future.
There’s still a lot we don't know about the upcoming iPads, or when most of them will arrive. But it’s looking like 2024 is going to be a very busy year for the iPad.
