Besides the iPad mini, Apple is launching another new iPad on Friday -- the 4th Generation iPad. The embargo has been lifted on those reviews as well, though they contain no real surprises. The 4th Generation iPad came out only seven months after the 3rd Generation model.
The changes include a faster A6X processor running at 1.4GHz allowing the device to run twice as fast as its predecessor. The new processor doesn't worsen battery life. Engadget's testing even showed it to be slightly improved. The front facing camera has been upgraded to take HD video, and the only other external change is the replacement of the 30 pin dock connector with the new smaller Lightning connector. CNet sums it up:
The latest iPad adds several tweaks and improvements to secure its position at the top of the tablet heap. It's better all around, but third-gen owners need not apply.
The other interesting effect the new iPad has on Apple's product line is that it increases the gap between the iPad 2 and the "new iPad". Apple has chosen to keep the iPad 2 at the $399 starting price point and simply retired the 3rd Generation model, replacing it with the new one. That $100 difference between the two models now represent a larger feature gap than before.
Wednesday August 20, 2025 1:23 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should be unveiled in a few more weeks, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro...
Wednesday August 20, 2025 6:44 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
We're only weeks away from Apple's annual iPhone event – rumored to take place on September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023.
By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for enhancements,...
Wednesday August 20, 2025 12:00 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
This week, Apple announced the 10th U.S. state that has implemented the feature: Montana.
Below, we have recapped key details about...
Wednesday August 20, 2025 5:00 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone 17 series is expected to debut in September 2025. This release follows Apple's recent trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall.
To unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely...
As we wait for WWDC to kick off next Monday, Apple today announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards, recognizing apps and games for their innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement.
The 2025 Apple Design Award winners are listed below, with one app and one game selected per category:
Delight and Fun - CapWords (App) and Balatro (Game)
Innovation - Play (App) and PBJ -...
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through what to expect from the Apple Watch SE 3, Series 11, and Ultra 3, and whether it's worth holding off on an upgrade until next year.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
The third-generation Apple Watch SE is rumored to feature a larger display (perhaps like the Apple Watch Series 7), the S11 chip, and...
Lovely. My "new iPad" lasted all of 7 months. Is that the shortest product life cycle ever for an Apple product?
(Of course, it still works fine, and I will continue to use it. It's just never a nice feeling knowing your product got superseded by the new model -- twice as fast even -- while yours isn't even out of warranty yet. Oh well...)
Got my iPad 3 in April and see no compelling reason to get the 4. Will wait another cycle or 2 as long as this one works for me.
You shouldn't feel compelled at all to upgrade. I am glad you aren't. THe iPad3 is a great piece of hardware and there is no reason to move from it to the new iPad refresh.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.