Tweaked Full-Size iPad with Lightning Connector Coming Next Week

In line with one of the theories explaining two dozen iPad part numbers that appeared earlier this week, 9to5Mac reports that half of those part numbers are indeed for a revised version of the third-generation full-size iPad.

The revised iPads arriving at next Tuesday's media event will reportedly make the switch to Apple's new Lightning connector, and may include other enhancements as well while retaining the same pricing as the current models.

Apple will announce a refreshed version of its full-sized, 9.7-inch Retina display iPad at its media event October 23rd, according to our sources. These people say that the new version of the iPad will retain the same $499, $599, and $699 WiFi-only price points, and the LTE line will retain the current $629, $729, and $829 pricing. With no price changes or additional storage capacities, we believe that the storage options of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB will also be retained.

ipad 3 revised part numbers
Claims of a revised full-size iPad surfaced in July amid considerable skepticism, but gained momentum with several follow-up reports in subsequent weeks and were fleshed out with additional rumors over the past several months.

Rumors for the tweaked iPad have included a shift to new indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) display technology, better heat dissipation, backlight changes, 4G LTE support for the UK and other countries using the 1800 MHz frequency band, and perhaps even a move to Apple's new A6 chip found in the iPhone 5. It is, however, unclear just which of the rumored changes will actually be included in the revision.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tag: 9to5Mac
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
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. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...

Top Rated Comments

darkslide29 Avatar
166 months ago
Damn, owned for 7 months and outdated already. :(
Score: 89 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DakotaGuy Avatar
166 months ago
Why would they not just wait until it is actually redesigned? It seems too soon for a heavily revised model.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wizard Avatar
166 months ago
We don't know what the revision entails.

There are some really good reasons for a more elaborate tweak though. For example:
[LIST=1]
* The lightening connector needs support. The faster Apple gets people moved to the standard the faster they can get on with other things.
* If the Sharp displays are indeed ready they would offer up a significant power savings which leads to longer battery life. This leads to marketing possibilities.
* Microsoft is coming out with their product, Apples ability to market new and improved devices against MS hardware is a positive thing. Even if the improvements are minor, people respond to new and Improved.
* If Apple does go A6 they will effectively be able to outperform most MS tablets with very good battery life. Not just ARM based MS tablets but even ATOM based tablets. Putting MS in the back seat performance wise would truly destroy any initiative they may have. It is bit of a brutal approach to business but if Apple can trash MS launch it could put MS tablet adoption behind by years.
* The potential for better and more universal LTE support should not be dismissed. apple coming up short here has been a problem in some countries.
* Christmas is coming. This should be self explanatory.
* A major revision at this time could potentially double performance of the iPad. This is huge and frankly as much as I love my iPad 3 it could use a performance boost. At this time it looks like a doubling of performance would be a no brainer for A6.
* Disruption of the rest of the competition. Why let the competition make progress against you.


Why would they not just wait until it is actually redesigned? It seems too soon for a heavily revised model.

Oh I think it is the perfect time. Hit the market right before MS introduces their hardware and right before the holiday shopping season with a device that no one can touch. Brilliant!
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DakotaGuy Avatar
166 months ago
Maybe that's why they didn't call it "iPad 3"...they'll just tweak it and wait another year.

That is a possibility, but there will probably be a few upset people with an iPad that went out of date faster then an Android phone.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
carmenodie Avatar
166 months ago
Ain't going to happen.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Akuratyde Avatar
166 months ago
GOOD. Maybe now they can finally start getting out of this 12-month redesign cycle they and their customers are locked into. Apple should make updates to the iPad and iPhone when they an addition worthy of an update. They don't update the iMac's and Macbook's every 12 months because there's no reason to. They do spec bumps when it's necessary and there's no reason the iPhone or iPad should be different.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)