Apple has registered new tablets with the Eurasian Economic Commission this week, suggesting that an iPad refresh is likely on the horizon. The filings, uncovered by French website
Consomac, are legally required for any devices with encryption sold in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
Two of the tablets have model numbers A1893 and A1954, which don't correspond with any current iPad mini, iPad, or iPad Pro. There are also a handful of "sample" tablet and smartphone products listed that have model numbers starting with AA and CC, which is uncharacteristic, so it's unclear what those listings may pertain to.
Recent rumors and logical guesswork suggest Apple could be planning an annual refresh of its lower-cost 9.7-inch iPad, introduced last March for $329 in the United States, while the iPad mini has also gone a few years without an update.
A few months ago, supply chain informant
DigiTimes claimed Apple is planning to release an
even cheaper 9.7-inch iPad for around $259 this year. The website also said Apple's first new products of 2018 would be
released in March, so next month is shaping up to see the arrival of at least one new budget iPad.
It's unclear what changes the new 9.7-inch iPad would have, but given its price point, it will likely retain a classic design with top and bottom bezels and a home button with Touch ID, rather than Face ID. Any refresh is likely to be a relatively minor one, with a focus on performance improvements.
The current 9.7-inch iPad is powered by an Apple A9 chip, and features an 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.2-megapixel front camera, two speakers, Lightning connector, 3.5mm headphone jack, Touch ID, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.2. Unlike the iPad Pro, it lacks Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support.
Given the 9.7-inch iPad is a niche product, a refresh could be announced
via press release like last year. But with rumors swirling about a
new iPhone SE, originally unveiled at a March 2016 event, perhaps Apple will have enough announcements on its docket to host a special event at Steve Jobs Theater.
Apple's rumored
iPad Pro with Face ID is more likely to be unveiled at WWDC 2018 in June, but the discontinued 9.7-inch iPad Pro debuted in March 2016, so there's some precedence for an earlier introduction.
In the past, similar filings with the Eurasian Economic Commission have been submitted for the
10.5-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro,
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus,
Apple Watch Series 2,
AirPods, and
MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models, all within one to two weeks before each product was released.
All in all, the listings suggest Apple will introduce new products of some kind in March for the fourth consecutive year.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Hoping for USB C
Keep hoping.
I hope they update the mini also, but it’s looking unlikely.
Hope so.
iPad mini is like the iPhone SE, smaller foot print at lower price point.
An updated version with the A9 or A10 would be great.
Hoping for USB C
Yeah that's not gonna happen, at least not first on an iPad. If they ever make the change then it will be first on the iPhone.
I don't care if it has a notch. I just want to update my iPad Mini 2.
Thanks!
:D
I will be very disappointed if Apple keep the iPad Mini 4 going for yet another year or if they discontinue the Mini altogether.
Fingers crossed that the iPad Mini 5/Pro will become a reality. I'm willing to part with some dollars ... Tim do you want my money or not????
I hope they update the mini also, but it’s looking unlikely.
Yeah, I've been personally waiting for an updated iPad mini. I have an old iPad 4, which is miserably slow and obsoleted from iOS updates, so i haven't used it for a while, and I wouldn't mind a smaller unit.
Even a refurbished iPad mini 4 on the Canadian store costs over $400 which in insane, i ain't paying that for 4 year old hardware.
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