Ninth Generation iPad With Faster Processor and Thinner Design Expected This Fall

As the back-to-school season kicks in, Apple plans to update its baseline iPad this fall with a new ninth-generation model tailored towards students, sporting a thinner design and an improved processor, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

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In September of last year, Apple updated the baseline iPad with the faster and more powerful A12 Bionic chip starting at $329, or $299 for education customers. The baseline update sits at the lower end of the ‌iPad‌ lineup and is tailored for customers needing an affordable ‌iPad‌ for day-to-day use.

For the 9th generation model, Apple is likely to continue with the current design featuring Touch ID and a Home Button. The updated model will feature a faster processor with improved performance and graphics and a thinner form factor.

The updated ‌iPad‌ joins a busy fall season for Apple, as the company is also expected to be preparing a more significant update to the iPad mini. The new iPad mini is rumored to feature a larger display with smaller bezels, improved performance, and an updated overall design. Apple is also preparing new iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, and MacBook Pros for launch in the coming months.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)
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Top Rated Comments

Kylo83 Avatar
42 months ago

For the price that won't happen. The base iPad will always get old A series chips. Thats more than enough power for most base iPad users.
The power user doesn’t need the m1 it was just for cost saving, it brings nothing new iPadOS isn’t powerful enough
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jimmy_uk Avatar
42 months ago

What's the point of the iPad mini? Phones have ~6" screens, who would then want a tablet with a 7.9" screen?
Larger display with a different aspect ratio maybe.....

That's like saying "What's the point in the iPP 12.9" when the 11" exists"



Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DJJAZZYJET Avatar
42 months ago
Now with extra AI cores for faster CSAM scanning privacy invasions ??
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shalev Avatar
42 months ago
I'm so ready for the mini 6.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Saturn007 Avatar
42 months ago

What's the point of the iPad mini? Phones have ~6" screens, who would then want a tablet with a 7.9" screen?
LOL! ? ?

The iPad Mini's display is roughly TWICE as big! That's a HUGE difference! You can really tell and appreciate the difference when web browsing, book reading, looking at PDFs, using astronomy apps, working with spreadsheets, watching movies, etc.

What matters isn't the 6” vs. the 7.9”, but the AREA of the display — which is a matter of length x height, NOT the diagonal. After all, a 6” pencil has virtually no display area!

Just consider. The iPhone 12 with that 6.1” display is 5.78” x 2.82” in size. Or, 16.3 square inches.

The iPad Mini 5 is 8” x 5.3”. Or, 42.4 sq. inches.

Even if one adjusts the dimensions for the bezels, you're going to end up with close to double the display area for the iPad! That's a big difference.

I think people making this argument either hold their iPhones up to their eyes, don’t do a lot of reading on them, or have never used an iPad mini before.

The Mini is vastly superior in the earlier mentioned uses…

——

Alas, Apple only gives the dimensions of the overall device, not the screen areas. If anyone has the actual screen dimensions, please chime in.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kung gu Avatar
42 months ago

Thinner design? Bring M1 chip to the iPad :)
For the price that won't happen. The base iPad will always get old A series chips. Thats more than enough power for most base iPad users.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)