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 toBloomberg'sMark Gurman.
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.
Friday September 18, 2026 4:27 pm PDT by Juli Clover
The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity over 20 watt-hours, which means there are additional shipping requirements. If an iPhone 18 Pro Max needs to be shipped somewhere, its maximum battery capacity has to be limited through firmware.
According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses an "innovative battery-firmware solution" that limits battery capacity to below 20Wh between when the...
Thursday September 17, 2026 4:17 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
In iOS 27, available now, CarPlay gets its biggest update in years, but some features depend on what type of car you have rather than your iPhone model. Some of the biggest additions won't do anything in the vast majority of vehicles on the road today. Here's how the new features pan out.
Works in Any CarPlay Vehicle
Custom widgets: In iOS 27, CarPlay is no longer limited to Apple's handful ...
Friday September 18, 2026 10:07 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Last month, Apple announced new Mac mini and Mac Studio models, and the computers are finally set to launch this coming Tuesday, September 22.
The new Mac mini is available with M6 and M5 Pro chip options, while the new Mac Studio can be configured with M5 Max or M5 Ultra chips.
To learn more, read our coverage:Apple Announces New Mac Mini With M6 and M5 Pro Chips and More
Apple Unveils ...
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.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
/https://forums.macrumors.com/attachments/1820600/)
