Kuo: Larger 12.9-inch iPad Air Coming Early 2024 Amid Lineup Refresh

Apple will add a new larger 12.9-inch iPad Air to an entirely refreshed iPad lineup coming next year, with two ‌iPad Air‌ models taking priority in Apple's launch roadmap, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPad Air 12
In his latest outlook, Kuo predicts that Apple will compensate for this year's lack of movement in its ‌iPad‌ lineup by updating all existing models, starting with a refreshed 10.9-inch and new 12.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌ with new chips scheduled for mass production in the first quarter of 2024.

Kuo says the previously rumored all-new 12.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌ will have an LCD screen that lacks the mini-LED technology of Apple's current iPad Pro models, but will benefit from the same oxide backplane. This will offer better display performance than the current 10.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌ that uses an a-Si backplane.

Next in line for release are the OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models that have been rumored for some time. Apple will launch a new 11-inch and 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ with a redesigned chassis and new M3 chip in the second quarter.

Kuo believes that last on Apple's 2024 production roadmap are a new iPad mini, and an 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ – a new version of Apple's most affordable tablet. This will see the discontinuation of Apple's 9th-generation ‌iPad‌ currently still offered alongside the 10th-generation model in Apple's lineup.

Kuo believes these changes will see only modest gains in ‌iPad‌ shipments compared to this year, and predicts around 52-54 million units in 2024 compared to 2023. Such an increase remains way off Apple's peak of 63 million iPads shipped in 2022 during the pandemic.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently also suggested Apple will update its entire ‌iPad‌ lineup throughout 2024, but his timeline prediction is slightly different to Kuo and does not mention a new larger ‌iPad Air‌.

Gurman previously reported that the low-end to mid-range iPads could be updated as early as March 2024, while he expects new 11-inch and 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models with the M3 chip and OLED displays to launch in the first half of 2024. The next ‌iPad Air‌ and ‌iPad mini‌ are likely to be equipped with M2 and A16 Bionic chips, respectively.

Related Roundups: iPad, iPad Air , iPad Pro, iPad mini
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
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...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
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...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon Prime Day is currently in its second day, and this year the event will last for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon....

Top Rated Comments

Mac Fly (film) Avatar
22 months ago
Remove 10th and 9th gen iPads from sale (keeping the 9th around only as cheap education bulk buy and hidden from regular consumers); rename iPad Air to “iPad”, keeping the processor, display and camera non-Pro. Give iPad Pro SD Card (for photographers) and MagSafe 3 in addition to its thunderbolt 4 port. It’s not complicated but Apple insists on making the lineup so.

iPad mini, iPad, iPad Pro (with additional ports; pro chip; pro cameras; pro display, and larger screen size option)

All should support Apple Pencil 2 and charge it magnetically. USB-C Pencil and Pencil 1 should be discontinued. Apple execs should be slapped.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darngooddesign Avatar
22 months ago
'iPad Air Plus' just rolls off the tongue smoothly. ?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gudi Avatar
22 months ago

Sounds like no one’s buying the pro models and air is unsurprisingly more popular.
Why do you need to mention unsurprising facts of life? Did anyone expect the most expensive iPad to be the most popular one! It's not a failure only because it didn't exceed the sales numbers of the Air. And maybe it did sell exceptionally well. We don't have sales numbers for individual models, do we?

Mini LED has been an utter failure of a tech, Apple knew it was a terrible stopgap and that’s why the 11” Pro never got it.
Another wild assumption made plausible by creative storytelling.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mrkevinfinnerty Avatar
22 months ago
This is the problem with the iPad lineup, not enough models. This sixteenth model should fix that.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bokito Avatar
22 months ago
Apple’s iPad lineup is already confusing enough. The current 10th gen iPad is actually an iPad Air SE (if Apple would stick to iPhone naming conventions). If Apple were to update all models and even introduce a new one, they sure should axe something. With the MacBook Air/Pro Apple currently holds the sweet spot and doesn’t have too many options. With the iPad they definitely have too many options. Maintaining all those iPad models costs effort they can put elsewhere.

For me personally I just want an iPad with big fat ugly bezels, so I’m stuck with the 9th gen iPad. Why, you would ask? Comfort, just want to lay my thumbs on the bezels and not hold them against the side or get interrupted because they suddenly hit the screen.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darngooddesign Avatar
22 months ago

I’m trying to remember and I sell the damned things. Uh…it could be the M2 Air 13 was initially $1499 CAN and now it’s $1449, but I ‘m not sure when that happened. Wait, it could be when they introduced the M2 MBA 15 at $1749.
At launch in CA
13" M2Air - $1500
14" M2-ProPro was $2000

Now
13" M2Air - $1450
15" M2Air - $1750
14" M2ProPro - $2000

So apple still dropped the 13"s CA price to fit the 15", but not as much as they did in the US. To make up for it you get universal healthcare. :D
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)