Update: Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time. The invite graphic for the streamed event, titled "Let Loose," depicts an Apple Pencil drawing a flurry of colors – a heavy hint that new iPads will feature.
The last iPad Apple released was the 10th generation iPad in October 2022, over 540 days ago. With no iPad launches in 2023, there's pent-up demand for a new generation of models. So when are they expected to arrive? Here's what the latest rumors say.
iPad Pro & iPad Air
Apple will likely launch new iPad Pro and iPad Air models during the second week of May, according to well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.
Apple's upcoming new iPads have reportedly faced several delays, pushing their release date further away with each passing month. However, in a newsletter dated April 7, Gurman wrote: "For those looking for more specific timing, I'm told the launch will probably happen the week of May 6."
He added: "Another data point to that end: Apple retail stores are preparing to receive new product marketing materials later that week. That's typically a sign that a new product release is incoming."
The new iPad Pro models are expected to be thinner, and they are rumored to be equipped with a landscape-oriented front camera like the iPad 10. Other rumored or likely features for the iPad Pro include Apple's custom M3 chip (most recently used in the latest MacBook Air models) MagSafe wireless charging, a redesigned Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and an aluminum top casing, and a landscape-oriented front camera.
We have also seen claims allegedly backed by supply chain sources that Apple's next-generation iPad Pro models will be offered with a matte display option for the first time. According to the rumor, the iPad Pro's new matte display option will be offered in addition to the standard, glossy glass finish.
Alongside OLED iPad Pro models, Apple is also expected to launch a new larger 12.9-inch iPad Air alongside an updated 10.9-inch model. Rumored or likely features for the new iPad Air models include the M2 chip, a redesigned rear camera bump, Wi-Fi 6E support, and Bluetooth 5.3.
iPad
Apple will release a new entry-level iPad in the second half of next year, according to a Taiwanese report on Apple's product development resource allocation plans. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also pointed to a release in late 2024 at the earliest.
We are expecting the next iPad to include a faster A15 chip, an improvement over the A14 chip in the current model. "The new downscale iPad will probably end up being a cost-reduced version of the 10th generation model from 2022," said Gurman.
iPad Mini
Both Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believe that Apple is working on a new version of the iPad mini, but both sources suggest we are unlikely to see the device until later in 2024.
The seventh-generation iPad mini is expected to be updated with a faster chip, likely the A17 Pro or an A17 variant. Updated 12-megapixel front and rear cameras are likely to be added, and the tablet will also probably get support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, standards that Apple has been adding to recent product updates.
The iPad mini 7 will allegedly include a rotated screen assembly, and the new positioning will cut down on the "jelly scrolling" effect that some iPad mini owners have complained about.
Jelly scrolling is a reference to screen tearing, which causes text or images on one side of the display to appear to be tilted downward because of mismatched refresh rates. According to Apple, screen tearing is normal behavior for LCD iPads.
