Tim Hardwick
Apple sometimes releases new iPads in the fall, but the question remains whether this will happen in 2023. It's October now, and if Apple plans to release the iPad before the holidays, it's this month. most likely this will happen. Here's what we know so far.
It's been almost a year since Apple has launched new iPads, the latest being two updated iPad Pro models and the latest low-cost iPad, released in October 2022. Continuing a recent tradition, new models are long overdue.
If you look at the last decade, Apple sometimes holds an annual fall event where it releases new Macs and iPads. While it didn't happen last year, there have been October events in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently told the hosts of The MacRumors Show that he doesn't expect Apple will hold an October event because the company doesn't have enough new products and features to justify it.
However, that doesn't mean we won't see new iPads from Apple this year. Instead, Apple could release new models via a press release, as it did in January 2023 with the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and second-generation HomePod models. At the same time, Apple may not have any new models by Christmas 2023. So, what are the rumors talking about?
2023 iPad Rumors
In an article discussing the stagnation of global tablet demand in the second half of 2023 , Taiwan's DigiTimes reported that investors expect Apple's share of the tablet market to increase due to orders for the “small” iPad in the fourth quarter. In addition, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg; Earlier this year, it was reported that an iPad mini update with minor “specification improvements” was out of the question.
In August, a tipster known as ShrimpApplePro also suggested a seventh-generation iPad mini worked at Apple and said they had seen evidence that at least one new iPad the model will appear this year.
According to a recent report from 9to5Mac, Apple is working on two new versions of the iPad Air 6. The site claims that Apple has four separate models in the works. (two each for cellular and Wi-Fi).
Apple is releasing two versions of the iPad Pro because it comes in two sizes, and 9to5Mac speculates that Apple could release a larger “iPad Air” version that would match the current 10.9-inch version, or debut a “more expensive model with better specs.” The publication says its sources believe the iPad mini 7 will arrive “soon,” but the report also says all new iPads should be announced “between now and WWDC 2024 in June,” a wide window.
The last time Apple updated the iPad Air in March 2022 with M1 chip. If iPad Air were due to be updated with the M2 chip a year after the iPad Pro, pointing to an October 2023 launch. However, a later launch in 2024 is possible.
It is worth noting that Apple has updated the iPad entry level; annually since 2017, so there will be either iPad 11th generation; released later this year, or Apple will break six years of tradition.
Rumors against 2023 iPad
During its August earnings call, Apple warned that iPad Revenue is expected to fall by double digits, which suggests the company doesn't expect to launch any products that could attract customers during the holiday quarter, with the exception of the recently launched iPhone 15 series and new Apple Watch models.
This is in line with some rumors that indicate that major launches of new iPad are not expected until 2024. In January, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the next iPad mini will likely go into mass production in the first quarter of 2024. Most recently, Kuo said he doesn't expect any new iPad this year's model. Likewise, numerous rumors suggest that iPad Pro models with OLED displays and M3 chips won't arrive until 2024 at the earliest.
Another thing to consider is the arrival of Apple's Vision Pro headset. According to Apple, the Vision Pro will go on sale in early 2024, which likely means January to the end of April. Please note that Vision Pro uses M2 chip. If Apple's $3,500 headset were released with a processor that was inferior to those already used in the iPad Pro models that may seem strange to the average consumer.
To sum it up
To sum it up, we were able to see at least one iPad unveiled in October, possibly iPad mini, iPad Air or the inexpensive iPad 11th generation, but these will be minor updates. It would be reasonable to update at least one or two of these models in October 2023, but a launch in 2024 cannot be ruled out.
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