Apple will reportedly announce new iPads this week
Contrary to what some rumors have suggested, Apple is set to announce new iPads this week. But the company will not host an event for launching the devices.
The news comes via a report by Supercharged, which says it has sources that were familiar with Apple's media plans. 9to5Mac has chimed in to state that its own sources have confirmed the news. The current iPad lineup was refreshed in October 2022, with the 10th gen iPad, and iPad Pro M2. The 6th-gen Apple iPad Mini (pictured above) was announced in 2021. So, what is in store for the next generation of the tablets?
What to expect from the 2023 iPad models?
Apple is prepping to announce three new iPad models this week: the iPad Mini, iPad Air and a basic iPad. Two of the 3 new tablets will not see a significant upgrade to the design. Instead, the new slates will get some minor spec bumps. The current iPad Air (seen below) is powered by an Apple M1 chip, it was announced in Spring 2022. The new iPad Air 2023 will be upgraded to an M2 chip.
The Apple iPad Mini, which was last refreshed in 2021, is equipped with an A15 Bionic chip. Apple is said to have upgraded the iPad Mini 2023 model with an A16 Bionic chip. One problem that several users had with the iPad Mini is the choppy / laggy scrolling experience. The report by Supercharged says that the company has addressed the "jelly scrolling" problem with the upcoming iPad Mini 2023.
And finally, we come to the base model of the iPad 2023. This is the only model of the three that has reportedly been entirely redesigned, though it is unclear what has been changed. The 10th-gen model (seen below) featured an A14 Bionic chip, and the rumors suggest that it is entirely possible that the 11th-gen iPad could get the same A16 processor as the new iPad Mini.
Apple could launch the iPad 2023 lineup on October 17. The devices will be announced on Apple's website and via its YouTube channel. This is not the first time the Cupertino company has decided to announce new products with a video, and a press release. It did so when it revealed the current iPad Pro M2, and also launched the MacBook M2 Pro, MacBook M2 Max, and Mac Mini via press releases. It makes sense for a video / press release announcement, since there are not enough new devices or significant changes to warrant a launch event. As for the iPad Pro models, the lineup is not being refreshed this year. According to previous reports, Apple is set to overhaul the iPad Pros with OLED displays next year.
I think it is time Apple got rid of the TouchID sensor, and replaces it with FaceID on iPad models. Trimming down the bezels with a notch for FaceID would give more screen real estate, which is always welcome for watching videos or to play games. Then again, ditching iPadOS 17 completely would make the devices much more useful, especially on those iPads that with the Apple Silicon chipsets. The company has been struggling to improve its Mac sales numbers, creating a touch screen friendly version of macOS for iPad would probably attract more buyers, especially if the price tags on the tablets are more affordable than what a standard MacBook costs.
