by Apple iPad line still haven’t seen any new additions in 2023, even with new iPhones and Apple Watches arriving this week. And based on reports so far, there may not be any iPads for the rest of the year, making 2023 Apple’s first year without a new iPad since its inception in 2010.
New reports from Mark Gurman, a trusted Apple reporter at Bloomberg, point to a new line of iPad Pro models will arrive in 2024 with more extensive updates than the high-end tablet line has seen in years, including OLED displays, new keyboard accessories and new M3 processors alike Apple is expected to unveil the next generation of Macs. Apple’s most trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo too just added that new iPads of any kind are unlikely this year, pointing to delays for the rest of the line.
There’s always a chance that Apple could announce iPads like it always does in October, but even if that happens, it might still be best to hold off on buying any new iPads until it arrives. new models…whenever that happens.
In 2022, there will be four new iPads: the iPad Air in the spring, and 10th-gen model and iPad Pros by the end of October.
Sales on current iPads may make sense for budget shoppers this year, but waiting it out until October, if you can, makes the most sense.
Will we see entry-level upgrades in 2023? Wait and see
the current iPad Pro line expensive, currently starting at $800, and that’s without a single accessory. If you’re considering a high-end iPad, something that could be a trendy tablet computer, by all means, hold off on splurging.
On the other hand, most people just want a cheaper iPad, and those models may get a small upgrade this fall. The obvious candidates would be a new iPad Air, which could introduce a better M2 processor and perhaps better placement of the front camera for video chats, just like the 10th-gen iPad did. last year.
If Apple makes these upgrades, the Air will be a better device than the iPad Pro for most people, especially if the price is reasonable. That’s how I felt about the Air equipped M1 when it arrived, and it’s still my personal favorite iPad model, even if its price is far from “budget.”
Entry-level iPad buyers, well, the good news is that last year’s 10th-gen model, when it went on sale, was a good choice for most. The aging 9th-gen model might be worth selling too, but I’m thinking about Apple making it obsolete by 2024.
Samsung is already switching its tablet line to OLED displays this summer.
2024 iPad Pro: OLED, M3 chip, new keyboard and $$$
According to Gurman in his recent newsletter, the 13- and 11-inch iPad Pro models expected next year will finally switch to OLED display instead of Mini LED, a step. companies like Samsung done for their tablets. Apple’s iPhones already use OLED displays for better contrast ratios, HDR and more dynamic colors. Using OLED for the next iPad Pros will yield similar results.
A chip upgrade to Apple’s yet-to-be-released but expected M3 processor should apparently provide another performance boost, but current iPad Pros are too fast in my experience.
Finally, there is a design change expected for Apple itself Magic Keyboard accessory, which can connect and open like a regular laptop (or Brydge’s earlier iPad keyboard accessories) and has a larger trackpad.
None of these changes are groundbreaking, and they won’t change the way the iPad pro works. But they will probably receive the upgrades that will wait. They may also result in a reevaluation of the rest of the iPad line.
If 2024 is the moment of design change for iPads, then 2023 will inevitably end up feeling like the tail end of what’s already out there — especially since the iPad Air and the entries -level iPads are likely to receive trickle-down upgrades from the Pro line. .
iPadOS 17 has some M1 and M2-optimized features, but could next year’s iPadOS 18 be able to handle even newer Pro processors?
Will Apple further improve iPadOS?
We already know what iPadOS 17 can be. By all means, download it to your iPad: it has some improved multitasking, lots of subtle additions and customizable home screens, but in many ways, it’s the same. Apple continues to creep MacOS and iPadOS closer together without the two actually merging, despite the iPad Pro and Mac models sharing the same processors.
There’s always the possibility that Apple could move the iPad Pro line into Mac-esque territory, but that would rely on software changes, not hardware. The iPad Pro is already very powerful. However, if you’re hoping to get your hands on the future of Apple iPads, again, it looks like 2024 will be the year.
There is no perfect iPad yet
Currently, there is there is no “absolutely perfect” iPad. The cheapest iPad has older features, namely a Lightning port instead of USB-C, as well as an older processor. The 10th-gen iPad is right around the corner, but it’s more expensive and still uses the older first-gen Pencil like its entry-level linemate, which is rare. The iPad Air and Pro models do not have the improved placement of the front camera of the 10th-gen model, which is very helpful for Zoom and other video chats when using it in landscape mode with a keyboard.
Perhaps Apple will resolve the entry-to-midrange lineup later this fall and help make decisions easier. But on the iPad Pro front, there’s likely to be nothing, leaving shoppers to wait until 2024 to really weigh the differences between whatever Apple introduces next and the rest of the line.
The wait is always tough, but if you’ve been waiting for a truly “new” iPad, this isn’t your year. However, if you’re shopping on a budget, you may not care about that.
