Apple will reportedly announce new iPads as soon as Tuesday, October 17. The company could unveil a new entry-level iPad, an updated iPad Air, and iPad mini 7.
All refreshed iPads will purportedly sport a minor spec bump.
New iPads with minor upgrades reportedly incoming
The report from Supercharged comes from sources “familiar with Apple’s media plans.” Seemingly, the M1 iPad Air, which launched in March 2022, will get an update with a faster M2 chip. Similarly, the iPad mini will get a faster A16 Bionic SoC. Apple should also fix the jelly scrolling issue that plagues the iPad mini 6 with this refresh.
It’s unclear what upgrade the entry-level iPad will get, but it should be similar to the other tablets. There could be some minor improvements related to connectivity, but that’s about it.
A recent rumor on Weibo claimed that Apple might soon unveil the third-gen Apple Pencil with USB-C. The accessory may go live alongside the new iPads on October 17.
Apple has typically announced new iPads every year in October, so the report sounds plausible. And given the minor refresh, it makes sense for the Cupertino giant not to hold a media event for them. Instead, the tablets will be announced via a press release on Tuesday, October 17.
Preorders should start on the same day
The new iPads should immediately go up for preorder after their announcement on October 17. They should then go on sale about a week later. Apple is also rumored to release iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1 by October 24, which will likely be when the new iPads hit retail stores.
The M2 iPad Pro is unlikely to be refreshed, as it was last updated in October 2022. Apple’s iPad Pro lineup typically operates on an 18-month refresh cycle.
