On two issues pundits agree: New iPads are on the best way and Apple is unlikely to announce them at a devoted press occasion. Past that, nevertheless, now we have severe disagreement.
“Sources acquainted with Apple’s media plans” (as reported by Supercharged) declare that Apple will announce a raft of recent iPad fashions this week. These sources say Tuesday, October 17 is the most definitely date for the disclosing, and that the iPad Air, iPad mini, and Tenth-gen iPad are all in line for a refresh: “The updates will characteristic minor spec bumps, bringing the fashions consistent with sooner and extra environment friendly chips,” the positioning predicts, somewhat pessimistically. “The iPad Air will achieve the M2 chip, an improve from the present M1 chip, whereas the upcoming iPad mini will characteristic the A16 Bionic chip.”
On Monday, leaker Majin Bu on X (previously Twitter) additionally claimed that Apple will launch the Eleventh-gen iPad on Tuesday with new colours.
This all is sensible. The mini is definitely due for an replace, provided that the final (Sixth-gen) mannequin arrived greater than two years in the past, and the Fifth-gen iPad Air from March 2022 is greater than 18 months outdated. The Tenth-gen normal iPad got here out only a yr in the past, however Apple’s entry-level gadget habitually will get annual updates, whereas the iPad Execs, which have been additionally up to date final fall, are inclined to observe an extended cycle.
One other supply, nevertheless, begs to vary. Within the newest version of his Energy On e-newsletter, Bloomberg leaker-analyst Mark Gurman insists that new iPads is not going to seem this month. He doesn’t supply far more element, aside from to concede that new variations of the three fashions talked about above are in improvement (with the replace specializing in “sooner chips”), so it’s attainable that they may but seem earlier than Christmas. Significantly since Gurman mentions, by the use of distinction, that the iPad Professional replace gained’t occur till 2024.
Stories have additionally claimed that Apple is getting ready to launch a brand new Third-gen Apple Pencil with magnetic suggestions. It’s not clear whether or not the brand new gadget can be suitable with the Eleventh-gen iPad, which inexplicably is barely suitable with the 1st-gen Apple Pencil and requires a dongle.
Whichever of those new units launch, nevertheless, the announcement appears unlikely to be a blockbuster. Our bickering sources, in any case, agree that these shall be minor, iterative updates, with no point out of the sort of flagship new options about which Apple likes to construct an occasion. (Fixing jelly scrolling on the iPad mini, as Supercharged mentions, actually doesn’t depend.) And the latter website explicitly predicts that “the bulletins will happen on Apple’s web site and its YouTube channel and won’t embrace a flashy hybrid occasion for vital product bulletins.”
This yr has been a sluggish one for Apple occasions, with simply two up to now; Apple usually holds a spring occasion, however didn’t trouble in 2023, and sometimes holds a number of fall occasions (it had as many as three in September, October and November 2020) however once more has restricted itself to simply the one. The indicators recommend 2023 could find yourself that includes simply two Apple occasions, and the final time Apple was so reticent with the general public was in 2017.
- 2023: 2 Apple occasions (and counting)
- 2022: 3
- 2021: 4
- 2020: 4
- 2019: 3
- 2018: 4
- 2017: 2
- 2016: 4
Whether or not the scarcity of occasions displays a wider conservatism and lack of risk-taking is debatable; in truth, it’s most likely extra to do with the quantity of improvement and advertising useful resource being directed in the direction of Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, which doesn’t launch till 2024. Nevertheless it’s definitely feeling like this can go down as one of many quieter years in Apple’s historical past.
