Apple is set to hold media briefings on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, focusing on iPads — However, the information available from various sources conflicts regarding whether we can expect new iPad releases during this event or if we’ll have to wait until 2024.
Historically, Apple tends to unveil new iPads in October, following the September iPhone launches. Last year, four new iPads were introduced, including the iPad Air in the spring, and two iPad Pros alongside the 10th-gen iPad in October.
New iPads could arrive as just a spec bump, without changes in design.
M2 for the new iPad Air, A16 Bionic for the new iPad Mini
Reports suggest three new iPads are slated for release. According to Supercharged and 9to5Mac, updates will be announced for the iPad Air, iPad Mini, and the entry-level iPad. These updates could include transitioning the iPad Air from the M1 chip to the M2 chip, which is currently exclusive to iPad Pro models.
Meanwhile, the iPad Mini might shift from the A15 Bionic chip to the A16 Bionic. Details about the entry-level iPad remain scarce, but there is speculation that Apple might discontinue the ninth-gen model and reduce the price of the 10th-gen iPad, making it the new entry-level option.
It’s essential to note that these rumored iPad updates are expected to revolve around spec improvements rather than radical design changes, so groundbreaking developments, like a 16-inch iPad Pro, are unlikely to be announced during this event.
Sources believe that new iPads will only be launched in 2024.
New iPads only in 2024
However, contrary reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, suggest that the next iPad release may not happen until 2024. Similarly, the Japanese blog Mac Otakara also supports the idea that we won’t witness new iPads during the October event — Instead, these sources anticipate the release of the Apple Pencil 3 with interchangeable magnetic tips, catering to writing, drawing, and painting enthusiasts.
If Apple indeed abstains from unveiling new iPads in 2023, it will mark the first calendar year without a new iPad release since the initial iPad’s introduction in 2010; The conflict in reports has generated anticipation and uncertainty among Apple enthusiasts, making the upcoming media briefings all the more intriguing.