What to Expect From the Next iPad Mini, iPad Air, and Entry-Level iPad

The iPad Mini desperately needs a 120Hz Pro-Motion Display. No ifs and buts about it.

I really wished Apple would bring down the cost of the mini. The price is absurd for the screen size and specs you get.

The iPads don’t need updates. The software does. My 9 year old air can still handle most of this.

Not true. I have business software requirements that mean that I have to lug around a full spec iPad that was made within the last two years. I also carry around with me my iPad mini, which is the latest model. I love my iPad mini. It’s just so much more practical, but unfortunately, the hardware and software requirements of a lot of industry software means of these do need to be updated.

The iPad Mini desperately needs a 120Hz Pro-Motion Display. No ifs and buts about it.

Agree.

Only thing I don't like about my Mini is the 60Hz + Jelly scrolling. The latter is still bothering me on a daily bases. I have learned to ignore screen related comments from people who say that they cannot see it ;-)

The iPads don’t need updates. The software does. My 9 year old air can still handle most of this.

While it is widely expected that Apple will release new iPad Pro models with OLED displays and an M3 chip ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/08/27/new-ipad-pro-and-redesigned-magic-keyboard/') in 2024, rumors about the next iPad mini, iPad Air, and entry-level iPad models have been fewer and farther in between.



Below, we recap all rumors about the next iPad mini, iPad Air, and entry-level iPad, and speculate about potential launch timing.

iPad mini



In January, established Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the next iPad mini would likely enter mass production in the first quarter of 2024 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/01/30/new-ipad-mini-launching-next-year/'). At the time, he also said there may be no new iPad releases in the following 9-12 months.

The next update to the iPad mini would likely amount to a spec bump. For example, the device's A15 Bionic chip could be bumped up to the A16 Bionic chip. Like other recent Apple devices, the next iPad mini could also gain support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The current iPad mini was released in September 2021.

iPad Air



In July, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was developing a new iPad Air ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/07/17/new-ipad-air-reportedly-in-development/') with improved specs, but he did not provide a release timeframe. Following in the footsteps of the iPad Pro, the next iPad Air will likely be equipped with the M2 chip. Like other recent Apple devices, the next iPad Air could also gain support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The update is expected to be a minor spec bump, with no major design changes rumored.

Apple last updated the iPad Air in March 2022 with the M1 chip, 5G connectivity on cellular models, an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera with support for Center Stage, up to a 2x faster USB-C port for data transfer, and new color options. This launch came one year after Apple updated the iPad Pro with the M1 chip.

If the iPad Air were to be updated with the M2 chip one year after the iPad Pro was, that would point to an October 2023 launch. However, given Kuo said there might not be any new iPads released this year, a 2024 launch is also possible.

iPad



Apple has updated the entry-level iPad on an annual basis since 2017, so there will either be an 11th-generation iPad released later this year, or Apple will break a six-year tradition. The 10th-generation iPad was released in October 2022, so it would make sense if the next model launched in October 2023, but there are no definitive rumors yet.

Like the iPad Air and iPad mini, the next entry-level iPad will likely receive a minor spec bump, perhaps including the A15 Bionic chip. Perhaps the next model will also receive a price cut, allowing it to replace the 9th-generation iPad in Apple's lineup.

Recap

The iPad mini, iPad Air, and entry-level iPad are all due for spec bumps over the coming months. It would be reasonable for at least one or two of these models to be updated in October 2023, but 2024 launches cannot be ruled out.

Article Link: What to Expect From the Next iPad Mini, iPad Air, and Entry-Level iPad ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/08/29/what-to-expect-from-next-ipad-mini-and-air/')

I wish Apple would build the iPad mini as a fully powerful computer and not just an afterthought toy.

I don’t see why they cannot make the hardware specs powerful enough to run any software. The form factor is outstanding. It’s small enough and lightweight enough that I carry it with me all the time.

Unfortunately, I also have to carry around our brand new giant iPad simply because my medical software requires that hardware.