California based tech giant Apple is reportedly poised to introduce two new iPad models this fall, with expectations high for their debut at the September 9th keynote. The anticipated launches include a refreshed entry-level iPad, now in its 11th generation, alongside the 7th generation of the iPad mini. Both devices have not seen updates in two years, making this refresh particularly noteworthy (via 9To5Mac).
iPad (11th generation)
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that Apple is concentrating on reducing production costs for the entry-level iPad. It remains uncertain whether these cost-saving measures will translate into a price drop for consumers, or if Apple will simply improve its profit margins.
Reportedly, the current 10th generation iPad is powered by the A14 Bionic chip. While it is not yet clear which chipset the 11th generation model will feature, history suggests that it may be upgraded to the A16 Bionic, given Apple’s tendency to lag two years behind in chipset updates for its base model iPads. However, with the possibility of Apple Intelligence integration, Apple could opt to equip the new iPad with a more advanced A17 or A18 chip, potentially altering its usual upgrade pattern.
iPad mini (7th generation)
The 6th generation iPad mini introduced a new flat-edged design, adopted USB-C, and gained compatibility with the Apple Pencil 2. As the oldest model in Apple’s iPad lineup, the iPad mini is currently missing several features present in newer models, such as a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. It is anticipated that these features will be included in the 7th generation refresh, although Apple may decide to keep the front camera in its current portrait orientation, given the iPad mini’s common use in this mode. Support for the Apple Pencil Pro, however, seems a likely addition.
The iPad mini is also expected to receive a significant performance boost with the integration of the latest A18 chipset. This upgrade would bring Apple Intelligence capabilities to the iPad mini for the first time, enabling features like the new Siri, Genmoji, and Image Playground, though not all features may be available at launch.
One issue that plagued the iPad mini 6 was a display defect known as “jelly scrolling,” where some users noticed uneven screen refresh rates, causing a wobbly scrolling effect. While not officially confirmed, rumors suggest that Apple may address this problem in the next generation.
Moreover, the iPad mini 7 is likely to see an increase in its base storage, starting at 128GB instead of the current 64GB, similar to the latest iPad Air, adds the report. Despite these upgrades, the starting price is expected to remain at $499, matching that of the current model.
Reportedly, there is also speculation that the upcoming iPads might feature Stage Manager, a multitasking interface introduced in higher-end models. The A16 chip could potentially handle this feature, while the more advanced A17 and A18 chips would undoubtedly support it. Including Stage Manager would make these new iPads a more compelling upgrade for users, although this remains speculative at this stage.
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Published: 03 Sep 2024, 07:38 PM IST
