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New Entry-Level iPad Now Expected to Arrive in Spring 2025

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Apple is "deep" into the development of an entry-level 11th-generation iPad, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The reporter now claims that the model is scheduled to be released around the same time as the new iPhone SE 4 and iPad Air in the spring.

10th-Gen-iPad-Feature-Fanned-Blue.jpg

"It will have roughly the same design as the current version from 2022, while getting a speed boost," said Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter. The reporter's prediction has changed from last week, when he said that the iPhone SE is expected to gain Apple Intelligence features in March 2025, with the entry-level iPad following "later in the year."

The current 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ has an A14 chip that was first used in the iPhone 12 lineup. The logical choice for the next ‌iPad‌ is the A16 that was used in the iPhone 15 models, but if Apple Intelligence support is coming as expected, an A17 Pro chip or A18 chip would likely be necessary.

Apple earlier this month launched the latest iPad mini with Apple Intelligence support via a standalone press release. The company also lowered the price of the existing iPad 10 and stopped including a charger with the device in Europe. Both changes are strong indicators that a new iPad won't play a part in Apple's upcoming announcements across this week.

Article Link: New Entry-Level iPad Now Expected to Arrive in Spring 2025
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/28/new-entry-level-ipad-coming-spring-2025/
Putting the A17Pro in the iPad Mini has opened up a few problems for Apple. Given the high volumes the base iPad tends to sell in, surely Apple will want to get Apple Intelligence into it soon (and indeed, their whole product line).

  • The A16 chip is the logical next step for the iPad that keeps it below the iPad Air/Mini in performance,but means AI won't make it to the iPad until 2026.
  • The A17 Pro chip is likely only available in small quantities (likely left over from the iPhone 15 Pro run, and matching the iPad Mini sales), so is unlikely to feature is a high-volume product.
  • The A18 chip would give AI, but place the iPad above the iPad Mini in performance at (presumably) a lower price point.
 
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I like reading those rumors but it seems in the last couple of weeks, maybe months, almost all articles are repeating themselves. In Summary:
- what will be announced this week
- what won't be announced this week

For iPad 11. Gen, there were already 2 articles:
www.macrumors.com

New Entry-Level iPad With Apple Intelligence Likely Coming Late 2025

Apple's most affordable iPad model will receive an update with Apple Intelligence capabilities in late 2025, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com
www.macrumors.com

iPad 11 Now Seems Unlikely to Launch This Year

Given recent events, it now seems unlikely that Apple will update its entry-level iPad this year. First and foremost, Apple lowered the price of...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

Did we need this one?
 
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Why is there a rumor of an iPad Air refresh? Why so early? And why would they refresh it but not the iPad Pro? They should've just given it the M3 to begin with no? It already has 8GB RAM, what more can they do? If they give it ProMotion, it will completely cannibalize iPad Pro sales.
 
Kendo said:
Why is there a rumor of an iPad Air refresh? Why so early? And why would they refresh it but not the iPad Pro? They should've just given it the M3 to begin with no? It already has 8GB RAM, what more can they do? If they give it ProMotion, it will completely cannibalize iPad Pro sales.
Click to expand...
What a shame that ProMotion is the only feature Apple is clinging on to for their dear life and using it as a differentiator between Pro and non-Pro devices.

TBH, if they give ProMotion to iPad Air models, it's game over for iPad Pros.
 
Kendo said:
Why is there a rumor of an iPad Air refresh? Why so early? And why would they refresh it but not the iPad Pro? They should've just given it the M3 to begin with no? It already has 8GB RAM, what more can they do? If they give it ProMotion, it will completely cannibalize iPad Pro sales.
Click to expand...
because it's just a rumor. and like most rumors posted here it won't come true
 
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Kendo said:
Why is there a rumor of an iPad Air refresh? Why so early? And why would they refresh it but not the iPad Pro? They should've just given it the M3 to begin with no?
Click to expand...
Maybe the M3 just became cheaper to manufacture than the M2. Tim Cook's usual supply-chain contract shenanigans.
 
there is no
kiranmk2 said:
Putting the A17Pro in the iPad Mini has opened up a few problems for Apple. Given the high volumes the base iPad tends to sell in, surely Apple will want to get Apple Intelligence into it soon (and indeed, their whole product line).

  • The A16 chip is the logical next step for the iPad that keeps it below the iPad Air/Mini in performance,but means AI won't make it to the iPad until 2026.
  • The A17 Pro chip is likely only available in small quantities (likely left over from the iPhone 15 Pro run, and matching the iPad Mini sales), so is unlikely to feature is a high-volume product.
  • The A18 chip would give AI, but place the iPad above the iPad Mini in performance at (presumably) a lower price point.
Click to expand...
not really. pair a16 with 8gb ram and voila. a16 is basically a 4nm a17 without ray tracing. and no, you dont need a17 pro npu for apple intelligence. m1 has a14 npu and it does just fine.

it should not be trivial for apple to package a chip with higher ram. a13 came in 3gb (ipad 9) and 4gb (iphone 11 series) variants. a14 came with 4gb (ipad 10, iphone 12) and 6gb (iphone 12 pro's) variants. pair an a16 with 8gb ram and you have an apple intelligence machine
 
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brofkand said:
How much development does it take to put a new chip inside an existing design I’m confused
Click to expand...
Apple wants staggered releases of products to hit certain times for earnings.

Waiting to release the iPad 11 certainly allows Apple to get more Black Friday and Christmas sales of the iPad 10 OR they prefer buyers to go for the Air or Pro models as they are newer.
 
The question is will it have Pencil Pro support and will it still have a non-laminated display. My guess: both no.
 
d5aqoëp said:
What a shame that ProMotion is the only feature Apple is clinging on to for their dear life and using it as a differentiator between Pro and non-Pro devices.

TBH, if they give ProMotion to iPad Air models, it's game over for iPad Pros.
Click to expand...
If you look at it, it's a problem across the board. All manufacturers have similar issues. The technology has become so good that artificial limitations have to be invented. Apple chose 60Hz as the differentiator.
 
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The key thing I'm looking out for is the price. At the current $349 starting base price is what the base iPad should start from. The $449 price tag when the iPad10 was released in 2022 is $100 too much. What I'm afraid and what they'll ultimately end up doing is they'll bump it back up to $449.

I'm fine if they give us low end specs only if the prices are equally low end.
 
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They now have so many problems with disjointed and illogical upgrades because there are just far too many models. They just need a regular iPad that is for most people and then a pro model. And maybe two sizes for each etc.

They need to streamline the lineup again like they did in the past. All of their range is now bloated and disjointed support for the latest offerings in their software.
 
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