After skipping all of 2023, Apple updated its entire lineup of iPads in 2024 save one: the 10th-gen model. While it did get an aggressive price cut to $349, Apple opted to leave its cheapest tablet with the same specs it’s had since its 2022 launch. But it shouldn’t be much longer until it gets an update: Here’s what we know so far.
When will the 11th-gen iPad be released?
Apple once had a steady release schedule for its cheapest iPad alongside the latest iPhones in the September event. In 2022, the 10th-gen revamp saw a slight adjustment to this with an October debut alongside the M2 iPad Pro and Apple TV 4K (3rd-gen).
Here’s when the previous iPad models launched:
So when can we expect an update to the standard iPad? It looks like Apple may switch things up with a spring release in 2025 alongside the 4th-gen iPhone SE at an event in March or April.
How much will the 11th-gen iPad cost?
Pricing was consistent up until the arrival of the iPad (10th-generation) in 2022, but following the redesign, Apple upped the price quite significantly, from $329 to $449. However, in May 2024, Apple dropped the price of the 10th-gen model around the world by $100 to $349/£349/€439.
Therefore, we don’t know what pricing is for the 11th-generation iPad. Apple may keep the same $349 price tag or raise it back to $449 and keep the 10th-gen model in the lineup as a budget option.
What features will we see in the 11th-gen iPad?
The 10th-gen iPad delivered a major redesign, so we don’t expect too much to change with the 11th-generation model. However, there will be some notable upgrades:
Processor and RAM
Like the 2024 iPad mini, the most obvious update to the 11th-gen iPad will be the chipset. The current iPad 10 runs on an A14 chipset, which debuted in 2020 with the 4th-gen iPad Air and iPhone 12. We expect the new iPad mini will get either the A17 Pro or A18 processor with 8GB of RAM so it can run Apple Intelligence. Following the iPad mini’s 2024 A17 Pro update, the 10th-gen iPad is Apple’s only tablet that doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, which requires at least 8GB of RAM.
Display
As the display was increased from 10.2 inches to 10.9 inches with the 10th-gen revamp, we don’t expect any changes to the screen size. The only possible change is the use of a laminated display, which would make the device slightly thinner and offer better clarity.
Apple
Cameras
Since the 10th-gen iPad was Apple’s first tablet to change the placement of the front camera from portrait to landscape mode and already has Center Stage, we don’t expect Apple to change the front camera. It’s possible Apple upgrades the rear camera slightly, but since the M2 iPad Air released in 2024 has the same 12MP wide camera, it’s likely any improvements come from software.
Storage
If there’s a standout upgrade that could make life easier for people, it’s storage. The base model still has just 64GB of storage, while the rest of the lineup starts with at least 128GB. Like the iPhone SE, we expect Apple to bump the base storage of its entry-level tablet up to 128GB when the 11th-gen iPad arrives, as well as increase the top offering to 512GB.
We’ll keep updating this article as more information becomes available. Until then, you should check out our best iPad 9th and 10th-generation deals and best iPad mini deals roundups to see if you can bag yourself a bargain on one of Apple’s other offerings.
source: https://www.macworld.com/article/2158175/ipad-11th-gen-2024-release-date.html
