Will Apple Launch New iPads in 2023? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

Apple sometimes releases new iPads in the fall, but there is increasing skepticism about that happening in 2023. We're now into December, and if Apple plans to release any new iPads at all this year, it is fast running out of time. Here's what the latest rumors say.

iPad mini and Air Feature 2
It's been over a year since Apple released a new iPad, the last being the two refreshed iPad Pro models and the latest low-cost ‌iPad‌, all released in October 2022. Going on recent tradition, new models are now long overdue.

In the past when Apple has held a fall event, it has sometimes launched both new Macs and new iPads. But that didn't happen this year. Apple's "Scary Fast" event on October 30 was exclusively Mac focused, with Apple announcing an updated M3-powered 24-inch iMac, as well as new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 series chips.

That doesn't definitively rule out new iPads from Apple this year. Apple could conceivably choose to release new models in early December via press release instead. At the same time, Apple may not have any new ‌iPad‌ models forthcoming this side of Christmas 2023. Here's how the ‌iPad‌ rumor mill now sees the state of play.

Rumors For 2023 iPads

In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, Taiwan-based DigiTimes said investors expected an uptick in Apple's share of the tablet market owing to orders for a "small-size" ‌iPad‌ in the fourth quarter. Additionally, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman earlier this year reported that an iPad mini update with a minor "spec bump" was not out of the question.

In August, the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro" also suggested a seventh-generation ‌iPad mini‌ was in the works at Apple, and said that they had seen evidence that at least one new ‌iPad‌ model is coming this year.

10th Gen iPad Feature Fanned Pink
According to a recent report from 9to5Mac, Apple is working on two new versions of the iPad Air 6. The site claims that Apple has four separate models in the works (two each in cellular and Wi-Fi).

Apple makes two versions of the ‌iPad Pro‌ because it comes in two sizes, and 9to5Mac speculates that Apple could release a larger version of the ‌iPad Air‌ to go along with the current 10.9-inch version, or debut "a more expensive model with better specs." The outlet says that its sources believe the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ 7 is coming "soon," but the report also says that all of the new iPads are on track to be announced "between now and WWDC 2024 in June," which is a wide window.

MacRumors in October discovered that an Apple supplier resubmitted a sixth-generation iPad mini battery filing in a Chinese regulatory database last week, and speculated about the possibility of a seventh-generation ‌iPad mini‌ using the same battery being announced at Apple's "Scary Fast" event. While this did not happen, theoretically it could still be released later this year.

Apple last updated the ‌iPad Air‌ in March 2022 with the M1 chip. If the ‌iPad Air‌ were to be updated with an M2 or M3 chip one year after the ‌iPad Pro‌, it would have already happened in October. A launch in 2024 is now more likely. One report out of Asia in October claimed that Apple is working on a larger 12.9-inch variant of the iPad Air, but there is confusion around this report and the rumor has not been corroborated by other sources.

It's worth noting that Apple has updated the entry-level ‌iPad‌ on an annual basis since 2017, so there will either be an 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ released in November or December, or Apple will break a six-year tradition.

Rumors Against 2023 iPads

Apple during its August earnings call warned that ‌‌iPad‌‌ revenue is expected to drop double digits, suggesting it does not expect to have products to entice customers during the holiday quarter beyond the recently launched iPhone 15 series, new Apple Watch models, and new M3 series Macs.

iPad mini AND Air Feature
That is in line with some rumors, which indicate major new ‌‌iPad‌‌ launches are not expected until 2024. In January, established Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the next ‌iPad mini‌ would likely enter mass production in the first quarter of 2024. More recently, Kuo said he does not expect any new ‌iPad‌ models this year. Likewise, multiple rumors suggest ‌iPad Pro‌‌ models with OLED displays and M3 chips won't be coming until 2024.

The latest bet against iPads in 2023 was made by Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌, who very recently claimed that Apple is not planning to launch new iPad models until around March 2024, when it will announce the 11th-generation ‌iPad‌, seventh-generation ‌iPad mini‌, and sixth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ at the very least.

Summing Up

To sum up, we could still theoretically see at least one ‌iPad‌ unveiled this year via press release, perhaps in the form of an ‌iPad mini‌, an ‌iPad Air‌, or an 11th-generation low-cost ‌‌iPad‌‌, but these would likely be minor refreshes. It's still theoretically possible for at least one or two of these models to be updated in early December, but as the calendar edges into 2024 and the "rumors against" increasingly stack up, new iPads in 2023 are looking more and more unlikely.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

abatabia Avatar
15 months ago
Minor spec bump refreshes via PR at the absolute most gets my vote.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Codestud Avatar
15 months ago
It's time to bring Face ID to the non-Pro iPads.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iPay Avatar
15 months ago
Mini, Air, Pro, Plus, Max, Hot, Extra-Hot...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stocklen Avatar
15 months ago
id like to see a new iPad mini.

It may be small, but the current model is more like an 'air mini' rather than a standard iPad.

For its price point, it needs a better screen, and at least an m1 chip.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Fuzzball84 Avatar
15 months ago
I think a bump up to M2 for the basic iPad is the least we can expect.

I don’t know how you guys cope with the M1… it’s laggy like crazy. You talk about jelly scrolling. Worse is checkerboard background as the anemic M1 tries to render a Wikipedia page. Navigating the menus is a nightmare.

?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ELman Avatar
15 months ago

We don't need M1 on iPad Air
Your right. We need the M2.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)