12.9-Inch iPad Air Display Shipments Reportedly Underway Ahead of March 2024 Launch

2023 is set to become the first calendar year with no new iPads released in the device's history, but updates to the entire iPad lineup are expected next year. Notably, it has been rumored that the next iPad Air will be released in two sizes.

iPad Air 12
Apple's supply chain started shipments of display panels for a larger 12.9-inch iPad Air this month, according to a post on X today from Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants. Young has a good track record for display-related Apple rumors, so the information he shared today is likely accurate.


Multiple other sources have claimed that Apple is planning to release a 12.9-inch iPad Air, including Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes, Apple analyst Ming-Chu Kuo, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Earlier this week, Gurman said that he expects the 12.9-inch iPad Air to be released around March 2024.

Beyond its larger display size, no major design changes have been rumored yet for the 12.9-inch iPad Air. The current iPad Air is equipped with a 10.9-inch display, and that model is also expected to be updated around March next year.

The next iPad Pro models are widely expected to be equipped with OLED displays, and they will likely be more expensive than the current iPad Pro models as a result. By sticking with a more cost-friendly LCD panel, the 12.9-inch iPad Air should be priced between the 10.9-inch iPad Air and the next 11-inch iPad Pro.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Caution)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Two of Apple's Oldest Products Are Finally Getting Updated This Year

Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products. Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year. Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2. HomePod mini 2 In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...

Top Rated Comments

ApplesAreSweet&Sour Avatar
16 months ago
Please, let the base configurations start with 128GB!

??
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bradman83 Avatar
16 months ago

Just read a report about Apple wanting to simplify the iPad lineup.

So what do they do?

Add a second iPad Air screen size.

SMH Tim
The article's rationale is that people wanting a larger screen would no longer be forced into the highest-end iPad Pro. Similarly to how the 15" MacBook Air and larger iPhone Plus models bring larger screen options to consumer oriented hardware. Maybe simplified isn't the word they should have used - the the varying product tiers are now more complete.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TigerNike23 Avatar
16 months ago

Are you saying that dealing with choices is simply too complicated for buyers to comprehend?
Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying.

Steve Jobs said the same thing 26 years ago.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abazigal Avatar
16 months ago

Entire books and studies have been written on The Paradox of Choice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paradox_of_Choice
That rubicon has long been crossed. I don't think a company of Apple's current size can expect to sell just one model of smartphone and tablet and expect to meet the needs of their 1+ billion users. The reality is that as your user base grows, their needs will naturally become more diverse, and so Apple will need a larger portfolio of products to cater to them.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Flash1420 Avatar
16 months ago
I mean it kinda defeats the point of an iPad and makes the existing lineup even more confusing. I am betting the price won't be cheap either and add the Magic Keyboard, it would make it even more expensive. At that point, the MacBook Air M1 will be much better from a price and functionality standpoint. They should honestly just have 3 iPads in their lineup:
1. iPad mini
2. Combine the iPad Air and iPad Pro 11-inch
3. iPad Pro 12.9-inch.

People are complaining that iPadOS is too limiting, I mean what more could they add to prevent overlap with macOS? The iPad was designed to offer more functionality and utility than an iPhone but not as much as a Mac.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TigerNike23 Avatar
16 months ago
Just read a report about Apple wanting to simplify the iPad lineup.

So what do they do?

Add a second iPad Air screen size.

SMH Tim
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)