Apple launched a new iPad mini last week, but according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, that’s only the start of a busier-than-usual stretch for the tablet lineup. The report points to three new iPads arriving early next year, covering the entry-level iPad, the mid-range iPad Air and the flagship iPad Pro. Each one is said to be getting a meaningful upgrade rather than a token spec bump, which would make this one of Apple’s broadest iPad refreshes in recent memory.
The base iPad finally gets Apple Intelligence
The cheapest iPad in Apple’s lineup has been left out of Apple Intelligence support until now, largely because of hardware limitations. That’s reportedly changing with an upgrade to the A19 chip and 8GB of RAM, which should be enough horsepower to run Apple’s on-device AI features. The report also says the base model will pick up Apple’s in-house N1 chip and C1X modem, bringing Wi-Fi 7, sub-6GHz 5G, faster data speeds and better battery efficiency.
iPad Air catches up with an OLED screen
The iPad Air is reportedly getting an OLED display to match the panel Apple just put in the new iPad mini, along with the usual chip upgrades expected with any new generation. OLED brings deeper blacks, better contrast and typically improved power efficiency compared to the LCD panels Apple has used on the Air so far. If accurate, this would leave the base iPad as the only model still running an LCD screen, sharpening the gap between Apple’s entry-level and mid-range tablets.
iPad Pro chases more power and better cooling
The iPad Pro is tipped to move past its current M5 chip, possibly to an M6 or even a yet-unreleased M7. Apple is also said to be adding a new vapor chamber to manage heat more effectively, particularly during sustained AI workloads that can push the chip harder than typical tasks. The vapor chamber was first rumored last year.
Why this matters as Apple’s lineup gets crowded
This refresh doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Apple recently launched the iPhone Duo, a foldable-style device that blurs the line between phone and tablet, and its new touchscreen MacBook Pro could appeal to the same buyers who might otherwise consider an iPad with a keyboard case. There’s also the HomeView smart display, which some shoppers may find more practical than propping up an iPad in a kitchen or on a nightstand. Despite all that internal competition, Apple reportedly still sells around 60 million iPads a year, so the lineup remains a core part of its business and worth continued investment.
The bottom line
None of this is confirmed by Apple, and as with any Gurman report, specifics like exact chip names and launch timing could shift before an official announcement. But the shape of the rumor makes sense: bring Apple Intelligence support to the cheapest iPad, give the Air the OLED screen it’s been missing, and push the Pro’s performance and cooling further for AI-heavy tasks. If you’re due for an upgrade and can wait a few months, it may be worth holding off until early next year to see how these changes land.
Source: Engadget
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