Apple made seven announcements this week, but one was missing from the expected list.
Despite rumours, the entry-level iPad was not refreshed at the same time as the iPad Air, so it looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer.
Apple refreshed almost all of its major product lines this week, with new additions to iPad, Mac and iPhone. It was only Apple Watch and AirPods that didn’t get a look in, but considering they both had new additions in September, that didn’t come as too much of a surprise.
What was slightly more surprising, however, was the lack of refresh to the entry-level iPad. Apple announced the iPad Air with the M4 processor, offering double the base storage, a performance bump, and some extra memory for good measure, but unlike last year, the regular iPad wasn’t updated at the same time.
Where is the iPad 12?
In the past, Apple has waited over two years between updates to the entry-level iPad so perhaps it shouldn’t have been quite as much of a shock, but given the Apple iPad (A16) is the only model in the lineup not to support Apple Intelligence, and with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggesting we would see a successor announced alongside the other products, it is a little odd that a replacement remains absent.
Previous rumours have suggested that the iPad 12 will have a couple of key upgrades. A Mac Rumours report suggested it will include a faster A18 processor and support for Apple Intelligence. There has also been a suggestion of the latest A19 processor under the hood, which was announced with the iPhone 17 last year.
But for now, there is no sign of an update to the base iPad, so it could be several months more before it appears.
With the iPad (10th generation) launching in October 2022, followed by the iPad (A16) in March 2025, we wouldn’t be surprised if we have to wait until later this year, or even next year, for a refresh.
If you’re looking for more power, you might consider trying to find an iPad Air (M3) at a discounted price now that the new iPad Air (M4) has been released.
