When Apple launched the refreshed iPad Pro this past spring, it became the first to feature the M4 processor. Next year's Apple tablet is expected to feature the new M5 chipset. However, a new report claims we won't see the next SoC until the back half of 2025.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a blog post that Apple won't put the iPad Pro M5 into production until the second half of 2025. This suggests that we won't see the new iPad until the end of 2025, possibly early 2026, though our understanding is that Apple wants the iPad Pro to see annual iterations like the MacBook or iPhone.
"The iPad Pro equipped with the M5 processor is expected to enter mass production in 2H25. The company's business momentum in 2H25 is anticipated to benefit significantly from Apple's new product launches," he wrote.
As mentioned, the iPad Pro M4 launched in April of this year, so a late 2025 launch window would be a significant delay for Apple.
This isn't entirely surprising news, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman made similar claims in October when Apple released the new M4-powered iMac, Mac Mini, and MacBook Pro.
At the time, Gurman said the M5 would debut in 2025 on the iPad Pro. He also said that it wouldn't come out until late 2025, suggesting that we wouldn't get a M5 iPad Pro until early 2026.
Unfortunately, we don't know much more about the M5 chip. It was speculated that the M5 would be Apple's first 2nm chip, potentially more powerful and featuring more transistors than the 3nm-based M4 system-on-chip.
The M4 was seemingly rushed out the door, but previous chips had an 18-month cycle. A delayed M5 looks like Apple may be attempting to return to that pattern.
As for next year's iPad Pro, there haven't been many other rumors, though it sounds as though there won't be many design changes. This year's model became slimmer and lighter while getting an altered camera placement. Apple might be okay with that status quo for a couple more iterations.
