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Apple was supposed to announce the iPad Mini 7 this month. Oh, and probably the iPad Air 6, perhaps even the iPad 11. But they didn’t, and now it looks like we’ll have to wait until March 2024 for a much-needed round of iPad updates.
The iPad buying guide I published on YouTube a month ago has, over the last few days, picked up pace in terms of views. It was a slow starter when it went live in September, but something has triggered a new influx of viewers.
This suggests that people are getting itchy feet when it comes to the iPad lineup. With Apple seemingly giving up on any more hardware releases or iPad announcements in 2023, what should you do if you need a new iPad?
More importantly, if the new iPad you crave is an iPad mini – what on earth should you do?
When are the new iPads coming out?
Look – none of us know the new iPads release dates. Sorry. You can read as many rumour updates, opinion pieces, and social media threads about it as you like – you’ll never get to the bottom of it.
Only Apple knows what the plan is with new iPads. This means, as ever, that the buying guidance is pretty simple: if you need an iPad now, just buy one. Seriously.
For anyone who doesn’t need an iPad right now, or for those who just have a passing interest in Apple’s next play with its genre-defining device, there are plenty of clues to chew over.
The usual rumour mill veterans are all saying the same thing. Don’t expect another Apple event this year, muttered Mark Gurman recently. All iPad launches are off until 2024, says analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
There’s still a chance we could see something via a press release before Christmas, but with October rapidly vanishing and December the most unlikely month for any form of new Apple release, that only leaves November for something meaningful to happen.
What’s more, Apple made it clear during its recent earnings call that iPad revenue is expected to drop by double digits, suggesting that they’re fully aware of the contracting tablet market (because of course they are), and that they don’t have any plans to bolster it with a new release at the tail end of 2023.
For devices like the iPad Air and iPad Pro, that’s fair dos; they don’t feel in need of an update. But there’s one iPad that definitely does – the iPad mini 6.
Should you wait for the iPad mini 7?
Ooh, this is a tough one, folks. I, for one, was convinced we were going to see a new 7th generation iPad mini in October. The rumours were really hotting up and with Apple’s lovely little iPad recently passing its second birthday, a new one – even if it arrived via press release – seemed like it was finally on the cards.
Erm, no. Instead, we got a new Apple Pencil with a hidden USB-C charging port.
What a letdown, eh? Although, if you were hoping for a new iPad mini, you may have been just as disappointed if it had arrived. Whispers from the rumour mill and supply chain network suggest that the iPad mini 7 is only going to receive a minor spec bump.
That probably means a new chip. Maybe even an M1. But that’s it – no ProMotion display, no Face ID, and, presumably, no exciting new accessories such as a Magic Keyboard mini.
The iPad mini 6 is, as noted, over two years old now. Regardless, it’s still a great device – I still use mine daily without any trouble whatsoever. Therefore, if you’re hankering after one, I’d suggest giving Apple the entirety of November to come up with the goods and, if they fail to do so, just buy yourself one for Christmas. If you’re concerned about what might be around the corner, grab a second-hand one or a unit from the Apple Refurb Store to save yourself some money.
If you’re in no rush for the iPad mini 7, I’d wait it out. If we don’t see one this year, we will see one in 2024. It’s a matter of ‘when’… and in what form.
The case for the iPad 11th generation
There’s another iPad people are seemingly keen on Apple releasing – the update to the 10th generation iPad.
Apple’s strangest iPad was released over a year ago now, and while I still struggle to work out for whom it is intended, I do understand why people want to see a new one.
The 10th generation iPad isn’t the entry-level iPad – that remains the duty of the 9th generation version (the one with the home button). It therefore makes sense for Apple to finally retire that old design.
The prospect of a Home Button-less entry-level iPad at entry-level pricing is tantalising. But for that to happen, we need an 11th generation iPad to hit the shelves. I wouldn’t put it past Apple doing that relatively soon and relegating the 10th generation spec to the bottom of the pile with a tasty reduction in price – that would be a lovely thing. And any suggestions of an 11 being the first M3 iPad are way, way off the mark.
What’s interesting is that Apple has updated the entry-level iPad annually since 2017, so if they fail to do so in 2023, they’ll break a six-year tradition.
Once again, if you want to spend the least amount of money possible on a new iPad, my buying guidance is the same as it is for the iPad mini 7. Give Apple the entirety of November to do something, and then make your buying decision if nothing arrives.
My conclusion about current iPad mini 7 rumours
As tempting as it was to title this blog post ‘Is the iPad DEAD?’, Apple hasn’t given up on its tablet. Obviously. But Tim and co. know the numbers far better than we do, and those numbers clearly aren’t screaming “RELEASE A NEW BUNCH OF IPADS IN 2023”.
They also know that people change their iPads incredibly infrequently. That doesn’t help those waiting on new models, but I suspect that’s quite a small portion of the iPad market these days.
My iPad buying advice remains the same: if you need an iPad today and you know which one you want, just buy it. There’s always something new around the corner.
If you can wait: wait.
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