An iPad Air with a speed boost is on the way, according to a report posted Friday by a generally reliable source. The tablet won’t have Apple’s latest processor, though.
And a cheaper alternative, the iPad 11th generation, also could launch soon.
2025 will finally bring the much-anticipated 11th-generation iPad, a version of the budget tablet with a faster processor capable of accessing the latest Apple Intelligence features.
In addition, expect faster iPad Pro and iPad Air models in 2025 — one sooner than might be expected.
Apple intends to introduce its first MacBooks with an OLED screen in 2026, according to industry analysts. And the iPad mini will allegedly go OLED that same year. Apple’s full transition to OLED will take until 2028, though.
And that’s supposedly the same year the company will introduce a computer with an 18.8-inch foldable display.
Shopping for an iPad can be overwhelming. Apple sells six iPad models in a wide range of sizes, prices and capabilities. Each tablet has its strengths and weaknesses. You don’t want to get one that doesn’t have all the features you want, but you also don’t want to pay too much for features you won’t use.
Here’s some straightforward advice on picking the right iPad for you.
Apple is allegedly working on a 90Hz display for the next-gen iPad Air, 24-inch iMac, and the Studio Display. All these devices currently sport a 60Hz panel.
The 90Hz screen will apparently debut on the M3 iPad Air before making its way to other devices.
iPad shipments grew only slightly last quarter, according to a market research firm, despite the release of new high-end and mid-range tablets in the spring. The lack of a new entry-level tablet from Apple significantly affected the shipment total.
Still, Apple itself showed a larger year-over-year bump in revenue during the third quarter of 2024 from this class of computer.
The new iPad mini (7th generation) came out Tuesday, and other new models are likely to follow soon — but, as usual, the biggest savings are in older models, including current Amazon deals on iPads. Right now you can get some pretty serious discounts at Amazon on a variety of iPad models, including M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, 9th- and 10th-generation iPads and the previous iPad mini (6th generation). Some models are $200 off! See below. And it’s not just iPads, but Apple Pencils and iPad keyboard cases, too.
If you’ve been putting off buying an Apple tablet because you were waiting for a good deal, grab your wallet. It’s Amazon Prime Day so you can save a bundle on the latest and greatest iPad Pro or iPad Air.
UPDATE: While Prime Day is over, you chance to save on an Apple tablet is not. Many of the deals are still available.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: If Apple does host a big October event, M4 Macs and iPads likely will steal the show. We talk about what to expect from the upcoming Apple products.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
Today’s setup comes from a user with two MacBooks and two external displays. They’re like to clean it up and make it more mininalistic, but they also want to add a new M2 iPad Air. So they did the sensible thing and asked social media. See how that went, below.
The revamped iPad Air debuted in May, but there’s already word that a replacement is on Apple’s drawing board for early next year.
Apple will apparently improve the performance of the Air, which will make deciding between it and the iPad Pro more challenging for tablet shoppers.
You can now buy refurbished M2 iPad Pro and M1 iPad Air from Apple’s online store in the US. They are available with up to 20% discounts on their retail price.
Apple unveiled these iPads in 2022, with the M1 iPad Air launching in March 2022 and the M2 iPad Pro in October.
Want to start the school year with an iPad? This refurbished iPad Air might be a great fit, especially since most students are on a budget and might not need the latest processor for their schoolwork or note-taking.
Shopping for refurbished tech is a smart way to ensure your school year starts on the right foot, and this fourth-gen iPad Air from 2020 is on sale for only $349.99 (compared to $599 for a sixth-gen iPad Air). It comes in sky blue, space gray and rose gold. Or, you can get a green one — with four times as much storage — for only $399.99.
An iPad Air with an OLED display rather than the current LCD seems a safe bet considering the number of leaks indicating one is in development. But sources can’t agree on when — the latest report says 2026.
That said, Apple already has an OLED tablet for those who want one now.
The number of iPads shipped during Q2 2024 grew sharply when compared to the same quarter of last year, according to market analysts. It’s the first year-over-year increase in Apple’s tablet shipments since 2022.
The long-awaited launch of powerful new iPad models is credited for the improvement.
Amazon bargain site Woot! currently runs a sale with deals on iPad and MacBooks, including brand new, new (open box) and refurbished models, through August 6. Discounts range up to 31% off. So let it be Christmas in mid-summer with some new (to you) Apple gear.
“Jobs nods his head in approval from the Clouds,” Woot! says at the top of the sale page.
Are you ready for some football … with iPads? This upcoming college football season should see plenty of Apple tablets teaming up with coaches and players on the sidelines. Two powerhouse NCAA Division I conferences — Southeastern (SEC) and Atlantic Coast (ACC) — recently struck deals with Apple to use iPads in college football games.
iPad’s “unique capabilities and versatility make it the ideal solution to support coaches and student-athletes,” said Scott Brodrick, a manager in Apple’s worldwide iPad product marketing group. “With an unrivaled combination of advanced displays, powerful performance, portability, fast connectivity, all day battery life and versatile accessories, iPad will let coaches and players make in-game adjustments and empower athletes to compete at the highest level.”
Checking the health and maximum capacity of the battery in older iPad models isn’t as easy as it should be, but we can walk you through the process. Finding out how worn out the tablet’s battery is can help you decide if it’s time for a new model.
But for those who already upgraded to the latest iPad Pro or iPad Air, checking battery health is a snap.
If you can’t wait for Amazon Prime Day July 16 and 17, turns out you don’t even need to — every Prime Day, deals start leaking out early. Right now you can take up to $90 off the recently released M2 iPad Air, for example. And that’s just the biggest savings on a top model. Plenty of early Prime Day deals on M2 iPad Air models with lesser specs can be had, too. See the examples below.
The new 11-inch and 13-inch M2 iPad Air models are great tablets, but not everyone wants to throw down $600 or more. And not everyone needs bleeding-edge performance. That’s why sales on the previous models like the one right now at Best Buy are such great opportunities. You can chop $200 off M1 iPad Air and enjoy it for years to come.
iPhone 15 Pro and 2nd gen HomePod are not the only Apple devices to ship with a Thread router. The company has secretly shipped all its recent iPad and Mac models with the smart home radio as well.
Unlike on the iPhones though, the Thread router is not active. This could explain why Apple has not advertised its inclusion in the specs page of its new Macs and iPads.
Apple’s 2024 iPad Air ships with a binned M2 chip featuring a 9-core GPU. The company’s original announcement claimed it packs a 10-core GPU.
The Cupertino giant silently updated the iPad Air’s tech specs page to reflect this change.
Apple’s recently released M2 iPad Air packs modest upgrades over its predecessor and the same processor as 2022’s M2 iPad Pro. How do the two Apple tablets with identical M2 chips compare? Find out in our M2 iPad Pro vs. M2 iPad Air comparison.
While the new midrange tablet seems tempting, an iPad Air is still an Air, not a Pro.
Thinking about getting an iPad? Maybe it’s your first one, or maybe it replaces an aging tablet. In any case, now’s the time to strike on Amazon. The retail behemoth offers multiple 10th-gen iPad deals, including the entry-level model with 64GB storage at the lowest price ever — $299.99.
And you can also get what looks like the lowest price so far on a 10th-gen model with more storage — 256GB — for $449.99. Just remember to click the coupon box to see the lowest price at checkout.
And if you’re got your heart set on an iPad Air or iPad Pro, Amazon’s got you covered. See below.
Should your next computer be a MacBook or an iPad? Apple is making the iPad more powerful and capable every year — it might be good enough that you don’t need a traditional computer in your life.
While macOS is still more powerful and versatile, the iPad’s hardware offers unique capabilities that no Mac can match. The iPad is easier to pick up and use, more portable and more reliable. It’s worth considering over a laptop if you don’t do a lot of specialized work.
Here are the pros and cons, MacBook vs. iPad: Price, easy of use, portability and more. Keep reading below or watch our video.