Apple by no means stops, it appears. It’s only some weeks for the reason that newest iPad Professional with the cutting-edge M4 chip and iPad Air in two sizes had been launched. However new clues have been revealed—by Apple—that time to 4 distinct iPads on their means within the coming months. And one element is sort of a shock.
Identifiers of iPads which haven’t been seen earlier than have appeared in a reference in Apple’s backend code unearthed by Nicolás Álvarez and reported by @aaronp613 posting on X.
After all, Apple isn’t so silly as to call the units in a means which ties them down an excessive amount of, so there’s a level of extrapolation occurring right here.
iPad And iPad mini
The references are primary: iPad15,7, iPad15,8, iPad16,1 and iPad16,2 are the primary 4. These virtually actually refer to 2 iPads, every in two variations, one with wifi solely, one with wif and mobile connectivity.
Loads of rumors have mentioned that Apple will refresh its whole vary of iPads this 12 months. We’ve already seen the Professional and Air up to date, so the 2 iPads listed below are the subsequent era of normal iPad, the 11th era, and the seventh model of iPad mini.
The identifiers reveal extra: the primary pair appear to have the Apple A16 processor, a good improve from the A14 Bionic discovered within the present 10th-gen iPad. The third and fourth fashions counsel an A17 processor, which is smart because the mini has at all times been extra highly effective in processor phrases than the common iPad.
Extra To Come
There’s extra. The code exhibits particulars of iPads which had been maybe in improvement however not in the end launched. The processors hooked up imply the iPads wouldn’t now be launched, as an example as a result of they embody an iPad Professional with M3 processor, which couldn’t probably seem given the newest mannequin has the M4 chip.
Lastly, the main points embody 4 extra references, to iPad17, which appears prefer it could possibly be for the subsequent iPad Professional (two sizes and two connectivity choices), with, get this, an M5 processor. There may be zero likelihood these subsequent fashions could possibly be launched this 12 months, I’d say, however they might be scheduled for late 2025 or early the 12 months after.
The Hidden Shock
That is all very thrilling however there’s one intriguing function, as identified by Ben Lovejoy at 9to5Mac: if there actually is an A16 processor within the subsequent iPad, it received’t be able to operating Apple Intelligence. Since all iPhone 16 fashions, even the essential ones, are anticipated to be appropriate with Apple Intelligence it might be unusual if the subsequent iPad was not. We’ll see.