It seems as though Apple is going to release a handful of new iPads this fall, as revealed by device identifiers in backend code.
A16 11th-Generation iPad, A17 7th-Generation iPad mini and M5 iPad Pro Revealed in Backend Code
It’s no secret that some of the iPad lineup is due for an upgrade – most notably the base model iPad and iPad mini. The iPad Pro and iPad Air just got their big refresh ahead of WWDC 2024, so let’s put them aside for a minute.
According to device identifiers found in backend code as reported by Macworld, Apple is currently working on an interesting set of tablets, including the iPad 11 with A16 chip with Wi-Fi and cellular, and the iPad mini 7 with A17 chip with Wi-Fi and cellular.
That’s absolutely fantastic news, especially for those waiting on a new iPad mini 7. So am I.
But, this is the place where things get really weird – the identifiers reveal a new set of 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models. But, these models have the M5 chip which doesn’t exist at this point in time. There’s no mention of the iPad Air in all this.
If you squint a little, you’ll notice that the A16 chip is not capable of running Apple Intelligence. And there is a chance Apple might push users to a high-end M-series tablet like the iPad Air or iPad Pro in order to access it.
The thing that really boggles my mind is the M5 iPad Pro. Though I’m sure Apple is already working on it, but really, what’s the rush?
