Apple released the iPhone 15, MacBook Pro M3, Apple Watch 9, and several other new devices in 2023. Do you know what Apple did not release this year? The new iPad. Despite being arguably one of the best tablets, 2023 did not see a single new Apple slate. That may be unfortunate, but it looks like 2024 will bring the biggest refresh in iPad history.

While there has been no official announcement regarding the new iPad, rumors suggest that we could see the device as early as spring 2024. If reports are true, Apple could release an OLED iPad Pro and a 12.9-inch iPad Air. The reports also indicate that the 9th generation iPad will be discontinued and the current iPad 10 may replace it as the least expensive iPad. Also, the iPad Mini 7 may be released in 2024.

Knowing that not everything we are about to say is official, here is everything we have heard about the iPad we might see in 2024.

Let's start with the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro 2022 I reviewed is currently the most powerful iPad available thanks to the Apple M2 chip. If the rumors are true, its successor could take its place, as it is said to be powered by the same Apple M3 chip found in the new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro. This would make the iPad Pro virtually equivalent to the MacBook Pro.

As for external upgrades, there are rumors and reports that the iPad Pro will finally feature an OLED display; OLED screen technology would be a significant improvement over the current mini-LED technology found on the 12.9-inch model. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, as the source for most of this information, states that the panel should be "crisper and brighter" and "reproduce colors more accurately. "Gurman also claims that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be upgraded to a 13-inch screen, but this is a rumor we have heard from other We've also heard rumors from other sources that the 11-inch tablet will not increase in size. Display analyst Ross Young also made this claim in January. Another rumor suggests that the iPad Pro could get a 14-inch version.

We have also heard rumors that the upcoming iPad Pro may feature a new glass body. Garman previously stated that this change would be on the current iPad Pro, but it could also be introduced on the iPad Pro 2024. A transition to a glass back would allow the next iPad Pro to be charged wirelessly, but would also provide a form of reverse wireless charging.

Regarding wireless charging, MacRumors has heard that MagSafe charging could be coming to the iPad next year. The news is said to come from "sources familiar with companies that manufacture magnets for Apple products. If MagSafe charging for the iPad Pro works as well as MagSafe for the iPhone, it would greatly expand the possibilities for the iPad. Various new charging stands and systems like the Pixel Tablet, whose stand turns the iPad Pro into a smart display, could emerge.

Apple's wireless charging is currently limited to 15W, which may not be enough for some power users. Apple may introduce a MacBook-style MagSafe for the iPad Pro.

As for a release date, the iPad Pro may be available in mid-2024, rather than in Q1 as with previous models. The reason behind that release date is that mass production is said to begin in February.

Finally, Apple is reportedly planning to release a new Magic Keyboard with a sturdier aluminum frame to make the iPad Pro look more like a laptop replacement, a revamped version of the Apple Pencil will also be added. In November, Apple released a lower-priced version of the Apple Pencil with USB-C, and this new Pencil will be a higher-end version of that.

According to analyst Minqi Kuo, the iPad Air 6 could be the first iPad Apple releases next year. As has been previously rumored, Kuo believes the iPad Air 2024 will come in two sizes for the first time (the existing 10.9-inch model and a new larger 12.9-inch model comparable to the iPad Pro). Kuo also said that while the iPad will still have an LCD panel, it will have an Oxide backplane with "the same specs as the existing mini-LED iPad Pro." However, we have also heard that the new iPad Air will feature an OLED panel.

The current iPad Air 5 has an M1 chip. Apple will reportedly omit the M2 model and release a tablet with an M3 processor, making the iPad Air 6 the fastest model in the series.

We have not heard anything about design changes, but we are wondering if the reported 12.9-inch iPad Air will just be a larger version of the 10.9-inch model; when combined with the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard, these tablets will be excellent, good looking, and quite versatile, it's not a bad idea.

The basic iPad has always been a top seller, and for good reason. The current iPad 10 uses the A14 Bionic chip, which seems like a good candidate for the A16 Bionic in the current iPhone 15.

Given that the iPad just got a new design, it is unlikely that Apple will change things with the iPad 11. Nevertheless, a renewed focus on Apple Pencil support would be welcome, and with the release of the USB-C Apple Pencil, it may be time for Apple to ditch the first-generation Apple Pencil in order to simplify people's choices.

The USB-C Apple Pencil was released in October 2023 for $79, making it Apple's most affordable stylus; it attaches magnetically to the iPad 10 but does not charge; hopefully the iPad 11 will offer this type of charging. We have not heard any rumors suggesting that Apple will add wireless charging (and pairing), but we would like to see it.

Reportedly, Apple was supposed to announce the iPad mini 7 at the same time as the iPhone 15 in September. That ultimately did not happen, probably because the iPad mini 6 was a complete overhaul of the iPad mini 5 and they did not feel the need to update it in 2023. However, if reports are accurate, it is possible that the smallest iPad will receive an update in 2024.

There is little that can be said about the specs, but a new iPad mini 7 with the current A13 Bionic upgraded to the A16 Bionic or A17 Pro chips found in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max, respectively, would would be a good thing.

One report claims that Apple will release an 8.7-inch iPad mini in 2024. This number is not a misprint. The current iPad mini has an 8.3-inch LCD screen, and ETNews (via 9to5Mac) suggests that it will be that much larger in the coming years. Whether that will be accomplished by eliminating the bezel of the iPad mini 6 over its 7.9-inch predecessor or by increasing its footprint is anyone's guess.