Why it issues: Apple is stepping up its recreation with its iPad lineup. In keeping with some backend code revealed on X, the following iPad Professional could sport the yet-to-be-announced M5 chip. Cupertino also needs to refresh the remainder of the road this yr or subsequent.
Lately found backend code has presumably revealed a number of upcoming iPad fashions from Apple, although it just lately launched the iPad Professional 2024, which sports activities the cutting-edge M4 chip, and two sizes of the iPad Air 2024. The code was found by Nicolás Álvarez and revealed by Aaronp613 on X.
The posts present few particulars, however Apple watchers have linked the dots based mostly on the revealed code. Admittedly, a few of it’s complicated. For instance, the code contains an iPad Professional with the M3 processor although the most recent mannequin has the M4 chip. One principle is that this was a tool in improvement however later scrapped.
Along with the 5 iPhone identifiers reported yesterday, the next iPad identifiers have been discovered (and @AppleDBdev ‘s guesses as to what they is likely to be):
iPad13,20 – A14 Wi-Fi base mannequin (scrapped)
iPad13,21 – A14 Mobile base mannequin (scrapped)
iPad15,3 – M3 11-inch Professional Wi-Fi…– Aaron (@aaronp613) July 4, 2024
The primary 4 listed are iPad15,7, iPad15,8, iPad16,1 and iPad16,2. These seemingly refer to 2 fashions with two connectivity options–WiFi solely and WiFi with mobile. There may be additionally point out of iPad17,x.
It’s useful that Apple faithfully follows related code identifiers, with the codes typically having a price decrease than the chip contained in the gadget. Maybe most intriguing is that it means that Apple may embody its next-generation M5 chip on the following iPad Professional. The present M4 iPad Professional makes use of identifiers iPad16,5 and iPad16,6, so iPad17,x logically factors to M5 fashions.
Apple engineers are reportedly designing the M5 with superior packaging know-how from TSMC, together with a hybrid System on Built-in Chip (SoIC) design. Cupertino supposedly meant this silicon for future Macs and AI-focused cloud servers. The corporate goals to start mass manufacturing in 2025 or 2026, so we should not see an M5 iPad Professional till at the very least early 2025.
Rumors point out that Apple is refreshing its total iPad lineup this yr. With the Professional and Air already up to date, we may assume that the 2 units coming this yr would be the Eleventh-generation iPad and the Seventh-generation iPad mini. Based mostly on the publish, the iPad ought to have an A16 processor, whereas the iPad mini may sport an A17 chip. If true, this might symbolize a two-generation bounce from earlier fashions. Then once more, the following iPad mini may characteristic the M2 chip presently within the 2024 iPad Air, as Apple has usually given its smaller pill the identical options and value factors because the iPad Air.
Apple historically releases a brand new iPad and iPad mini in October, so the corporate could announce these fashions alongside the iPhone 16 sequence in September. One other faculty of thought is that as a result of Apple launched refreshed editions of the iPads this yr, the brand new fashions usually tend to come a while in 2025. We will see in just some months.
