Apple is expected to be releasing several revamped iPad models in 2024 after not releasing any new models during 2023. Among the expected updates for next year, the iPad Air is expected to be offered in two sizes after the update.
Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants. Young has posted on the social site formerly known as Twitter that Apple’s supply chain started shipments of display panels for a larger 12.9-inch iPad Air this month. Considering Young has provided accurate information about display-related Apple rumors.
There have been several reports claiming Apple is planning to release a 12.9-inch iPad Air. Both Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have said they expect to see two sizes of the new iPad Airs next year, likely sometime in the spring.
Kuo predicted that Apple will update all of its existing iPad lineup, starting with a refreshed 10.9-inch and new 12.9-inch iPad Air, powered by new chips, which he says is scheduled to begin mass production in the first quarter of 2024.
Kuo says the 12.9-inch iPad Air will sport an LCD screen that will not use the mini-LED technology of Apple’s current iPad Pro models but will use the same oxide backplane. This will offer better display performance than the current 10.9-inch iPad Air which uses an a-Si backplane.
It is expected that the new iPad Air model to be powered by Apple’s M2 chip, which will provide improved performance and power efficiency over the M1 chip being used in the current model. Apple updated its iPad Pro with an M2 chip back in October 2022.
The next iPad Air models will also likely offer support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, enabling faster Wi-Fi speeds with a supported router, and improved Bluetooth connectivity.