Earlier this week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the release of iPadOS 16 would be delayed until October, in part due to the launch of new iPads at a mid-fall event. According to a MySmartPrice report, the updated 10th generation iPad could be part of a new lineup.
MySmartPrice suggests a new iPad is coming soon, based on a CAD-rendering purchase from an iPad case maker. Renders show the new iPad will have the same bezel-heavy design as the current 9th generation iPad, but with a wider screen (10.5 inches) on a thinner device with flat edges. Dimensions are 9.8 x 7.1 x 0.27 inches (248.62 x 179.50 x 6.98mm).
MySmartPrice
According to the report, the iPad will still have a 12-megapixel FaceTime camera and a Touch ID button on the front. The back, however, differs from the current iPad with the “camera island” last seen on the iPhone XS and the LED flash that accompanies the single-lens camera. And judging by the renders, it will no longer have a headphone jack. Apple has already removed the 3.5mm port from its other iPads. The Apple logo on the back is still upright.
The flat sides in the renders look more like the iPad Pro and iPad Air and are different from the rounded edges of the current iPad. However, the renders do not indicate whether there will be a Lightning or USB-C port, although there are rumors that Apple is ditching the Lightning port. Apple has moved to USB-C on the iPad Air and iPad Pro, and European Union law requires USB-C on mobile devices. There’s a very good chance the next iPad will switch too.
MySmartPrice
Other reports say that the next iPad may have an A14 chip that will replace the A13 Bionic currently in use. According to Gurman’s Bloomberg report, the new iPad could be announced alongside the new iPad Pro and iPadOS 16 models in October. It’s not yet clear if Apple will raise the price of the 10th generation iPad, which starts at $329.