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All iPads 2020 iPad Air 4 Prediction

E

EssModelsRule

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 28, 2017
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With the Pros rumored to be going even more Pro next year (cameras, usual spec bumps, RAM and maybe base storage increases), there should finally be enough differentiation to bring the new form factor down to iPad Air. My guess is the Air 4 and new Pro 11 will be introduced together, probably Spring 2020, with the Air 4 being a watered down 2018 Pro 11 just as the Air 3 is a watered down 2017 Pro 10.5.

Spec speculation:
  • 11” full screen design
  • Compatible with all 2018 Pro accessories (ASK, Pencil 2, etc)
  • FaceID
  • A12 and 3GB RAM carried over from Air 3
  • 64GB base storage
  • Two speakers
  • No ProMotion
  • Air 3 rear camera carried over
  • $549
This somewhat follows the formula used on the 10.2” model in keeping the internals largely the same and putting them in a new shell that works with existing accessories. As for having two 11” models, there are iPhone rumors of two 6.1” models next year (regular and Pro), so assuming that proves to be true I’m guessing the same logic will be applied to the iPad lineup.

Thoughts?
 
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UnLiMiTeD558 said:
There won’t be an air 4 next year, probably not the year after either
Click to expand...
That’s also a possibility for sure, but the base model is being regularly updated so the Air will get challenged from below. My Air 4 guess could easily be a year too early considering no such rumors yet but I think it’ll happen at some point.
 
The air 3 seems like one of those products that will be discontinued quickly or stick around forever. Personally think the latter and they’ll just update the processor each year. For a few more years at least anyway.
 
EssModelsRule said:
With the Pros rumored to be going even more Pro next year (cameras, usual spec bumps, RAM and maybe base storage increases), there should finally be enough differentiation to bring the new form factor down to iPad Air. My guess is the Air 4 and new Pro 11 will be introduced together, probably Spring 2020, with the Air 4 being a watered down 2018 Pro 11 just as the Air 3 is a watered down 2017 Pro 10.5.

Spec speculation:
  • 11” full screen design
  • Compatible with all 2018 Pro accessories (ASK, Pencil 2, etc)
  • FaceID
  • A12 and 3GB RAM carried over from Air 3
  • 64GB base storage
  • Two speakers
  • No ProMotion
  • Air 3 rear camera carried over
  • $549
This somewhat follows the formula used on the 10.2” model in keeping the internals largely the same and putting them in a new shell that works with existing accessories. As for having two 11” models, there are iPhone rumors of two 6.1” models next year (regular and Pro), so assuming that proves to be true I’m guessing the same logic will be applied to the iPad lineup.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I watched a video about three days ago that shared similar opinions to you.
 
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AutomaticApple said:
I watched a video about three days ago that shared similar opinions to you.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. Yep, that’s pretty much what I have in mind. It’s time. Now if I can just refrain from Best Buy’s latest Pro sale for a little longer I might be a buyer for this hypothetical Air 4.
 
I doubt that there will be an Air 4 or a Mini 6 next year. There are enough iPad lines that they won’t be updating them all every year. The Pros are due, and it seems like the base model receives at least a small update each year to make it attractive to the average consumer, so the Air and Mini probably won’t be updated until 2021 at the earliest.
 
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Upgrade to 11 inch Liquid Retina Design (so no Home Button).

Sound setup of e.g. the iPhone XR/11, two speakers but sounds more like the 4 Speaker setup of the Pro (or maybe it is this just because of the size of the iPhones?).

Upgrade SOC to A13 and RAM to 4 GB.
 
I also think the next pro will get an A14x. An A14 for Air4 (in 2020) would be nice, but as they kept the base iPad on A10 this year i doubt Apple will be so „generous“. => But I surely like the idea.
 
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EssModelsRule said:
With the Pros rumored to be going even more Pro next year (cameras, usual spec bumps, RAM and maybe base storage increases), there should finally be enough differentiation to bring the new form factor down to iPad Air. My guess is the Air 4 and new Pro 11 will be introduced together, probably Spring 2020, with the Air 4 being a watered down 2018 Pro 11 just as the Air 3 is a watered down 2017 Pro 10.5.

Spec speculation:
  • 11” full screen design
  • Compatible with all 2018 Pro accessories (ASK, Pencil 2, etc)
  • FaceID
  • A12 and 3GB RAM carried over from Air 3
  • 64GB base storage
  • Two speakers
  • No ProMotion
  • Air 3 rear camera carried over
  • $549
This somewhat follows the formula used on the 10.2” model in keeping the internals largely the same and putting them in a new shell that works with existing accessories. As for having two 11” models, there are iPhone rumors of two 6.1” models next year (regular and Pro), so assuming that proves to be true I’m guessing the same logic will be applied to the iPad lineup.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
iPad Air 4 11"
Compatible with 2020 Magic Keyboard, 2020 Smart Keyboard Folio, and Pencil 2
11" full screen design
Mini-LED
Under-screen Touch ID
A13
4 GB RAM
5G option
64 GB base storage
Two speakers
No ProMotion
12 MP f/1.8 camera carried over from iPad Air 3
US$599 WiFi / $749 WiFi + Cellular

iPad Pro 11" discontinued. o_O Actually, I hope not. If not, then I would wish it to be:

iPad Pro 5 11"
Compatible with 2020 Magic Keyboard, 2020 Smart Keyboard Folio, and Pencil 2
11" full screen design
Mini-LED
Face ID
A14X
6 GB RAM
5G option
128 GB base storage
Four speakers
ProMotion
Camera system carried over from 2020 iPad Pro
US$799 WiFi / $949 WiFi + Cellular

With this scenario, I would buy the iPad Pro 11" with 5G if available. If not, I'd buy the iPad Air 4 with 5G, over the 2020 iPad Pro 4. The 4 GB RAM in the iPad Air 4 would be disappointing, but I'd rather have mini-LED (assuming it's good) plus 5 GB more than 6 GB RAM. The SoC doesn't really interest me that much.
 
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EugW said:
iPad Air 4 11"
Compatible with 2020 Magic Keyboard, 2020 Smart Keyboard Folio, and Pencil 2
11" full screen design
Mini-LED
Under-screen Touch ID
A13
4 GB RAM
5G option
64 GB base storage
Two speakers
No ProMotion
12 MP f/1.8 camera carried over from iPad Air 3
US$599 WiFi / $749 WiFi + Cellular

iPad Pro 11" discontinued. o_O Actually, I hope not. If not, then I would wish it to be:

iPad Pro 5 11"
Compatible with 2020 Magic Keyboard, 2020 Smart Keyboard Folio, and Pencil 2
11" full screen design
Mini-LED
Face ID
A14X
6 GB RAM
5G option
128 GB base storage
Four speakers
ProMotion
Camera system carried over from 2020 iPad Pro
US$799 WiFi / $949 WiFi + Cellular

With this scenario, I would buy the iPad Pro 11" with 5G if available. If not, I'd buy the iPad Air 4 with 5G, over the 2020 iPad Pro 4. The 4 GB RAM in the iPad Air 4 would be disappointing, but I'd rather have mini-LED (assuming it's good) plus 5 GB more than 6 GB RAM. The SoC doesn't really interest me that much.
Click to expand...
Definitely sounds like a bit of flux going on with models to come (this year as planned, maybe with present circumstances a little later).

Interesting idea, all iPads (sans the very lowest end one) gain the current pro design, but remain differentiated by internal specs (and sizes?). Didn't the rumour say mini LED 11-12" iPP, which might suggest at least the smaller model might grow by up to 1" diagonal, maybe to facilitate more multitasking? Or maybe that the two sizes are being merged into one going forward. If the former, that might also open up the way for a 14", particularly if Apple are finally going for it bringing Pro apps like Xcode to iPad.

iPad Air 11" and iPad mini 8.0"(?) - A13 or A14; 4GB RAM; mini LED 60Hz; Pencil 2; Touch ID; 2 speakers; 1x camera

iPad Pro 12.0" and iPad Pro 14.0"(?) - A14X; 8GB RAM (for Xcode, Final Cut, Logic etc); mini LED 120Hz; Pencil 2; Touch ID and Face ID; 4 speakers; 2x cameras plus LiDAR
 
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Falhófnir said:
Definitely sounds like a bit of flux going on with models to come (this year as planned, maybe with present circumstances a little later).

Interesting idea, all iPads (sans the very lowest end one) gain the current pro design, but remain differentiated by internal specs (and sizes?). Didn't the rumour say mini LED 11-12" iPP, which might suggest at least the smaller model might grow by up to 1" diagonal, maybe to facilitate more multitasking? Or maybe that the two sizes are being merged into one going forward. If the former, that might also open up the way for a 14", particularly if Apple are finally going for it bringing Pro apps like Xcode to iPad.

iPad Air 11" and iPad mini 8.0"(?) - A13 or A14; 4GB RAM; mini LED 60Hz; Pencil 2; Touch ID; 2 speakers; 1x camera

iPad Pro 12.0" and iPad Pro 14.0"(?) - A14X; 8GB RAM (for Xcode, Final Cut, Logic etc); mini LED 120Hz; Pencil 2; Touch ID and Face ID; 4 speakers; 2x cameras plus LiDAR
Click to expand...
I think most if not all of the recent rumours have pointed specifically a 12.9" size for the supposed mini-LED iPad Pro. No mention of an 11" mini-LED iPad Pro, but mention of an 11" mini-LED iPad Air (as well as potentially an iPad mini).

Nobody has talked about a 14" iPad Pro AFAIK. No 12" either. Also, I would be surprised to see 8 GB RAM, except in a high end model.

I'm a little skeptical about Xcode. I suspect it is truly there, but I suspect it will be quite limited, not quite the same thing as a full Xcode development platform on iPad.
 
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MacFather said:
No mini-LED display after all?

www.phonearena.com

11-inch iPad Air might skip Mini-LED display tech after all

The 11-inch iPad Air due to arrive in September may skip Mini-LED after all. The COVID-19 pandemic has reportedly display Apple's adoption plans and the new displays now might not appear until 2021.
www.phonearena.com www.phonearena.com
Click to expand...
That makes more sense. I didn't expect mini-LED to land until 2021 anyway, although I was thinking the iPad Air would be updated in 2021 and not 2020. However, the possibility of a 2020 iPad Air with standard LED and then another 2021 mini-LED version makes sense.

This is in line with the rumours that new new 12.9" iPad Pros with mini-LED wouldn't land until 2021.
 
EugW said:
iPad Air 4 11"
Compatible with 2020 Magic Keyboard, 2020 Smart Keyboard Folio, and Pencil 2
11" full screen design
Mini-LED
Under-screen Touch ID
A13
4 GB RAM
5G option
64 GB base storage
Two speakers
No ProMotion
12 MP f/1.8 camera carried over from iPad Air 3
US$599 WiFi / $749 WiFi + Cellular

iPad Pro 11" discontinued. o_O Actually, I hope not. If not, then I would wish it to be:

iPad Pro 5 11"
Compatible with 2020 Magic Keyboard, 2020 Smart Keyboard Folio, and Pencil 2
11" full screen design
Mini-LED
Face ID
A14X
6 GB RAM
5G option
128 GB base storage
Four speakers
ProMotion
Camera system carried over from 2020 iPad Pro
US$799 WiFi / $949 WiFi + Cellular

With this scenario, I would buy the iPad Pro 11" with 5G if available. If not, I'd buy the iPad Air 4 with 5G, over the 2020 iPad Pro 4. The 4 GB RAM in the iPad Air 4 would be disappointing, but I'd rather have mini-LED (assuming it's good) plus 5 GB more than 6 GB RAM. The SoC doesn't really interest me that much.
Click to expand...
This all seems very reasonable at this point in time. Mini-LED or not, that Air 4 would be a solid middle ground.

Hopefully they keep a smaller Pro too. To your build sheet I’d only add that FaceID moves to the top in landscape orientation.
 
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Yes this sounds really good if they put the ipad air 4 in the ipp 11 chassis. Touch id under the screen will be nice, but they could still go for face id which will be fine. I literally just brought my ipad air 3 about a month ago and its a fantastic device to use, so smooth and fast and the lush wide colour screen really pops out. If the air 4 comes out this year i will get it and give my air 3 to the wife.
 
MacFather said:
Lightning or USB-C? 🤔
Click to expand...
I'm thinking Lightning, but not sure if it'd be USB 2 or USB 3 speeds. I wonder what type of Lightning it is on the new SE.

The iPad Pro 10.5" from 2017 does Lightning at USB 3 speeds, but the iPad Air 3 10.5" from 2019 does Lightning at USB 2 speeds.
 
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