iPad iPad 7th Gen (2019)

[Marzel]

Thats a hell of a jump for their base iPad series considering they are still on an air 1 body. Air 2/ 1st gen 9.7 pro seems like the next realistic jump for apple to keep it affordable. That still gives it the thinner body, laminated screen and possibly quad speakers along with the next gen spec bump.

I’ll be very disappointed if they stick to this same air 1 body for a third year, then they are just being too cheap. But they got a lot of flak for leaving it on the same design for a second year so hopefully they won’t repeat that same mistake. Then again this is apple, look how long they kept the same iPhone design Lol

This year they had the problem that the 10.5" iPad Pro was a lot more expensive but at the same time had a similar form factor to the cheap iPad so they couldn't add too many hardware features. With the new iPad Pro designs though, they won't have that problem and they could add a laminated display in a slightly slimmer form factor while keeping the two ranges distinct.

 

[1BadManVan]

While I agree with you, apple seems to move at a snails pace with the upgrades on these base models. I would be very surprised if they skipped the 9.7 that offers the slimmer body and the laminated screen, checks off a lot of boxes people want and keeps costs lower.

 

[technomacs]

I just don't see A11 on a "cheap" iPad next year. Not until Apple retires the $649 iPad Pro 10.5.

Geekbench 4

Single-Core
iPhone 8 4200
iPad Pro 10.5 3900

Multi-Core
iPhone 8 10100
iPad Pro 10.5 9300

Sure, 2018 iPP have monster GPUs and tons of extra features but I don't think Apple wants the cheap iPads to have better processing performance than currently selling iPP.

What I think they’ll do is discontinue the 10.5 inch iPad Pro in March 2019

 

[Kal-037]

I have great doubts they will change anything... at the very most they could laminate the screen or add speakers. But I highly doubt that too though. Honestly, I don’t see a 2019 iPad even being released. If the rumors are true about the mini 5, I see that as 2019’s only “new iPad” and nothing more iPad related until January or spring 2020 in time for the iPad 10-year anniversary.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I have great doubts they will change anything... at the very most they could laminate the screen or add speakers. But I highly doubt that too though. Honestly, I don’t see a 2019 iPad even being released. If the rumors are true about the mini 5, I see that as 2019’s only “new iPad” and nothing more iPad related until January or spring 2020 in time for the iPad 10-year anniversary.

According to this rumor, Apple might drop the 9.7" budget iPad and replace it with a budget 10" iPad.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...d-entry-level-10-inch-ipad-next-year.2161609/