Apple
Apple has not released any new iPad models in 2023, due to production delays and scheduling issues. However, the company is expected to make up for it in 2024, with major updates to all its iPad categories. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the 2024 iPad lineup will include:
- New iPad Air models: Apple will introduce a new 12.9-inch iPad Air, along with an updated 10.9-inch model. Both will feature LCD screens with oxide backplanes. They will also have improved chips for faster performance. This lineup is expected to be updated in the first quarter of 2024.
- New iPad Pro models: Apple will launch a new generation of iPad Pro, with a redesigned chassis, the latest M3 chip, and OLED displays. OLED technology will provide better contrast, colour accuracy, and energy efficiency than mini-LED, which is currently used in the iPad Pro. This series is expected to come out in the second quarter of the year.
- New iPad mini and iPad models: Apple will refresh the lower end of its tablet range, with new versions of the iPad mini and the base model iPad, in the second half of the year (likely in the fall). And the iPad (9th-generation), which is the cheapest iPad available, will be discontinued by the end of 2024. This will mark the end of the Lightning port for the iPad family, as all models will use USB-C.
Despite these exciting updates, Kuo is not very optimistic about the iPad sales in 2024. He estimates that Apple will ship around 52-54 million units, a slight increase from the 50 million units in 2023, but still far below the 63 million units in 2022, when the pandemic boosted the demand for tablets.