For the first time in iPad history, Apple failed to release a single new model in 2023 But this year, with the regular model, mini, Pro, and Air all slated for a refresh, Apple looks to rectify that in a big way
Now, leaks of new chipsets tell us how much of an upgrade each will be - as well as confirming one of the potentially more interesting iPhone 16 rumors
The leaks come from an unnamed, private X (formerly Twitter) account, which, according to Apple's Insider, refuses to name them thanks to a "very short follow list" and "protected posts" However, the leaker has a "very good track record" and that this post should be taken seriously
So what does the post say? It lists 16 unannounced Apple products and their associated chipsets Those 16 are actually skewed toward eight products: four upcoming iPads and four iPhone 16 variants
First up are two flavors of Apple's entry-level tablet, the 2024 iPad Unfortunately, the t8101 processor is used in both, and there appears to be no change here This is the A14 Bionic, which will be included starting with the 2020 iPhone 12 and in the current 10th generation iPad starting in 2022
It is unfortunate, but there is a precedent: both the 6th and 7th generation iPads shared the A10 chipset, with a slight RAM and LTE upgrade separating the two Perhaps we will see similar changes this year
More exciting is the iPad mini 7, which will also come in two versions, but with the t8130, or A17 chip This is the processor found in the iPhone 15 Pro and is a significant upgrade from the current iPad mini 6, which uses the A15 chipset that debuted in the iPhone 13
The iPad Air 6 and 2024 iPad Pro will each have four versions thanks to the decision to offer them in two sizes this year; in the case of the Air, it is the t8112: the M2 chip found in most of last year's Macs
Along with the OLED panel and new-look keyboard case, the Pro model will reportedly feature the t8132, which is expected to be the M3 for the iPad
If you've been counting, you'll see that takes us up to 12 models, leaving four still at large And these are apparently the four smartphones that Apple has scheduled for September: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple's regular/Pro chip introduced in the iPhone 14 We have heard before that the differences might be discarded, but the leaker lists all four models as sharing the t8140 or A18 chipset, which seems to confirm this
That, of course, does not mean they are the same, and one rumor suggests that the non-Pro model will get a less core-binding version
Nonetheless, it is interesting that this year's regular iPhones do not appear to be getting a hand-me-down from last year's Pro models given that the iPhone 16 seems to incorporate artificial intelligence in a big way, this could mean that Apple is "breaking new ground in generative AI" may be just what it needs to make everything run smoothly as it seeks to "break new ground in generative AI
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