iPad 11th-gen: Everything you need to know about the 2024 iPad update

Apple didn’t update any of its iPads in 2023. So, what does this mean if you’re considering picking up an Apple tablet? Should you continue to wait, or will it be a long time before we see the iPad 11th generation enter the scene? Here’s what we know so far about the 2024 iPad update. 

Apple held an event on May 7. As expected two new iPad Air models and two new iPad Pro models were unveiled. The standard iPad was not updated at that event, but the price has dropped and the 9th-gen model has been removed from the lineup.

When will the iPad 11th-gen be released?

For the past few years Apple has had a steady release schedule for its cheapest iPad. It would normally appear alongside the latest iPhones in the September event and hit the stores before the end of that month. 2022 saw a slight adjustment to this with a revamped iPad (10th-generation) making its debut that October alongside the new iPad Pro M2 and Apple TV 4K (3rd-generation).

Here’s when the previous iPad models launched:

• iPad (10th-generation) – October 2022
• iPad (9th-generation) – September 2021
• iPad (8th-generation) – September 2020
• iPad (7th-generation) – September 2019
• iPad (6th-generation) – March 2018

That’s once a year for the last 5 years, which makes it look like Apple missed its deadline in 2023. The company updated no iPads at all in 2023, perhaps because of the focus on preparing Vision Pro for launch. Incidentally, the iPad mini has gone even longer without an update, but, as of May 2024, the iPad Air and iPad Pro have now been updated.

So when can we expect an update to the standard iPad?

The iPad (and iPad mini) may arrive in the form of a press release later in 2024. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that all four iPad lines (standard, mini, Air, and Pro) will be refreshed in 2024.

What’s happened to the iPad 9th-gen?

The 9th generation iPad was still being sold prior to the Spring Event on May 7, but, as expected Apple has now removed that model from sale and brought the price of the 10th-gen model down.

Kuo predicted that the 9th-gen iPad would be phased out before the end of 2024. The 9th gen iPad was the only iPad that still has a Lightning port and legislation from the EU requires companies to ship new products with USB-C ports. Read about why Lightning has been outlawed in Europe in our separate article.

How much will the iPad (11th-gen) cost?

Pricing was consistent up until the arrival of the iPad (10th-generation) in 2022, but following the redesign Apple upped the price quite significantly. To offset this, Apple kept the iPad (9th-generation) in production and at the same price in the US, but even that model had a hefty price hike in the UK and mainland Europe, up to £369 and €439 respectively. 

Since the removal of the 9th-gen iPad from the lineup Apple has dropped the price of the 10th-gen model around the world.

• iPad (10th-generation) – now: $349/£349/€439) (was $449/£499/€589)
• iPad (9th-generation) – was $329/£319/€379, then: $329/£369/€439
• iPad (8th-generation) – $329/£329/€379
• iPad (7th-generation) – $329/£349/€349

It is likely that pricing for the 11th gen iPad will be higher and that Apple will keep the 10th generation in the lineup.

What features will we see in the iPad (11th-gen)? 

As the iPad (10th-generation) was a major overhaul of the format, we don’t expect another great leap in technology with the 11th-generation model when it appears. With Apple reported to be refreshing the entire iPad lineup in 2024, only an iterative update is on the cards. 

Processor

The most obvious area will be the chipset. The current iPad 10 runs on an A14 chipset, which also appears in the iPhone 12 range and iPad Air (4th-generation). With the iPhone 15 range now using the A16 chipset, this would suggest that the new iPad 11 would get an upgrade to something closer to that.

Display

As the display size was increased from 10.2-inches to 10.9-inches with the iPad 10 refresh, we’d say there’s little chance of anything changing there. One thing that might have been likely was a move to support the Apple Pencil (2nd-gen), as the iPad 10 only supported the first Apple Pencil iteration (which may be discontinued). The recent introduction of the Apple Pencil USB-C and its support on the iPad 10, makes us think that this is the solution on offer to anyone who wants an Apple stylus. 

Cameras

The cameras on the iPad 10th-generation all seem pretty decent for a device in this class, with the new placement in landscape mode making it better for video-calls, especially with support for Center Stage that keep you in the middle of the screen even if you move about. 

Apple may eventually add Face ID, as at the moment Touch ID (via the power button) is the only biometrics on offer.

Storage

If there’s a standout upgrade that could make life easier for people, it’s storage. Apple keeps marketing the iPad as a laptop replacement but then cripples the base-model with only 64GB of storage (of which you have even less, as iPadOS and the built-in apps take a chunk of that space). It’s time Apple moved its entry-level tablet up to 128GB, so that wouldn’t be a huge surprise if it happens when the iPad 11 finally rolls around. 

We’ll keep updating this article as more information becomes available. Until then, you should check out our best iPad 9th and 10th-generation deals and best iPad mini deals roundups to see if you can bag yourself a bargain on one of Apple’s other offerings.