Apple has been on quite a hot streak when it comes to its tablet offerings, so it should come as no surprise that the 10th-generation iPad is one of the most anticipated upcoming tablet releases. The baseline iPad is never the most technically stunning or impressive, but it’s usually the one most people buy. And we’re expecting the iPad 10th Gen to be no different.
While we wait for the imminent official reveal of the iPad 10th Gen, here’s a roundup of all the information we know about it so far based on leaks and rumors.
Design
As with most yearly device releases, don’t expect a completely new look for the new iPad. Based on a handful of leaked renders that were shared with MySmartPrice, it looks like the 2022 device won’t be too different from the 2021 iPad. However, there are a few key differences, with the biggest being a change in camera design.
According to the leaked renders, it seems like the camera for the 2022 iPad will follow a design close to that of the iPhone X, with an oval camera island. While some versions of the recent iPads have had camera bumps, this is the first time it’s being seen on a base model. As expected, it seems that the base version of the 2022 model will sport just one back camera with an LED flash. There’s currently no word on what sort of lenses the new iPad will sport for either its front-facing selfie camera or its rear shooter.
The other major design change is that the 10th generation iPad seems to be adopting USB-C ports for all models, according to 9to5Mac. Previously, USB-C was reserved for select models, namely the iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPad Air, but it looks like the Lightning port may be retiring for iPads across the board.
Finally, the iPad 10th Gen could also move away from rounded edges and adopt flat ones, not unlike designs used for the recent iPad Air and iPad Mini. It shouldn’t dramatically change the functionality of the baseline iPad, but it will give it a more modern appearance already seen on its siblings.
Specs
Currently, there’s not much known about the exact internal specs of the 2022 iPad, save for one key detail: it’s rumored to be running on Apple’s A14 Bionic chip. This is a step up from last year’s iPad, which was running on an A13.
The A14 Bionic is currently available in the iPhone 12 and iPad Air 4, where it certainly shines. According to Apple, the A14 performs 30% better than the A13, so users should be able to see a noticeable improvement when comparing the 2021 iPad to the 2022 model. Along with the boost in performance, an A14 chip would potentially allow the iPad 10th Gen to support 5G connectivity — something the 9th Gen model doesn’t have.
Based on the offerings in the iPhone 12 and iPad Air 4, it seems like the iPad 2022 may only support 4GB RAM as a result of running on the A14. That’s not the end of the world, as it’s pretty standard for a base model Apple tablet, but it’s certainly not an improvement over last year’s model.
Software
Depending on when the iPad 2022 launches, it could be running on iPadOS 15 and then see a quick upgrade to iPadOS 16 when it launches. While we were expecting iPadOS 16 to release in September or October, Apple confirmed that it has delayed the launch of the firmware update to a later point in the year. Since we’re expecting the new iPad to launch in a similar window as the previous launch window for iPadOS 16 before it was delayed, users may be stuck with the current OS for the time being.
While it may not be super exciting to know that 2022 iPad owners will have to wait just like everyone else for the new OS, the wait should be worth it. So far, iPadOS 16 has been in a fairly buggy state throughout all of its betas, so Apple taking extra time to iron things out is a good move to see.
Price and release date
There’s currently no official release date scheduled for the 2022 iPad, but Apple is hosting an event on September 7 where the new iPad could be revealed. There’s no guarantee, however, that it’ll make a showing there. Apple is also expected to have another event in October where it could surface as well. Either way, expect a reveal to come in the next month or so.
In terms of the actual release date, it all depends on when the new iPad is revealed. If it happens during the September presentation, then it’s a safe bet to expect it to launch in late September, the same as the past few years of iPad models. If it’s absent from next week’s show, then it’s likely to be coming after the October event.
What about the price? The iPad 9th Gen starts at $329, just like the iPad 8th Gen. The iPad 10th Gen may keep the $329 price — or it could be more expensive. Rumor has it that the iPhone 14 is getting a price hike compared to the iPhone 13, so it’s possible the iPad 10th Gen will see similar treatment. It’s too early to say for sure, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
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