Retail inventory of a popular iPad model declines hinting at upcoming upgrade
Picture shows the Apple iPad Air (2024) powered by the M2 chipset. | Image credit-PhoneArena
Last year Apple released the iPad Air (2024) powered by the M2 chipset. Apple also added a second 13-inch model to the iPad Air line last year for a very practical reason. At the same time the new iPad Air models were introduced, Apple unveiled the iPad Pro (2024) with a significant change. The LCD displays on that model were upgraded to OLED which also led to an upgraded price tag for the 13-inch iPad Pro (2024).
So for consumers wanting a 13-inch iPad but not willing to pay up for an OLED display, Apple added the aforementioned new 13-inch iPad Air (2024) alongside the 11-inch variant. Since those displays are LCD, they are cheaper than the iPad Pro (2024) tablets but still offer the same amount of real estate. The iPad Air (2024) also moved the self-facing camera to one of the longer bezels which makes it easier to snap photos while holding the tablet in landscape mode.
Now, Apple is moving closer to upgrading the iPad Air by replacing the M2 application processor with the more powerful and power-efficient M4. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman alerted us to this upcoming upgrade late last year and in today's edition of his weekly Power On newsletter, he notes that the introduction of the new iPad Air (2025) tablet could be coming soon.
According to Gurman, inventory of the iPad Air (2024) is shrinking in Apple Stores similar to what we saw with the iPhone SE 3 before the iPhone 16e was announced. Also running low on the shelves is the entry-level iPad which Gurman expects will be launched at the same time as the new iPad Air. As for the top-of-the-line iPad Pro, the newly promoted Gurman (now managing editor for global consumer tech at Bloomberg-congrats Mark!) expects that Apple will hold off the next version of the tablet until later this year when the Apple M5 SoC is ready to power the premium 11-inch and 13-inch models.
Gurman says not to expect Apple to drop the new iPad Air (2025) over the next few days but it still is apparently on the list to be announced soon. Considering that we are now in the last month of the year's first quarter, we could see Apple release several new products over the next few weeks.
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