If you're as disappointed as I am by the excessive price point and outdated screen refresh rate technology of the latest iPad mini, you might want to wait a few more months and see what Apple's other upgraded new slates are all about before ditching your existing tablet.
Yes, the Cupertino-based tech giant is reportedly preparing to announce multiple devices larger than the 8.5-inch iPad mini (A20 Pro) in the relatively near future, and while some of their expected improvements sound potentially game-changing, I find another rumored detail far more surprising than that.
Is Apple getting ready to throw everything at the wall?
It certainly looks that way, at least if Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is right (which seems to be true more often than not). While these types of plans can change almost until the last minute, Apple's intention at the moment is purportedly to roll out an "upgraded low-end tablet" (aka the 12th Gen base iPad), a "refreshed iPad Air", and a "faster iPad Pro" in the "first half" of next year.
The A16-powered iPad should get a punchier follow-up relatively soon. | Image by PhoneArena
That's three different products in the space of only six months (or less), and while the "standard" sequel to last year's A16-powered iPad 11 is likely to come in just the one size, the iPad Air and iPad Pro families are all but guaranteed to receive two members (each) in 2027.
In total, therefore, we're probably looking at five new tablets Apple is (currently) planning to release by the end of June 2027, and if history is any indication, we could see all these devices unveiled as early as March. That seems... a little desperate, not to mention pretty much unprecedented.
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Is this the right launch strategy for Apple?
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Keep in mind that the company, for instance, only refreshed the iPad Air line in March 2026 while releasing the aforementioned iPad (A16) and the iPad Air (M3) duo in March 2025. The latest iPad Pro versions, meanwhile, came out in October 2025, and in the iPad family's entire history, Apple has never launched three completely different devices in the same three-month or six-month timeframe.
Will anything stick?
That's obviously hard to say right now, although I must admit I'm personally very excited about the OLED screen upgrade tipped for the iPad Air (2027) duo. Hopefully, this will come with a jump in display refresh rate capabilities from 60 to 120Hz as well, and perhaps more importantly, the smallest possible price hike.
The iPad Air's LCD screen is finally expected to switch to more premium OLED technology. | Image by PhoneArena
Apple's next-gen iPad Pros, of course, have an even more impressive upgrade in the pipeline, reportedly looking to adopt a vapor chamber for improved cooling during extended gaming sessions and intensive AI use. Unfortunately, that also sounds like something that could add some big weight to the company's production budget and thus the retail pricing of its 2027 ultra-high-end tablets too.
As for the 12th Gen iPad, that's bound to be Apple's most affordable new tablet, and with a "faster processor" (most likely, an A19) rumored as its biggest internal change and no design revisions currently expected, we can probably hope to see the 11th Gen iPad's $449 starting price stick for this 2027 sequel.
What's with the unusually crowded schedule?
That's another question impossible to answer at the moment, but while I'm clearly guessing here, it's possible that Apple is feeling the heat from brands like Lenovo, Xiaomi, and Huawei in the global tablet market.
Yes, Apple continues to comfortably lead the global tablet market, but that Q2 2026 decline is definitely not a good sign. | Image by Omdia
Lenovo, mind you, was the world's only major tablet vendor that managed to improve its Q2 2026 sales numbers compared to the same period of last year, and perhaps more worryingly for Apple (and Samsung), the market as a whole is declining and only expected to continue doing so for the foreseeable future.
As such, things definitely have to be changed and launch strategies revised, but of course, it remains to be seen if Apple's H1 2027 blitz will have the desired effect on global iPad shipments. If it doesn't, the tech giant might be in some pretty serious trouble, as no further launches are then reportedly planned in the second half of next year.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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