Apple iPad 11th Gen Preview: Our expectations
iPad 11th Gen Intro
Last year, after years of neglect, Apple finally graced its base iPad 10th Gen with a much-needed design refresh that finally put brought the latter up to speed with the rest of the iPad lineup. Not only that, but Apple also added a slightly larger screen, however still non-laminated, a USB Type-C port, the fast Apple A14 Bionic, and a landscape FaceTime camera, as well as 5G support for the cellular model.
Quite the extensive list of improvements that surely can be viewed as one of the grandest iPad overhauls ever. In the world of Apple, such a big update is usually followed by the most incremental of yearly refreshes, and that's exactly what we expect for the iPad Air 11th Gen that is rumored to come either this October or early next year.
To say that the rumor mill doesn't expect anything exciting for the next base iPad would be an understatement: aside from a newer chipset, we are unlikely to be getting anything major new in terms of new features or vastly different specs.
What new is expected about the device
- New Apple A16 Bionic on board instead of Apple A14 Bionic
Table of Contents:
iPad 11th Gen Specs
QUICKSUMMARY
As mentioned, we currently expect that Apple might only update the processor of the iPad 11th Gen in comparison with its predecessor, so the rest of the iPad 11th Gen specs should look something like this:
| Specs | Apple iPad 10th Gen (2022) |
|---|---|
| Size and Weight | 9.87 x 6.85 x 0.30 inches (248.6 x 179.5 x 7 mm), 16.83 oz (477.0 g) |
| Display | 10.9-inch, Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 2360 x 1640 pixels, 264 PPI |
| Processor | Apple A16 Bionic |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR4X SDRAM |
| Storage | 64GB / 256GB |
| Software | iPadOS 17 |
| Cameras | 12MP wide camera, f/1.8 aperture 12MP FaceTime camera |
| Battery Size | 28.6Wh (7606mAh) |
| Charging Speeds | 20W wired, charger included in the box |
| Price | Starting from $449 (64GB), $599 (256GB) |
iPad 11th Gen Design & Colors
No changes expected
Knowing Apple, it would take a good few years before the base iPad gets another redesign, so we'd be surprised if we actually get any major design updates in 2023 and the foreseeable future. However, that's not something inherently bad: we loved the iPad 10th Gen redesign, which is as neat as they come.
With fairly broad but uniform bezels all around, no curves in the exterior, and a sleek aluminum body, the iPad 10th Gen provides an excellent foundation for all upcoming base iPads to build on, and we can't really find any major problems with the look or feel of the affordable iPad.
A welcome change in contrast with previous iPads was the more diverse color roster, which substituted the traditional Silver and Space Gray for the much livelier Silver, Blue, Pink, and Yellow colors. Those surely added some much-needed life to the lineup, and we hope that the next iPad only adds to the available options.
iPad 11th Gen Display
While most previous iPads boasted 10.2-inch displays, we got a 10.9-inch iPad in 2022. Supposedly, this is the screen size that Apple will be sticking to in the foreseeable future without much change. With the iPad 10th Gen, we got a fairly large and bright screen, but alas, those are the few remotely nice things we could say about that 60Hz non-laminated display.
While rumors claim that we'll be getting iPad Pros with OLED displays in the coming years, no such fate is rumored for the base iPad, which will likely continue being one of the last holdouts of LCD displays. Having a mini-LED display on the base iPad would be great, but we are likely at least a few years away from this major upgrade .
In terms of biometrics, Apple is most certainly sticking with a Touch ID module embedded into the side-positioned power button, which should offer a fast and no-nonsense experience.
iPad 11th Gen Camera
In case of emergency, take a photo
Yes, tablets should be your last resort when it comes to photography as they are rarely on the receiving end of any major camera niceties. It's remotely unlikely Apple would update the camera of the iPad 11th Gen, so the most likely outcome is adopting last year's camera unit "as-is". A 12MP PDAF snapper with an F1.8 aperture will therefore most likely complement the rear of the tablet.
The FaceTime, which is essential for video calls, will likely remain similar in hardware and software specs. Center Stage, the awesome feature that keeps you at the center of the frame at all times, is most certainly making a return as well.
iPad 11th Gen Performance & Benchmarks
Better, faster, stronger
As per the rumors, the only major upgrade that the iPad 11th Gen will be scoring is none other but a jump to the Apple A16 Bionic, which should offer vastly superior performance and better efficiency in comparison with the iPad 10th Gen's Apple A14 Bionic chip. The Apple A16 Bionic is a very, very capable mobile chipset that has been happily ticking inside the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, as well as this year's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
While the Apple A16 Bionic isn't on the same level as the Apple M-series of desktop-grade chips, it should deliver more than a decent uptick to raw performance. Battery life should also be affected by this improved performance in a positive way, so the already durable iPad would probably last much longer.
Storage-wise, the iPad 10th Gen came with 64GB of native storage on deck, and while we definitely hope that Apple would transition to 128GB of native storage, chances are rather slim that this would happen with the iPad 11th Gen. The top storage tier will most likely end up being 256GB
iPad 11th Gen Connectivity
The iPad 10th Gen brought 5G and Wi-Fi 6 to the base iPad. Aside from Wi-Fi 6E being a potential upgrade, we don't expect any major other improvements.
iPad 11th Gen OS / Android version
The next base iPad will come with iPad OS 17 on board. This one comes with interactive widgets, lock screen personalization, live activities, the Health app for iPad, and more.
As far as software support goes, we expect that the iPad 11th Gen will be updated until at least 2028.
iPad 11th Gen Battery
No changes expected
Last year's iPad lasted quite a long time in our custom battery tests thanks to its large battery, efficient chip and non-power hungry screen. We actually expect a similar battery to make it to the iPad 11th Gen, so a 28.6Wh, or a ~7,600mAh battery should make it inside the tablet. This would likely result in the same or even better battery life thanks to the more efficient A16 Bionic chip inside.
Charging-wise, the iPad 11th Gen will likely score 20W charging, which could match the painstakingly long two-hour-and-twenty-minute charge time of its predecessor.
iPad 11th Gen Audio Quality and Haptics
Stereo speakers landed on the base iPad lineup last year, so we are unlikely to get any improvements in this area. iPads usually sound very nice, so the next iPad is unlikely to deviate from that.
Hopefully we'd get slightly revised haptics, as the feedback on the iPad 10th Gen was far from ideal, but that improvement is probably too down on the list of potential niceties coming to the new base iPad.
iPad 11th Gen Summary and Final Verdict
The iPad 11th Gen is shaping up to be your poster child for an incremental yearly update that doesn't introduce a lot of changes to an existing product. The only major addition is the newer processor, which might or might not have an effect on your regular day-to-day usage.
Should you get that one? If you're coming from an older iPad, don't want to break the bank, or don't care about the "pro" features of the more premium iPads, then the iPad 11th Gen could be perfect for you.
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