New iPads in early 2027: OLED on iPad Air, A19 on base model, vapor chamber on Pro

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple has three new iPads planned for the first half of next year, according to 9to5Mac. The lineup covers a new iPad Air, a new base iPad and a new iPad Pro. The report follows the refreshed iPad mini with OLED that Apple debuted this past week.

The next iPad Air refresh will also gain OLED, following the iPad mini. Gurman's report suggests it will likely keep a 60Hz panel and likely stay on Touch ID rather than switching to Face ID. The Air hasn't had a major refresh since 2020.

On the chip side, a move from M4 to M5 is described as likely but not confirmed. The report also points to a higher price, likely around $799-899 for the base 11-inch model. Those figures are reported expectations, not an official Apple announcement, so treat them as such until the company confirms.

The base iPad gets its first update since early 2025. The report says it moves to the A19 chip and 8GB of RAM, which would finally enable Apple Intelligence support on Apple's cheapest iPad.

It should also pick up the N1 chip and the C1X modem for better networking. No screen or design upgrades are expected for now, though refreshed color options are mentioned as a possibility. If you've been waiting for the entry-level model to run Apple's AI features, this is the generation the report points to.

The iPad Pro is set to add a vapor chamber, a cooling approach Apple started last year with the iPhone 17 Pro. Otherwise the report expects no meaningful changes beyond a new chipset, likely M6 or possibly M7.

Current pricing is $1199 for the 11-inch model and $1499 for the 13-inch. By the time the M6 version arrives, it will have been around three years since the last major revamp. 9to5Mac's Michael Burkhardt writes that Apple should probably do something to make this a more worthwhile refresh — that's his opinion, not a confirmed plan.

Nothing here is an official Apple announcement. The details come from Gurman's reporting as summarized by 9to5Mac, and several points are flagged as likely rather than confirmed: the M5 chip in the Air, the price range, and the M6-or-M7 choice for the Pro.

If you need a tablet now, the current models are what you can actually buy. If you're set on OLED in an Air or Apple Intelligence on the cheapest iPad, the report puts both in the first half of next year. I haven't tested any of these devices — they haven't been announced.