Sound the alarm: Apple's new iPads might finally be on the way

2023 was a fruitful year for Apple fans, with the likes of Vision Pro and the iPhone 15 line up giving users plenty to sink their teeth into. But it was also an unprecedented year from a tablet perspective – for the first time since the iPad was released in 2010, we didn't see a new model last year. And they've remained conspicuously absent into 2024 – but that might be about to change.

New regulatory filings have been spotted that appear to correspond with two new iPad models. It isn't clear what models they relate to right now, but rumour has it we're in for a new iPad Pro and iPad Air – with huge upgrades long rumoured to be hitting the former. (Not sure which model is for you? Check out our guide to the current iPad generations.)

As spotted by 9to5Mac, the two new filings have been spotted on the Indian BIS certification database, which is usually one of the first remotely concrete signs that new models are on the way. Details are scant right now, but it seems a recent Bloomberg report that the devices are due next month could prove correct.

So what are we expecting? The most persistent rumour involves the iPad Pro's display. Rumours about an OLED iPad Pro have been doing the rounds for a couple of years now, which would offer a significant improvement over the current miniLED tech. The OLED displays on the current iPhone line up look gorgeous, but the biggest screen we get to enjoy them on is 6.69 inches. A 12.9-inch iPad using OLED tech could look incredible. It's clear just putting the miniLED 12.9-inch iPad Pro next to its LCD counterpart how visible the difference can be on that large screen – and OLED offers even brighter colours and deeper contrast than miniLED. 

Time will tell whether new iPads will indeed drop next month, but it's certainly looking more promising. One thing's for sure, though – with the longest gap between launches in the product's history, those new iPads are becoming more conspicuous by their absence every day.