Rumors have been circulating for most of this year about when Apple will switch its iPhone line from Lightning to USB-C, a divisive move that is now expected to take place in 2023. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person.
In 2018 the iPad Pro got USB-C; The iPad Air followed in 2020; And the iPad mini switched to 2021. Now Apple is ready to update its 10.2-inch iPad and, according to the 9to5Mac formula, drop Lightning completely from its tablet line-up.
As the cheapest tablet Apple sells, the 10.2-inch model tends to end up getting the desired features. In addition to a USB-C port replacing the current Lightning port, the 10th-gen iPad (which 9to5Mac says codenamed J272) will also complete the conversion to Apple’s 5G.
This may be over, but the standard iPad changes are significant. It’s Apple’s most popular iPad, and draws a large segment of the tablet-user population to USB-C and 5G standards.
A transition that will not join, however, is to switch to Apple Silicon. The current iPad Pro and Air models will have an A14 bionic processor instead of the M1 chip, the report said. The entry-level iPad will probably have to wait until the iPad mini gets an M-Class chip; The 6th-gen Mini has an A15.
For the rest of the spec, 9to5Mac’s formulas say that the screen size could increase from the current 10.2 inches to 10.5 or even 10.9 inches and will have the same resolution as the current iPad Air. However, they are not sure if there will be a major redesign to move the home button and the Touch ID sensor to the top power button.
We hope to announce the new iPad with the iPhone 14 earlier this year: For the latest rumors, check out our 2022 iPad 10.2 Superguide. If you can’t wait that long, make a bargain in the current range with our guide for the best iPad deal.