Apple launches more than one iPad every year, and hence, it's not easy for the average user to keep up with all the product releases. When you're in the market for a new iPad, it's necessary to stay informed of the various iPad generations to make sure you don't get an outdated model.
Apple now sells multiple iPads at different price points since some users want an entry-level iPad, whereas others want the best iPad they can get. Here, we'll look at the newest iPad in the market, including all the latest models that Apple currently offers.
The Newest iPad Is the iPad Pro
The very newest iPad you can buy right now, regardless of model, is or the 11-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation) or the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation). Both of these models came out at exactly the same time, despite their confusing naming structure.
But we'll get into that more below.
What Is the Newest iPad for Each Model?
Since Apple makes a bunch of different iPads that target different users, the newest iPad you want to get may vary. To make it easier for you, we've listed the newest iPad generations for all the models, in order of realse:
1. iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd Generation) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation)
The very newest iPad you can get right now falls in the most expensive iPad line that Apple sells. It's the M1 iPad Pro, which is also called the iPad Pro (5th generation) for the 12.9-inch model, and the iPad Pro 3rd generation for the 11-inch model.
Are you confused with the generations? Well, let's get this straight. The first two iPad Pro generations featured the older design, with the Home button, and Apple never made an 11-inch variant of those models. This should explain the disparity in the generations between the two screen sizes.
These models feature the critically acclaimed Apple M1 chip that powers the latest Macs. Pricing for the M1 iPad Pro starts at $799 for the 11-inch variant and $1099 for the 12.9-inch variant, which also comes with a mini-LED display.
2. iPad Air (4th Generation)
Besides the iPad Pro, Apple also sells the mid-tier iPad Air, which got a refresh in 2020 with an updated iPad Pro-like design. The iPad Air (4th generation) is what Apple likes to call it, but it's mostly referred to as the iPad Air 2020 model.
It features the Apple A14 Bionic chip, the same processor that powers the iPhone 12. Size-wise, it's nearly identical to the 11-inch iPad Pro, but due to its slightly thicker bezels, the display measures 10.9 inches. As you'd expect from a mid-range device, pricing starts at just $599 for the base model with 64GB of storage.
3. iPad (8th Generation)
Now, let's move on to the most affordable iPad you can buy—the iPad. The newest model, which came out in 2020, is called the iPad (8th generation), and it costs just $329 for the 32GB variant.
Apple uses the older A12 Bionic chips in these models to reduce costs. Plus, this iPad follows the older design approach, with a Home button, unlike the other models above. These are two of the main reasons why it's priced so low.
4. iPad mini (5th Generation)
Last on the list, we have the smallest iPad you can buy. Apple hasn't refreshed the iPad mini lineup since 2019, so we wouldn't exactly call it the newest. The most recent model is widely referred to as the iPad mini 5, but Apple prefers to call it the iPad mini (5th generation).
Despite being smaller and sharing internals with the bigger iPad, the iPad mini starts at $399, but you get twice the storage space.
What iPad Models Are the Most Current?
Apart from all these new iPads in the market, Apple still supports many existing iPad models with regular software updates. We consider an iPad model to be current if it supports the latest version of iPadOS. So, you can save money on an older generation iPad and get a similar software experience, for the most part.
Here's a list of all the iPad models that will support Apple's upcoming iPadOS 15:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation) or later
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation) or later
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad Air 2 or later
- iPad (5th generation) or later
- iPad mini 4 or later
If you already own an iPad, it would be worth checking if your model supports iPadOS 15 and hold out on a hardware upgrade unless you're facing iPad issues.
Be Informed of the iPad Generations
As a prospective buyer, you can easily get confused with all these iPad models and their respective generations. This will only get harder as Apple releases more iPad models each year. Therefore, it's important to keep yourself updated with all the newest iPad generations to avoid buying the wrong model.