New CAD renderings purportedly leaked of the iPad 2022 reveal an updated tablet with flat sides and a larger screen, but no sign of a headphone jack.
These images come from MySmartPrice (opens in new tab) (via Apple Insider (opens in new tab)), and – if they are real – they give us a fascinating insight into what the rumor mill might look like. The renders are reportedly from a casemaker working on accessories for the reportedly 10th-generation iPad, and at first glance, the front of the device resembles its predecessor, the iPad 2021. But while the front-facing camera and Home button we all known are both present and correct, this new slate appears to have larger edges on all four sides.
The back of the tablet pictured here, meanwhile, is virtually identical to that of the last-generation iPad, with a single camera. But, as MySmartPrice points out, it looks like the iPad 2022 will have an LED flash and a camera island — features that the current-gen iPad lacks. According to the leak, the new iPad would measure 9.7 x 7.0 x 0.27 inches. This would make it wider but slimmer than the current iPad, which measures 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.29 inches.
One of the biggest takeaways from these renders is that Apple may be removing the 3.5mm headphone jack from the stock iPad, as it has on other iPhones and iPads; there is no sign of it on the top or bottom of the device.
In one sense, this would make sense, as most Apple devices now use USB instead of 3.5mm for headphones. But on the other hand, it would be quite a shock; after all, the entry-level iPad is the one most likely to be used in schools or by kids in general — the demographic most likely to use cheaper wired “buds.”
On the other hand, the renders also show speakers on the top and bottom of the slate, suggesting there’s support for four speakers. This would be a major upgrade and would essentially put the iPad 2022 on par with the iPad Pro (2021), and above the iPad mini 6 and iPad Air (2022), in terms of audio output, potentially reducing the loss of the 3.5mm jack.
The power button, meanwhile, is on the top, while the volume buttons are on the side. One big mystery, however, is the iPad’s charging port, which is covered by a red mark in the CAD views. Recent rumors say Apple may ditch the Lightning port and introduce USB-C support for the iPad.
As with all rumours, take all this with a healthy dose of skepticism. We can’t say for sure that the renders are real and that the new iPad would indeed look like this. But based on these renderings, it looks like the upcoming iPad could have a mix of new and old design features.
The overall design isn’t radically different, but a larger screen and flat sides would certainly differ from older models. But like previous standard iPads, the new tablet would keep the large Home button – which would presumably also act as the Touch ID.
As for the specs of the iPad, previous rumors have claimed that the tablet will run on the iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic chip. This would mean that there would be a big performance difference between it and the iPad mini, which has an A15 chip like the iPhone 13 series. The gap would be even wider when comparing an A14 iPad to the iPad Air and iPad Pro, both of which use Apple M1 chips with added performance and capabilities.
However, the A14 chipset would still represent a 30% increase over the 2021 iPad, which would help run modern apps. The iPad 2022 will likely have iPadOS 16 support, but features like Stage Manager wouldn’t be possible if the M1 chip is indeed missing.
The new iPad is expected to launch this fall. Given that that season is just around the corner, hopefully we’ll hear more news between now and then. In the meantime, check out our iPad 2022 rumor hub for the latest.
