Apple's hinted that the new tablet won't be released until after iPhone 14.
If you were hoping (like us) that you might be able to get your claws on the new 2022 iPad in the next couple of weeks, it seems you might be disappointed. We've heard rumours that the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch 8 are likely to be launched earlier than planned, and many hoped the next iPad might arrive with them, but that's now looking less likely.
We reported last week on the latest rumour that suggests the iPhone 14 launch (and that of the Apple Watch 8) will take place on Wednesday 7 September, earlier than expected. iOS 16 will presumably be launched at the same time, but according to Apple, iPadOS 16 will launch later.
The evidence for this is a comment from Apple to TechCrunch accompanying the delivery of iPadOS beta. The Cupertino tech giant says: “This is an especially big year for iPadOS. As its own platform with features specifically designed for iPad, we have the flexibility to deliver iPadOS on its own schedule. This Fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update.”
So iPadOS 16 – or rather iPadOS 16.1 it seems – will ship later than iOS 16, not at the same time as we might normally expect. We'd assume that Apple would want its new iPads to hit the streets with the new operating system already on them, so this revelation strongly suggests that the new tablet will launch after iPhone 14.
The good news is that it shouldn't be much later – after all the launch of iPhone 14 appears to have been brought forward. In this new comment, Apple says it's still looking at a 'fall' release for iPad OS 16, which would suggest between September and November – or between September 23 and December 22 if we're going to get technical. If we had to guess, we'd say October.
Allegedly leaked CAD renders of the 10th gen iPad (Image credit: Mysmartprice)
It also seems that Apple's skipping a number this time and jumping straight to iPadOS 16.1 rather than iPadOS 16. The developer beta is available now but with the full release possibly delayed, we probably wouldn't recommend trying to get hold of it – we've seen all the complaints about MacOs Ventura's UI in beta.
What can we expect from the 2022 iPad, will it be worth the wait? Supposed leaked CAD designs show a new size for the iPad, but there's been no official confirmation that these are real. If you can't wait to find out, see our list of all the current iPad generations or see the best prices on last year's iPad and this year's iPad Air below.
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Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
