The cheapest iPad could be about to get a massive upgrade

Apple's September event saw a massive slew of products unveiled. In terms of phones, we got the iPhone 14 , as well as the iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Accompanying them, we saw the Apple Watch Ultra, the Apple Watch Series 8 and a new Apple Watch SE, plus an update to the Airpods Pro.

The only neglected products, the iPads and MacBooks, are widely expected to be unveiled this month. Rumours persist over whether the October event will take place in person or via a press release.

But now, leaked details from case manufacturer ESR have hinted at the new iPad range, and suggested that one model could be due a substantial overhaul. 

Apple iPad 10th Generation: key features

According to their website, the base model iPad could look drastically different in this, it's 10th generation. The images shown on their website suggest the iPad 10.2-inch will lose the Touch ID home button from the front panel, while the overall case is redesigned to look more like the iPad Air and iPad Pro models.

It's shown with the Apple Pencil 2, suggesting an upgrade in that department and furthering rumours that this will be the next Apple product to ditch the lightning port. Also, the appearance of magnetic cases suggests this will have a smart connector.

It's a substantial change for the entry-level iPad, which finally takes on the appearance of its bigger brothers. It's also one that's long overdue – it's been four years since the iPad Pro first took on the sharp-edged design that is now Apple's signature. Without it, the iPad feels a little old-hat.

iPad Pro 2022 leaks

The same manufacturer also features cases for 2022 variants of the iPad Pro in both sizes. Visually, these appear much more similar to their current-generation counterparts, so its harder to speculate on new features.

However, we expect these flagship iPad models to be updated with the M2 chip.