Skip to main content

The next iPad could ditch the headphone jack too

Apple is rumored to be upgrading the regular iPad later this year with new internals. Though an earlier leak suggested that the tablet would follow the same design language as its predecessor, a set of freshly leaked renders hint toward a design refresh. These renders have been published by MySmartPrice and have been attributed to CAD files sourced from a case maker.

iPad CAD render.
iPad 10th Gen CAD render mysmartprice

According to the renders, the 10th-gen iPad will have rounded corners and flat sides. An interesting thing to note here is that the display hasn’t transitioned to rounded corners, thus we may see squared-off corners on the upcoming model. There’s Touch ID for authentication, and the device gets a selfie camera on the front. The device also appears to pack a quad-speaker system with two at the bottom and the other two at the top.

iPad lies face-down on a flat surface.
mysmartprice

The render doesn’t clarify if the device will get a Lightning port or switch to USB-C. Currently, the regular iPad remained the only iPad lingering with the Lightning port while the Mini, Air, and Pro iPads have transitioned to USB-C. In a recent report, 9to5Mac claimed the rumor hinting toward the inclusion of USB-C. With Apple’s updates of the iPad being infrequent and the EU’s decision regarding mandatory USB-C on mobile devices, it would make a lot of sense for Apple to switch this year. In a less friendly change, the schematics point to the loss of the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPad. It’ll be a loss for parents looking to save money with inexpensive wired earphones when buying for their kids, but the 3.5mm headphone jack’s days have been numbered for a while now.

Recommended Videos

On the rear, it is said to sport a single camera paired with an LED flash, both of which are housed in a pill-shaped camera module. The 10th-gen iPad is said to measure 248.62mm (height) by 179.50mm (width) by 6.98mm (depth). In comparison, the ninth-generation iPad measures 250.6 by 174.1 by 7.5 mm. This indicates that the upcoming model would be slightly wider but thinner.

As far as the specs are concerned, the 10th-gen iPad is expected to sport a 10.5-inch display. The A14 Bionic chipset that shipped with the iPhone 12 series is expected to power it. This means that Apple will be able to slap in 5G support, as well as keep the costs low. It won’t be too far off from the iPhone 14 if true, with Apple rumored to be keeping the A15 around for another year.

Ayush Chourasia
Ayush works as an independent tech journalist. He has been writing since 2018 and has worked with publications like India…
Forget the base iPad, the iPad Mini is my go-to tablet recommendation right now
Prakhar holding the iPad Mini 7.

I bought the 11-inch iPad Air 4 soon after its launch in 2020. But the excitement wore off after a few days. I kept it in the drawer and only used it for testing new iPadOS developer builds for the next three years. I couldn’t find a use case for a tablet in general—that is until I shifted to the 7th-generation iPad Mini.

Six months after launch, the new iPad Mini remains my travel companion for browsing and on-the-go entertainment. It’s the best iPad for me.
A complete iPad experience without any accessories

Read more
New M3 iPad Air live blog: Apple’s refreshed Air has more power
Apple iPad Air M3 2025

Welcome to our new iPad Air launch live blog. Apple has announced the new iPad Air with M3 chip, along with an update to the entry-level iPad.

The new iPad Air comes as somewhat of a surprise, arriving a day before Apple hosts a launch event where we expect to see the new MacBook Air announced.

Read more
No, Apple’s latest iPads don’t use the newest modem — but that’s okay
M3 iPad Air 2025

Apple revealed its custom C1 modem less than a month ago with the iPhone 16e, calling it the "most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone." It helps the 16e achieve the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone -- but the new iPads Apple announced this week will not see these benefits.

After seeing suspicious specs on the new iPads, John Gruber says he spoke to an Apple representative and confirmed that they do not use the C1. This isn't a complete surprise -- Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in December that Apple is planning a "three-year rollout" with these modems, which means not every product will make the switch right away. Gurman did, however, believe that "lower-end" iPads in 2025 would use the C1, and it appears he was mistaken.

Read more