Apple’s next entry-level iPad reportedly won’t arrive until early 2027, leaving the company’s most affordable tablet out of the remaining hardware launches planned for this year.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the next low-cost iPad models, known internally as J581 and J582, are now scheduled for early next year.
The timing separates the entry-level iPad from Apple’s upcoming iPad mini refresh, which is still expected before the end of October.
Apple has several iPad updates moving through different timelines. The OLED iPad mini is expected later this month, while more substantial changes to the iPad Air and iPad Pro are reportedly planned during 2027.
The entry-level model is expected to remain the most accessible route into the iPad lineup, so a later launch gives Apple more time between updates while its higher-end tablets receive larger display and hardware changes.
Bloomberg’s report does not provide a precise launch day for J581 and J582 beyond early 2027, nor does it settle all of the specifications Apple plans to use in the finished models.
The delay also means buyers waiting specifically for a new base iPad should not expect it to appear alongside Apple’s reported late-October Mac and iPad mini announcements.
Apple’s wider 2027 tablet roadmap is shaping up to include an OLED iPad Air and an iPad Pro with improved thermal management, giving the company several separate iPad launches across the year.