We have already heard reports that Apple may not release a new iPad in 2023 and instead focus on the Apple VR/AR headset. But according to Ming-Chi Kuo (opens in new tab), 2024 could be a big year for the iPad, with the analyst predicting the release of the iPad mini 7 and the long-rumored foldable iPad.

Kuo predicts that the iPad's next big release will be the iPad mini 7, with mass production expected to begin in the first quarter of 2024. Kuo is also optimistic that a foldable iPad with a carbon fiber kickstand will arrive next year

Kuo is not alone in predicting a slow year for iPad refreshes; Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that most Apple products will go dormant in 2024, he argues. With the exception of the iPhone, which will undoubtedly adhere faithfully to its annual refresh cycle, we won't see any updated products until the first half of 2024.

While Kuo predicts the iPad mini 7 will be the first, Garman has more to say about the next wave of iPad Pros. An OLED display may appear in the iPad Pro series, along with a glass back that allows wireless charging. There are also rumors of a larger iPad Pro up to 16 inches in size, but little has been reported about that possibility.

However, none of this compares to the possibility of a foldable iPad. We have heard several rumors suggesting that this tablet could appear in 2024, including one from Samsung, the current king of foldable tablets. We still don't know what specs to expect, but Kuo believes it will feature a kickstand made of ultra-strong and lightweight carbon fiber. Not only that, but the analyst expects that the trend toward foldable devices with kickstands may begin in the future.

There are still many unknowns about the future iPad, or when most of them will appear. But 2024 is likely to be a very busy year for the iPad.