Apple’s Next Budget iPad Won’t Arrive Until Early 2027

A longer wait for Apple's cheapest tablet

The entry-level iPad 2027 window has moved into early 2027, according to reporting from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. That timing covers two models, tracked internally under the codenames J581 and J582. The exact release date remains unconfirmed, and pricing for any upcoming iPad has not been disclosed.

For buyers watching the bottom of Apple’s tablet lineup, the shift pushes a refresh further out than the rest of the roadmap. The two codenames indicate Apple is preparing more than one entry-level configuration, though full specifications for J581 and J582 are not yet known.

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iPad mini lands first, at the end of October

Before any of the 2027 hardware, the iPad mini is expected at the end of October this year. Gurman’s report places the compact tablet at the front of the queue. An exact launch date for the mini has not been specified.

iPad Air refresh to add OLED

The iPad Air is slated for a refresh in 2027, and the headline change is an OLED display. Gurman reported the OLED plan as part of the same roadmap update. OLED would mark a display shift for the mid-tier iPad Air, which has not previously carried that panel type in this roadmap.

iPad Pro in 2027, with a possible thermal upgrade

A new iPad Pro is also planned for 2027. The report raises the possibility that the Pro model could gain a vapor chamber, a component designed to improve thermals and, in turn, sustained performance. Whether the vapor chamber is confirmed for the iPad Pro remains an open question; the brief describes it as a possibility, not a settled feature.

What the roadmap looks like together

Stacked up, the iPad lineup splits into two waves. The iPad mini arrives first, at the end of October this year. Then the entry-level iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro all land in 2027, with the entry-level pair (J581 and J582) expected in early 2027 and the Air and Pro later in the year.

The information comes from Gurman’s Bloomberg report, which covers Apple’s product roadmap across the entry-level, Air, Pro, and mini lines. Unanswered details include exact release dates, pricing, and the full specifications of the two entry-level models.