Apple may launch a 16-inch iPad in 2023

While rumours of an iPad with a 14- to the 15-inch screen have been swirling for some time, this is the first time we've heard of a 16-inch iPad. Apple tracker Mark Gurman mentioned a 14- to 15-inch iPad in 2021 and recently said a larger model could launch in the next year or two. Supply chain analyst Ross Young backed up this prediction in June, saying we could see a 14.1-inch iPad Pro with Mini LEDs and a ProMotion display as early as next year.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is Apple's largest model, but adding a few extra inches of screen real estate could make the device ideal for creative professionals. It also makes sense for those who want to take advantage of Stage Manager, a feature in iPadOS 16 that's supposed to make it easier to switch between apps (although Apple still has some issues it needs to iron out). The company added external display support for Stage Manager in the iPadOS 16.2 developer beta on Tuesday, giving users plenty of room to work when using the feature.

Apple shook up its iPad lineup last month with the launch of the more expensive entry-level iPad with USB-C and the updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro. But as my colleague Monica Chin points out, raising the price of the entry-level iPad has put it in an awkward position. The device, now priced at $449 instead of $329, costs almost as much as an M1 MacBook Air if you add the $249 Magic Keyboard Folio and $99 Apple Pencil (which, by the way, isn't yet) compatible with USB-C).

Introducing a premium 16-inch iPad could help add some meaning to Apple's lineup. However, while it's likely to put a wider price gap between the entry-level iPad and the larger, higher-end model, it still wouldn't solve the problem of the lack of a budget option, which is likely why it's still selling the $329 ninth-gen device.