Apple Announces Fourth-Generation iPad with Lightning Connector, New A6X Chip - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Announces Fourth-Generation iPad with Lightning Connector, New A6X Chip

Apple today announced an update to its full-size iPad, upgrading its processor with a faster A6X chip and implementing the new Lightning connector that debuted with the iPhone 5. The new processor delivers up to two times the CPU and graphics performance of the prior chip, while maintaining 10 hours of battery life and the same design as the prior iPad.

Ipad4
The new iPad now supports many new international LTE carriers, as well.

The fourth-generation iPad comes in black and white with the same pricing and storage configurations as the third-generation iPad models, starting at $499 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi models and $629 for the 16 GB cellular models.

Pre-orders for the new iPad begin on Friday, October 26 through the Apple Online Store in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

The Wi-Fi configurations will begin shipping November 2, with the LTE configurations following two weeks later in the US, and then following in other countries.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

ipad peach

Apple Code Confirms iPad 12 Specs: A19, 8GB RAM, N1, C1X Modem

Friday September 25, 2026 10:12 am PDT by
The next low-cost iPad will be equipped with an A19 chip, C1X modem, N1 networking chip, and 8GB RAM, according to details found in Apple's code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. We've heard some of these same specifications in prior rumors, so this is more of a confirmation than a new leak. The iPad 11 has an A16 chip, so the upgrade to the A19 in the 12th-generation iPad will bring a...
ipad 10th gen blue

iPad Could Get Significantly Thinner Bezels, Leaker Says

Monday October 5, 2026 8:39 am PDT by
The iPad is set to gain significantly narrower borders around its display, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital" on Weibo. The post gives no model or timeline; it could refer to the entry-level iPad or to Apple's tablet lineup in general. Refreshes of the entry-level iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro are in the pipeline. The next iPad mini is already rumored to gain OLED and ...
M5 MacBook Pro

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by
Apple today sent out invites for an experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, and the "Pro and tell" tagline on the invitation likely means that the rumored MacBook models with touch-enabled OLED displays will stick with MacBook Pro branding instead of the once-rumored "MacBook Ultra" name. The long-rumored "iPhone Ultra" ended up being named iPhone Duo, so speculation that Apple...

Top Rated Comments

Diode Avatar
183 months ago
This quick update cycle is going make the ipads depreciate much faster now.
I leave you with this comic from The Oatmeal (http://theoatmeal.com/)....






Score: 64 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WeegieMac Avatar
183 months ago
Very angry, sorry.

I know my iPad does all the same it did, but I waited until the third gen, shelled out £649 for THE top end model, and it got 7 months on the market.

I play a lot of games, and my iPad is left behind before it even got a killer app.

Real Racing 3 ... *sigh*

Can't help but feel scunnered.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago
iPad 3 already outdated.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago
HOW DARE APPLE RELEASE NEW PRODUCTS! MY IPAD 3 HAS INSTANTLY TURNED TO RUST. :mad:
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago
iPad 3 already outdated.

And with competition starting to ramp up, that's exactly what they need to do.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago
How big of difference is the A5 chip to 6?

I feel like it was punched in the mouth with this update just got new iPad
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
17 minutes ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
1 hour ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
3 hours ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
3 hours ago
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
3 hours ago
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
4 hours ago
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
4 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
5 hours ago
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
6 hours ago
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
7 hours ago
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
7 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
7 hours ago
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
8 hours ago
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
13 hours ago
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
13 hours ago
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
13 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
14 hours ago
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
16 hours ago
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
17 hours ago
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
17 hours ago
Apple Could Owe Even More After $5.7 Billion Patent Verdict
Apple Could Owe Even More After $5.7 Billion Patent Verdict
18 hours ago
Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer
Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer
18 hours ago
Apple Highlights Mac and iPad Use in Paris Design Exhibition
Apple Highlights Mac and iPad Use in Paris Design Exhibition
19 hours ago
Apple Seeks 6G Modem Engineers as It Plans for Post-5G iPhones
Apple Seeks 6G Modem Engineers as It Plans for Post-5G iPhones
21 hours ago
First iPhone Duo Unboxing Video Appears Ahead of Friday Launch
First iPhone Duo Unboxing Video Appears Ahead of Friday Launch
22 hours ago
Perplexity Computer Can Now Run Fully Locally on Mac
Perplexity Computer Can Now Run Fully Locally on Mac
23 hours ago
Apple's Touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro: Everything We Know
Apple's Touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro: Everything We Know
1 day ago
iPad Mini 8 Expected Next Week With These 10 New Features
iPad Mini 8 Expected Next Week With These 10 New Features
1 day ago
Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo
Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo
1 day ago
iOS 27.3 May Expand RCS Support to Australia's Telstra in December
iOS 27.3 May Expand RCS Support to Australia's Telstra in December
1 day ago