iPad Air update rumored to get M3 upgrade, not M4

A prolific and generally accurate leaker is predicting that the next iPad Air will use the M3 chip, countering rumors of a jump up to the M4 chip.

Apple is anticipated to launch an update to the iPad Air in the spring, with a refresh upgrading its Apple Silicon performance. If a leaker is to be believed, that jump may not be as big as rumors have claimed.

An image privately released on social media by Evan Blass, known as "evleaks," appears to be listings for the next iPad and iPad Air. While a lot of the information is blurred, the description of the iPad Air seems to refer to its next chip.

The listings include the name "iPad Air 13" (M3)", which refers to the 13-inch model. The use of M3 indicates the chip will move from the existing M2 model to the M3.

Evan Blass has a considerable history as a prominent leaker under his "evleaks" pseudonym. Though he has become less prominent, including an apparent retirement in 2014, he continues to be involved in the rumor and leaking scene.

What leaks Blass does discuss are relatively rare, but they're still reasonably accurate, such as his pre-WWDC 2023 discussions that saw the introduction of the Apple Vision Pro.

The image runs counter to expectations from rumors about the next iPad Air update. On January 7, a report forecast that the update to the iPad Air would be to the M4.

The expectation was that the iPad Pro range would move to the M5 sometime in the fall. The thinking was that the iPad Air's shift to M4 would portend the M5 arrival.

Anticipation of a jump from M2 to M4 in the iPad Air has precedent, as Apple did just that with the iPad Pro range. However, just because Apple did it once in the past doesn't mean it will do the same thing for other models.

Indeed, Apple has an interest in not giving the M4 to the iPad Air. Doing so would give little reason for consumers to buy the iPad Pro for performance reasons, until the Pro line moves to a newer generation.

Reports about iPad Pro sales claim that they have been underwhelming since the introduction of OLED, undercutting the high expectations of the change. It's bad enough that LG Display was said in January to be repurposing underused iPad Pro display production lines for iPhone displays.

With seemingly poor sales, it would be highly doubtful for Apple to undercut the benefits of the iPad Pro even more with a too-high iPad Air chip upgrade.