It’s been over a year since Apple’s last debut entry-level iPadEquipped with A16 chipset. The company is likely to release a new version with the A18 chip the coming monthsbut there is a bigger question to be answered – what will they call it?
For the longest time, Apple was numbered basic model iPad by generation number – up to the 10th generation iPad with the A14 chip. The next version dropped the numbers altogether, just branded them iPad (A16). This makes the performance clear to consumers, but still – the mainstream iPad has always had a name crisis.
With the MacBook Neo, Apple took a clear stand and avoided leaving it unnamed. Many assumed it would simply be called “MacBook” without any suffix, as the company had done so many years ago.
Recently Tom’s Guide interview Speaking with John Ternus and Greg Joswiak about the naming of the MacBook Neo and why it’s not just called “MacBook”, Joz made the following observations:
Yes. I mean, look, you could even argue. Did you just call it a MacBook? You know, when we were doing this, some people expected it. And in the first place, to do so would have left him impersonal. So we wanted to give it an identity. Um, we wanted something that was short and fast, something that matched the Air and the Pro, but also kept it fresh. And Neo literally means new, right? Or reinvention. As we’ve talked about, it’s, you know, the reinvention of the laptop, the low-cost, high-value laptop. So for us, Neo was the perfect name for it.
The next iPad
With those notes, it seems pretty certain that Apple is done with vague, ambiguous naming schemes for its entry-level products. MacBook Neo is a clear signal, and if you want to go even further back, there’s the iPhone 16e (and 17e) – ditch the traditional SE moniker.
Many liked this naming scheme, but ultimately it gave no clear indication of where the product fit in the lineup. For this reason, the next iPad could very well be called iPad Neo.
Now there is one key element that is integral to this theory: the next iPad in fact, it will not be new at all. The design language was first introduced in 2022 and will not change much for the A18 model. This could mean that we’re seeing a different name than the iPad Neo, or that the existing naming will stick around for a while until the base iPad model sees a major update.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
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