Now that Apple has released iPadOS 16, we can get a peek at what the iPad will look like in the coming months, when our tablet gets a software update. Not all iPads will get this update, though, as with every iPadOS release, Apple removes some older devices from its compatibility list.
So even if your iPad has iPadOS 15 installed, that doesn’t mean it will get the next version. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of all iPads that are compatible with the next version.
entry-level iPad
If you own an entry-level iPad (i.e. “iPad” without the suffix), then you’ll be able to get iPadOS 16 if you have a fifth generation or later. This was the version released in 2017, and since then a 2018 version has also appeared, with the same 9.7-inch display, and versions with two 10.2-inch screens. All five models are supported. All of these tablets also have iPadOS 15 installed, so if you get it, you’ll get another upgrade.
small tablet
Unfortunately, the iPad Mini family is losing a member. The oldest small-body upgrade is the fifth-generation iPad Mini (2019), although its 2015 predecessor did get iPadOS 15.
Well, the only two members of the mini lineup to get the iPadOS 16 update are the aforementioned 2019 devices and the latest iPad Mini for 2021, the latter being the first to ditch the Home button. With a four-year gap between the 4th and 5th generation iPad Minis, it’s no wonder the former is being phased out, but we still can’t say ‘every iPad that’s compatible with iPadOS 15 is getting an update, it’s still a shame to update’.
iPad Air
The oldest iPad Air model to get iPadOS 16 is the iPad Air (2019) or third-generation model, which means only it and two newer models (from 2020 and 2022) get the update.
As with the Mini device, that means one model is left behind — in this case, the iPad Air 2. Still, the tablet is 8 years old, so it works well.
iPad Pro
Good news for iPad Pro owners: Every version of the tablet, even the 2015 model, will get the iPadOS 16 update.
Obviously, all of these devices also have iPadOS 15 installed, but we expect Apple to exclude its first Pro models from this year’s iPad update. Obviously, we were wrong.
With five generations of tablets, that means the Pro line is joining the entry-level lineup as the only family of many tablets with iPadOS 16 support, even though the first iPad Pro was released a few months after the fifth-gen entry — – Level model, which technically means that the slate is the oldest still kicking.
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