OPINION: We’ve seen a bevvy of tablet releases in the first few months of 2025 from the likes of Apple and Samsung.
However, these tablet updates would best be described as minor, offering a chipset boost and little else to enhance the experience.
Where did all the interesting tablet launches go?
New iPads, but they’re not new
It was Apple that kicked off the major 2025 tablet reveals, revealing not only the iPad 11 but the iPad Air 7 in March.
However, unlike the usual fanfare of a big-budget pre-recorded video announcement like we’re used to seeing with iPhone launches, both models of iPad were launched not with a bang, but with a whimper. No teasers, no hype building, just a random press release appearing in my inbox one afternoon.
However, considering the actual changes offered by the tablets, it’s clear that Apple wouldn’t have been able to stretch the announcement to even a 10-minute video.
Take the base-level iPad 11; it features an upgraded chipset in the form of the A16 Bionic along with a slightly boosted 6GB of RAM and 128GB of base storage, but beyond that? Nada. It doesn’t even offer Apple Intelligence support. That one would’ve been a pretty easy win.
It’s a similar story with the iPad Air 7; it returns in its 11- and 13-inch configurations with a boosted Apple M3 chipset in place of the M2 of its predecessor, and… that’s about it. It does support Apple Intelligence, but so did the iPad Air 6.
You’d think that the tablets were near-perfect, given how little has changed, but there’s so much that Apple could do with its iPads. The most significant upgrade would be a faster refresh rate; all iPads except the top-end Pro models are locked at 60Hz, while even budget tablets like the Honor Pad 9 offer a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
It could also focus more on the tablets’ durability; Samsung’s competing Galaxy Tab S10 FE offers full IP68 dust and water resistance, meaning it’s totally safe to take to the beach or the pool. Apple’s tablets, on the other hand, offer nothing of the sort.
These are the upgrades Apple’s tablets desperately need, not just a chipset bump – especially for the already incredibly powerful iPad Air.
It’s not just Apple
You might think that this is just Apple-bashing, but it’s not. Samsung might have some strengths, but it’s just as guilty as Apple in churning out minor hardware upgrades.
Take the launch of the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and FE Plus from earlier this week as a prime example.
In a similar trend to Apple, the new tablets were announced via press release with little build-up ahead of time, and again, it’s clear to see why.
The Galaxy Tab S10 FE is the bigger offender in this regard; it’s a little slimmer and lighter, sure, but aside from that, the only impactful change on offer is a new chipset. It still features the same 90Hz 10.9-inch LCD display, S Pen support, battery and charging, giving existing users very little reason to upgrade.
The Tab S10 FE Plus is slightly more exciting with a larger screen that takes it to 13.1 inches, but again, that’s the main upgrade aside from the slightly faster processor.
Where has all the tablet innovation gone?
It’s not just 2025 that suffers from this issue; it’s a trend we’ve seen over the past few years, with tablet hardware seemingly stagnating. This is odd because, when you think about it, there are still plenty of areas to explore when it comes to tablet hardware.
For one, imagine if tablet photography were to be taken more seriously. With so much additional space compared to smartphones, it could feasibly be tablets that offer the best mobile shooting experience.
Sure, we collectively scoff at people who take photos on their tablets, but you know what? It keeps on happening anyway. And, I must admit, having a 13-inch viewfinder for my camera does sound tempting, if not a little unwieldy.
Manufacturers could also consider making foldable tablets. We’ve already seen book-style and flip-style mobile phones, so why not expand that concept to tablets?
I’d love to see a larger book-style tablet with something akin to an iPad mini on the front with a larger foldable iPad 11-style screen within. It’d be like having two tablets in one, allowing you to switch between the two depending on the task.
Sadly, neither of these upgrades seem to be on the 2025 horizon, with rumours pointing towards much of the same for the rest of the year. But hey, let’s hope that 2026 is the year that the tablet gets the TLC it deserves.
