According to reports, Apple plans to release a ninth-generation iPad this autumn, possibly alongside the rumoured iPad mini 6. The iPad 9 is thought to retain the current model's design, albeit with a thinner chassis and a more powerful chipset.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-iPad-9-tipped-to-arrive-soon-with-a-faster-processor-and-a-thinner-design.556942.0.html
That's exactly what I want. I want a thinner pad. Because thinner = progress.