Can a new iPad 10th generation come with iPadOS 18 out of the box?

Copyright dates relate to the content and design of package labels; they have zero to do with the product inside.

What is a Copyright?

A device bought today from Apple can have iPadOS 18. Most Apple devices we have purchased came with the latest OS version available. Depending on timing—i.e. the device might have shipped just as a new OS version was available—the OS may be one behind, but easily updated when you set it up.

Those statements only apply to devices bought directly from Apple. If you are buying from someone else, who knows? There a lot of scams around because of high demand for Apple devices.

furqan11 wrote:

Actually we purchased a 10th generation iPad this week and it came with iPad OS 18 out of the box. I was skeptic because the initial/ first 10th generation iPads came with iPadOS 16 pre-installed…

But the one you bought was most likely manufactured fairly recently, certainly after September of last year. So, it would come with the latest version. Apple doesn't put an outdated version of iPadOS on newly manufactured devices.

I would hope not.

I’m curious about why you actually want it (ios18) if you do ?