Apple is preparing for the biggest iPad hardware announcement of recent years. According to Mark Gurman, who prepares Bloomberg's Power On newsletter, the technology giant is preparing to launch new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in the first week of May. This launch could be considered a milestone for Apple, considering it hasn't introduced any new iPad hardware in nearly eighteen months.
The new series will include iPad Pro models with 11-inch and 13-inch OLED screens and the 12.9-inch iPad Air with a larger screen size. In addition, renewed Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil accessories will be offered to users.
The difference between the innovations in iPad Pro and Air models
The new iPad Pros will promise a dramatic display improvement, switching from mini-LED panels to OLED panels, offering deeper contrast and brightness like on the iPhone. The design will also be updated, a thinner body and the front camera will be moved to the long side of the screen. The new Pro models will be powered by the M3 chip.
However, prices are also expected to rise. This price increase, also confirmed by Mark Gurman, seems remarkable considering the international starting prices of the current generation 11-inch iPad Pro at $799 and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro at $1099. While the new 12.9-inch iPad Air offers a larger screen size at a more affordable price, it is not yet clear whether the new iPad Air will come with M2 or M3 processors or an upgrade from the current M1 configuration.
About new accessories, references found in the iPadOS beta code indicate that the new Apple Pencil will have a new squeeze feature. The new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro will be equipped with an aluminum base and a larger trackpad, making the tablet look even more like a laptop.
Updates to the base model iPad and iPad mini are also expected later in the year. However, Gurman predicts that only minor improvements are expected in these models, with the Mini only receiving a processor upgrade.
These innovations brought by Apple to the iPad series aim to significantly improve the user experience. In particular, the transition to OLED display technology and hardware improvements promise significant leaps in visual quality and performance. In addition to the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, renewed accessories will further enrich the Apple ecosystem.