Following the launch of the MacBook Air M3 last week, Apple is believed to be gearing up to unveil a selection of updated iPad models as well as new accessories. We haven't seen new iPads from Cupertino at any time last year, and there's high speculation that the tech giant will unveil several new models in the coming weeks.
This will likely include the new iPad Pro and iPad Air as well as the third-generation Apple Pencil and the redesigned Magic Keyboard. according to BloombergMark Gurman, these new products are expected to be available sometime “around the end of March or around April, when the accompanying iPadOS 17.4 software should be ready to go.”
The iPad Pro is expected to come in standard 12.9-inch and 11-inch sizes, but with the long-awaited jump to OLED displays for the first time. Meanwhile, the Air will now also reportedly come in a larger 12.9-inch size for the first time, further blurring the lines between the two Air and Pro. The 2022 iPad Air currently tops our best tablets list, and the new Air could win that top spot again.
Either way, it's believed Apple will do so Move the FaceTime camera from the top of the device to the side, no iPad 10. This should give the new iPads a more natural place for video calls when using the device in landscape mode with the keyboard for productivity.
The new iPad Air will reportedly come in a larger 12.9-inch size for the first time, further blurring the lines between the Air and Pro.
Of course, this could cause issues with the iPad's current magnetic attachment for the second-generation Apple Pencil. It remains to be seen if Apple will design a way around this for the next version of the Pen. The company introduced the new USB-C Apple Pencil last year, and it's clear that at some point in the future it will stop supporting older Lightning-based iPad and Apple Pencil models.
The premium Magic Keyboard accessory is thought to be getting a slight upgrade to an aluminum finish that will more closely resemble the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. This will also result in a sturdier unit and current rumors predict a larger trackpad. If these changes happen, along with a reorganized camera, they will aim to push the iPad further into the laptop replacement areas that Apple has been trying to achieve for years.
What can we see from the new iPads?
Both the iPad Pro and iPad Air will benefit from performance improvements thanks to the new processors. It is believed that the Air will be upgraded to the Apple M2 while the Pro lines could be delivered with the new Apple M3 chip. Which will likely blow every other tablet out of the water when it comes to performance.
We may also see an increase in storage capacity of up to 2TB and a very outside chance of MagSafe coming to the iPad after it is reintroduced to the MacBook line. Personally, I would be very surprised to see this and I imagine Apple will stick with the USB-C port. Of course, with a sharper and brighter OLED display as well, the new iPad Pro could become one of the hottest devices of 2024.
It may only take a few weeks for all these rumors to be confirmed. Which leaves us crossing our fingers and hoping Apple finds some time to give us iPad mini 7 I personally stick to it.
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