Earlier this week, the China Times reported that Apple is gearing up to unveil its latest iPad models on March 26th. Notably, last year marked the first time since the inaugural iPad launch in 2010 that Apple did not introduce any new models to the market. Anticipated releases for next Tuesday include the new iPad Pro (2024) series and the revamped iPad Air (2024) lineup.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, however, contested the March 26th release date, attributing a delay in finalizing iPadOS 17.4 as the reason. According to Gurman, Apple recently dispatched the software to factories where the new tablets are being manufactured. He asserted over the weekend that the tablets are slated for a late April release. This sentiment was reinforced by a tweet Gurman posted on Thursday, succinctly refuting MacRumors’ promotion of the rumoured March 26th release.
Regardless of the exact date, it’s evident that new iPads are on the horizon. Let’s delve into what we can expect from the iPad Pro (2024) series. These models are poised to be the first iPads to feature OLED displays, alongside a landscape-oriented front-facing camera, aimed at providing a more laptop-like user experience.
Speculation also suggests a redesigned rear camera island and the incorporation of the potent 3nm M3 chipset to fuel the 11-inch and 12.9-inch variants. Furthermore, there’s talk of MagSafe wireless charging support being integrated into the top-tier tablets.
Recognizing that the inclusion of OLED displays may lead to a price increase, particularly for the 12.9-inch model, Apple has introduced a 12.9-inch variant to the iPad Air (2024) lineup. This expanded lineup now encompasses 10.9-inch and 12.9-inch tablets, catering to users who desire a larger screen but may not opt for the OLED iPad Pro. Additionally, the iPad Air (2024) will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and will be powered by the M2 SoC.
Alongside the new iPads, we anticipate the unveiling of a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil by Apple. The accuracy of the March 26th release date will become clearer in the coming days.
