Apple Is Reportedly Planning Its Biggest iPad Refresh To Date: When And What To Expect
The iPad has been one of Apple's most significant products, becoming a great companion to iPhone and the Mac. While a lot of hype has surrounded the freshly minted Apple Vision Pro, the device still remains too avant-garde for most users to adopt. That leaves an opening for a new iPad refresh, which is likely coming next month in early May.
This is a long overdue update, especially to the high-end iPad Pro which has not enjoyed many changes since 2018. According to Mark Gurman over at Bloomberg, "Altogether, this launch is shaping up to be one of the biggest updates to the Apple tablet in a single day. And it's a long time coming, especially for the iPad Pro. That model hasn't had a meaningful refresh since 2018."
To be fair, the iPad Pro reached what many consider its peak capabilities in the tablet world. The updates that brought Apple silicon chips to the device were appreciated, but certainly not necessary as they provided an overabundance of performance the device couldn't always utilize.
One area where change will be expected will be in the iPad Pro screen, with potential OLED models replacing the current technology. Improvements in battery life and general performance updates are par for course as expected, to bring it up to current hardware specs. While pricing is unknown, these new OLED panels may make the iPad Pro more expensive, but that is currently speculative.
Supposedly, these new iPad screens are part of why the device is late to market, being pushed back from its initial March release date. The new date is likely to fall around May 6th, according to Mark Gurman.
This is a long overdue update, especially to the high-end iPad Pro which has not enjoyed many changes since 2018. According to Mark Gurman over at Bloomberg, "Altogether, this launch is shaping up to be one of the biggest updates to the Apple tablet in a single day. And it's a long time coming, especially for the iPad Pro. That model hasn't had a meaningful refresh since 2018."
To be fair, the iPad Pro reached what many consider its peak capabilities in the tablet world. The updates that brought Apple silicon chips to the device were appreciated, but certainly not necessary as they provided an overabundance of performance the device couldn't always utilize.
One area where change will be expected will be in the iPad Pro screen, with potential OLED models replacing the current technology. Improvements in battery life and general performance updates are par for course as expected, to bring it up to current hardware specs. While pricing is unknown, these new OLED panels may make the iPad Pro more expensive, but that is currently speculative.
Supposedly, these new iPad screens are part of why the device is late to market, being pushed back from its initial March release date. The new date is likely to fall around May 6th, according to Mark Gurman.
Apple has built-in a lot of flexibility in its iPad models, from the entry-level to the iPad Pro. The Apple Pencil has been a popular product that makes the iPad an important tool and artistic device for many, and that approach is certain to continue. There was even recent talk of the Apple Pencil having some interaction with the Apple Vision Pro, which will be interesting to see if it pans out.
The iPad detachable keyboard has also been a big step in making the iPad a laptop replacement for some, adding much needed function to the device. Apple should have a new version to accompany its new iPads next month, too. While we won't see a foldable iPad yet, Apple engineers have toyed with the idea behind the scenes for a potential future product.
The iPad Air, a lighter, more affordable version of iPad, should also be coming alongside iPad Pro. The entry-level iPad and iPad Mini likely won't be coming yet, with future dates later in the year as targets.
There was also talk of Apple working on a secret robot project, but it likely is focusing most of its resources on existing devices and the AI push. The iPad family remains one of its most important products, linking all of its other devices in the eco-system, however.
The iPad detachable keyboard has also been a big step in making the iPad a laptop replacement for some, adding much needed function to the device. Apple should have a new version to accompany its new iPads next month, too. While we won't see a foldable iPad yet, Apple engineers have toyed with the idea behind the scenes for a potential future product.
The iPad Air, a lighter, more affordable version of iPad, should also be coming alongside iPad Pro. The entry-level iPad and iPad Mini likely won't be coming yet, with future dates later in the year as targets.
There was also talk of Apple working on a secret robot project, but it likely is focusing most of its resources on existing devices and the AI push. The iPad family remains one of its most important products, linking all of its other devices in the eco-system, however.
