Apple gearing up to reveal new iPads next week
What's the story
Apple is gearing up for the big reveal of its new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models on Tuesday, March 26, as per whispers from the Chinese informant Instant Digital. The leaker hinted at an announcement concerning new iPads on this date, though stopped short of confirming it as the official launch date. On the listed date, Apple may announce when the pre-orders for the new tablets will begin, with shipping dates to be revealed later.
More details
Two more tip-offs interpret the release timeframe
Separately, IT Home, a Chinese website, asserted that Apple is set to unveil new iPads on March 26. In addition to that, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple intends to launch new models of the iPad Pro and iPad Air either by late March or in April. However, Gurman now appears to be inclined toward the likelihood of an April release. He also predicts that the new iPads will be unveiled through a press release.
Hardware
New iPads likely to boast M3 and M2 chips
The upcoming iPad Pro models are predicted to come equipped with OLED displays, offering more precise colors, superior contrast, improved sharpness, and reduced power usage. Further, they'll feature a slimmer casing, a revamped camera bump, and potentially MagSafe wireless charging. The iPad Air models are believed to incorporate Apple's M2 chip and a landscape-oriented front camera. Interestingly, this launch could see the debut of the first-ever 12.9-inch model in the iPad Air series.
What's more?
Anticipation builds for additional announcements
Besides the new iPad models, Apple is also rumored to introduce a new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro with an enlarged trackpad and a fresh Apple Pencil design. Bloomberg's Gurman suggests that an updated version of the iPadOS 17.4 tailored for the revamped iPad models won't be ready until late March or April. Once finalized, it will be dispatched to factories for installation on the new devices, possibly extending into next month.