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Apple hasn’t released a new iPad since 2022 and several models are overdue for an update. The company already announced new MacBooks in March and fresh tablets are up next. Apple recently sent out invitations for a May 7 event called “Let Loose.” The online-only event features an artistic drawing that includes an Apple Pencil, one of the iPad’s key accessories. “Let Loose” is scheduled for 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. You can watch live at apple.com/apple-events.Here’s what we want from the new generation of iPads and what’s rumored so far.2024 iPad ProApple last updated the iPad Pro line in the fall of 2022. We saw new 11- and 12.9-inch tablets from the company, both of which adopted the M2 processor but otherwise remained mostly the same as the previous two generations. That leaves us hungry for big changes.For starters, it’s past time the iPad Pro adopted OLED displays. Samsung has been using OLED in its Galaxy Tab S line for years. OLED displays would allow iPads to produce deeper blacks and more accurate color—something vital for the photo and video creators Apple claims the Pro is for. Rumors concerning OLED displays for Apple’s 2024 iPads have been around since 2022 and have gained traction in recent months. Could a matte OLED screen be an option? A report from Weibo suggests as much, claiming that the new Pro will be available in “glossy and matte screen versions.” A matte screen would be less reflective and easier to use outdoors or in other spaces with lots of light. The matte version would likely cost more. Apple sells a nano-texture version of its Studio Display that’s $300 more than the standard glass model. The timing of the event has been in question for some time. The new iPads were originally expected in March and then April and eventually May. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, “I’ve repeatedly said that new software for the iPad Pro—a variant of iPadOS 17.4 designed for the updated models—won’t be complete until the end of March or even sometime in April. Once the OS is finished, Apple needs to send it off to the factories to be installed on the new hardware. That process could last a couple of weeks, probably taking us deeper into [April].” At the end of March, Gurman cited ongoing software work as one potential issue behind the launch timeframe delay.Beyond the benefits of the OLED display itself, the Pro iPads could gain another advantage from the advanced display tech: a thinner chassis. OLED panels are thinner than the LED panels in the current-gen Pros. Mockups suggest the 12.9-inch iPad Pro could trim its thickness from 6.5mm to as little as 5mm, which could also help with its weight. Moreover, the screen size is expected to grow slightly to 13 inches. The 11-inch model display would stay the same size but the tablet itself could lose as much as 0.8mm in thickness.
Apple iPad Pro camera module (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Next, Apple needs to remember that professional users want to look professional on video calls. That means doing away with the side-mounted TrueDepth camera and moving it to the center of the tablet’s long edge. The current iPad Pros make you look like a goof on camera with low and off-center angles during video chats. Apple already made this change to the standard iPad model. It’s an overdue update for the Pro line. Happily, this change is widely expected. It would also be great if Apple upgraded the user-facing camera from 1080p video capture to 4K video capture for sharper Zoom calls.Something else pros need? Ports. The iPad Pro’s single USB-C port just doesn’t cut it. Adding a second USB-C port would go a long way toward improving the peripheral story for the iPad Pro. There aren’t too many reports suggesting that more ports are on the way, though Bloomberg’s Gurman believes we may see the addition of MagSafe charging. If added to the iPad, MagSafe would theoretically free up the USB-C port for connecting to peripherals while still allowing the iPad to charge. That would be a step in the right direction.The current iPad Pros still don’t know what to do with all the power provided by the M2 processor, but we should expect Apple to upgrade the 2024 models to its M3 chip regardless. The only real question here is which apps will be able to put that M3 power to effective use. Perhaps AI is the answer. Though AI may not necessarily be part of the iPad’s May launch, there’s a significant change we’ll learn more about Apple’s general plans for AI at its WWDC event in June. Apple typically showcases its next-generation operating systems at WWDC and this year it may show us what iPadOS has on deck when it comes to AI.
Apple iPad Pro pogo contacts (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Since the original iPad’s debut in 2010, Apple has touted the tablet’s 10 hours of battery life. Given the incredible power efficiency advancements of processors over the last 12 years, it’s a wonder that current iPads still ship with the same 10 hours of expected battery life. Apple should take a cue from its MacBooks and push iPad battery life forward significantly. The latest MacBook Airs have 18 hours of battery life and the MacBook Pro models reach beyond 20 hours. It shouldn’t be too much to ask the iPad Pro to last for at least 12, if not 15, hours per charge. As always, Apple should give most specs a small bump across the board. The current iPad Pros ship with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Adjusting those to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 isn’t too big of an ask. The Pros include either 8 or 16GB of RAM depending on the storage. The base RAM should jump to 12GB. The tablets already offer up to 2TB of storage. Surely someone out there will want more. The latest in GPS and 5G wouldn’t hurt, either.2024 iPad AirIt’s been two full years since Apple last gave the iPad Air a gust of change. Back then, Apple tweaked the Air to look more like the Pro line, improved the power and screen, and gave it better peripherals. What’s on deck for 2024? Probably not a whole lot. The biggest change we’re looking for here is an additional model. The Air probably won’t get an OLED display, but it will likely come in both 10.9- and 12.9-inch sizes. Similar to the way the iPhone 15 Plus provides a more affordable big-screen option to the 15 Pro Max, a 12.9-inch iPad Air would give iPad buyers who want or need a larger screen a more affordable way to get one. What’s not clear is what screen tech (LCD or mini-LED) Apple may use here. The latest reports suggest it will stick with LCDs.
Apple iPad Air (Credit: Molly Flores)
A processor jump certainly makes sense. The current iPad Air relies on the M1 chip. It’ll likely move to the M2 chip, giving the Pro line a chance to stand apart with the heftier M3. A bump in the base storage from 64GB to 128GB would also make sense, as well as a jump in maximum storage from 256GB to at least 512GB.Like the Pro, the Air’s front camera is mounted on the side edge, making video chats awkward when the tablet is attached to a keyboard. Pushing the camera to the center of the long edge would allow for properly framed FaceTime calls and bring the Air in line with the Pro and standard models. The same jump from 1080p to 4K resolution would be ideal. Whether or not Apple chooses to update the radios from Wi-Fi 6 to 6E or 7 and from Bluetooth 5.0 to 5.3 or 5.4 is questionable. It would be a shock if Apple didn’t also update the color selection. The Air stands as the most colorful lot of iPads available. Given the balance of features, performance, and price, we often recommend the iPad Air to students. It’s possible the iPad Air will reach retail ahead of the iPad Pro. A fresh report claims the Air tablets are already shipping ahead of the announcement from China to overseas destinations for sale.2024 Apple Pencil and Magic KeyboardApple sells three Pencils right now. The most recent USB-C model reached the market in October 2023. The 2nd Gen Pencil has been around since 2021 and could use a refresh. The same is true of the Magic Keyboard, the company’s heavy and pricey keyboard accessory for the Air and Pro.
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Apple Pencil with Magic Keyboard (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Reports suggest that Apple is working on a third-generation Pencil that would be compatible only with the new iPad Pro tablets. This is even more likely now that Apple included a visual of the Pencil its its “Let Loose” invitation. The big difference would be tips that can be switched magnetically. All three of the current Apple Pencil models have screw-on tips. It’s hardly onerous to change them, but artists looking to swap out tips in the middle of creating might prefer a faster method. There’s no word what other new features might be written into a sharpened Apple Pencil. As for the Magic Keyboard, Apple is revising it to match the new iPad Pro line. Reports say the new design may feature aluminum panels as well as a larger trackpad to make the iPad act more like a laptop. If there’s anything we truly want from the next-generation Magic Keyboard, it’s less bulk and less weight. When added to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the keyboard combo weighs more than a 13-inch MacBook Air.What About the Standard iPad and iPad mini?Apple gave the entry-level iPad a makeover in the fall of 2022. It saw a big redesign, gaining a new screen, a new USB-C port, and even a properly centered FaceTime camera. Of all the iPads in Apple’s stable, this model is the least likely to enjoy a glow-up. It probably won’t be updated until the fall months, which is when Apple has been apt to renew it the last few years. If and when that happens, expect the basic design to remain unchanged with only modest spec bumps across the board.
Apple iPad 10th Gen (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The iPad mini, on the other hand, is ripe for an overhaul. Apple still sells the iPad mini it released in 2021, which looks a lot like the iPad Air. The smallest iPad is the most portable. It’s compact enough to fit into a purse or good-sized coat pocket. Paired with an Apple Pencil, it’s an excellent device to have with you for taking notes. While it would be great to see an entirely new design for the mini, rumors about a refresh for this form factor are few and far between. Vaunted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the basic form factor will indeed remain largely the same. The biggest difference compared with the 2021 model will be an upgraded processor and upgraded RAM. It’ll jump from the A15 Bionic to the A16 Bionic, and from LPDDR4x RAM to LPDDR5x RAM, which is faster. The tablet may see a base storage jump from 64GB to 128GB and the maximum storage move from 256GB to 512GB. An improved screen seems the least Apple can do, as well as spec bumps to the radios and other internal components. What to Expect: Higher PricesApple won’t be giving these upgrades away. The Pro models, in particular, are expected to see significant price jumps due mostly to the switch to OLED panels. (Samsung, notably, keeps its OLED-equipped Galaxy Tab S prices in line with Apple’s iPad Pros.) Some are predicting price jumps from $799 for the 11-inch model to as much as $1,500, but that seems out of line. A more modest increase of $160, suggested by DigiTimes, makes more sense considering the competition. Timing Is EverythingWhen will the new iPads arrive? We’ll see them for sure during the May 7 event. With that event date in mind, it’s possible the new slates will reach stores as soon as May 17, based on Apple’s typical patten of announcements and retail cycles. Want to know more about the latest about iPads? Keep your attention focused on PCMag for in-depth coverage of any new slates from Apple as they are announced.
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