According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is set to release new iPads in early May. The lineup is expected to include a new iPad Pro featuring an OLED display and a faster iPad Air, with a 12.9-inch model being introduced for the first time. Rumors surrounding the upcoming iPad models have been consistent since last year.
The new iPad Pro models are rumored to come with OLED displays, offering deeper blacks and richer colors, and will be powered by the new M3 chip also found in some Macs. These tablets are expected to launch alongside a redesigned Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard, which has only been available in one color option for four years, will now also come in white.
On the other hand, the iPad Air is said to run on a new processor, although Bloomberg did not specify which one. Given that the current model uses the M1 chip and Apple may want to reserve the M3 for the Pro lineup, it is likely that the iPad Air will be powered by the M2 chip. The introduction of a 12.9-inch screen option would be the first time the iPad Air line offers a display larger than 10.9 inches, providing a more affordable way to enjoy a larger iPad screen.
Gurman initially suggested that the new tablets would launch alongside the M3 MacBook Air, but the laptops were released without any iPads. He now reports that Apple delayed the release to fine-tune the software and address issues related to the complex new manufacturing techniques required for the devices.
