Here's what insider says Apple's iPad lineup will look like after Tuesday's 35-minute event
This coming Tuesday, May 7th, Apple will be holding its "Let Loose" event starting at 7 am PT/10 am ET. We hope to hear a few nuggets from CEO Tim Cook about Apple's AI plans, along with the introduction of the first new iPads since 2022. Appearing on stage will be the first iPads to sport OLED displays, a new 12.9-inch iPad Air tablet alongside the traditional 10.9-inch model, and some new accessories. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, as close to being an Apple insider as anyone, the whole event will run 35 minutes.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman figured out what Apple's iPad lineup will look like, Before we get to that, we should point out that since the surge in iPad sales that came about a few years ago because of COVID (when practically all tablets were disappearing from store shelves), iPad sales have been weak. Just last week, Apple reported a 16.7% decline in fiscal Q2 iPad sales year-over-year.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022) is about to be replaced by a model with an OLED panel
Apple also did something last year that it had never done since the late Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPad in 2010; it did not introduce and release any new iPad models at all during 2023. That might have turned up the thirst for new iPads this year which Apple is expected to quench during all of 2024.
According to Gurman, after Tuesday's event, Apple's iPad line will look thusly:
- iPad (ninth generation), with a 10.2-inch screen and a home button.
- iPad (10th generation), with a 10.9-inch screen and no home button.
- iPad mini (sixth generation), with an 8.3-inch screen.
- iPad Air: 11-inch and 12.9-inch models, with M2 chips.
- iPad Pro: 11-inch and 12.9-inch models, with M4 chips.
On Tuesday, Apple should introduce the two new top-of-the-line iPad Pro models with a front-facing camera moved to landscape orientation. Originally we expected a chip upgrade from the M2 to the M3, but the latest buzz is calling for the tablets to be powered by the more capable (especially with AI) M4 chip. The OLED displays should lead to a fairly hefty price increase, especially for the 12.9-inch unit.
To counter the expected sticker shock, Apple is adding a new 12.9-inch iPad Air model with an LCD display. This will give consumers looking to purchase the largest sized iPad screen the ability to get a 12.9-inch iPad without having to shell out for an OLED display. The new iPad Air models will also feature a front-facing camera in the landscape orientation and the units will be powered by the M2 chip.
A new Magic Keyboard accessory will make the iPad Pro look more like a laptop when hooked up to it, and the accessory will feature a new aluminum build. The latest iteration of the Apple Pencil is expected to be introduced and it could include a squeeze gesture which will be used to quickly add stickers, shapes, signatures, or text. The digital writing instrument will have "Find My" support and feature changeable tips.
Later this year, Apple should introduce the next-gen iPad mini and the 11th generation iPad. Anyone looking for a new iPad should be able to find one this year.
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