Apple's next-generation iPad Pro models are expected to be announced within weeks, so what can customers expect from the highly anticipated new devices?
The 2022 iPad Pro was a minor refresh that added the M2 chip, Apple Pencil, and spec upgrades like Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and Bluetooth 5.3. The iPad Pro as a whole has only seen relatively small updates in recent years, but rumors suggest that the next-generation iPad Pro will be the first major update to the product since 2018, introducing “fundamental changes.” Here are some of the top rumors about the new devices that you should be aware of as we get closer to their announcement.
Renewed and slimmer design
The iPad Pro has kept the same design across four successive generations since 2018. Multiple reports indicate that the biggest design change coming to the new models will be a significant reduction in thickness, dropping from 5.9mm to 5.1mm and from 6.4mm to 5.0mm. respectively.
CAD renders indicate there will be no other major design changes, but there have been vague reports about the device possibly having a landscape front camera like the 10th generation iPad, which is a more natural place for video calls when using the Magic Keyboard. Rumors dating back to 2021 suggest that the ported front camera is headed to the iPad Pro. Such a change would also likely require changes to the location or charging system of the Apple Pencil, since the accessory's wireless charging components are currently located where the camera would go.
Previous rumors suggested that a glass back could come on a future iPad Pro model, which would be a major change to the device's design, but it's no longer clear if that's still a possibility.
M3 chip for improved performance
The next-generation iPad Pro is widely expected to feature Apple's M3 chip to deliver improved performance and efficiency.
The M3 is based on the A17 Pro chip, which is manufactured using TSMC's 3nm manufacturing process. In benchmark tests, the M3 outperforms the M2 by about 17% on single-core tasks and about 21% on multi-core tasks. One of the supporting features in the M3 is a completely redesigned GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, greatly improving graphics capabilities. In GPU performance, as measured by Metal benchmarks, the M3 shows a noticeable improvement of about 15% compared to the M2.
4TB storage option
Apple will introduce OLED iPad Pro models next year with a 4TB storage option, according to a rumor coming out of Asia. Since 2021, the iPad Pro is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage capacities.
If Apple increases the maximum storage limit for the upcoming OLED iPad Pro models to 4TB, it will also likely increase the base storage capacity to 256GB to maintain five capacity tiers, making all 7th generation models capable of 4K ProRes recording at 30fps. .
It's also worth noting that iPad Pro RAM is variable based on storage capacity, so iPad Pro models with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage come with 8GB of RAM, while iPad Pro models with 2GB of storage 1TB or 2TB with 16GB RAM. Whether this means the 4TB iPad Pro will have 24GB or 32GB of RAM is unknown, but it's not out of the question.
OLED display technology
OLED display technology is perhaps the most anticipated upgrade coming to the next-generation iPad Pro models. The current 11-inch model features an LCD screen, while the 12.9-inch model has a small LED screen.
Apple already uses OLED displays on the Apple Watch and iPhone, but has not yet brought the technology to larger devices. OLED displays use less power, have greater color accuracy, and provide better and more consistent contrast than LCD displays. As a significant upgrade, the change will likely be very prominent in Apple's marketing materials for the next-generation iPad Pro.
Bigger screens and thinner bezels?
The new iPad Pro models are also rumored to get screen size increases from 11 to 11.1 inches and from 12.9 to 13 inches, thanks to slimmer bezels around the screen.
This would allow the hardware footprint to remain the same while increasing the display size. The small increases are unlikely to add any meaningful functionality to the device, but will provide a more modern “full-screen” look. However, display analyst Ross Young has since cast doubt on this rumor as it may just be a misinterpretation of the rounded screen size.
Higher prices
More advanced OLED display technology in the next-gen models is expected to push up the price of the iPad Pro, with current estimates starting at $1,500 and $1,800 for the 11-inch and 13-inch models, respectively. The current 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099. Models with cellular connectivity are available for an additional $200 above the base price for each storage tier.
More recent reports suggest the price hike may have been exaggerated and may only be a $160 increase, but it appears higher prices are on the way.
Improved cameras
The iPad Pro has the same 12-megapixel main rear camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture since 2017. The 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture and brighter True Tone flash has also remained the same since it was introduced on iPads. 2021 iPad Pro. There are rumors of camera upgrades for other future iPad models with related devices such as the seventh-generation iPad mini, so it follows that similar improvements are on the way for the iPad Pro.
Since 2021, the iPad Pro also features a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with an ƒ/2.4 aperture. With the 2022 iPhone 14 models, Apple introduced an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera with ƒ/1.9 aperture and autofocus. It seems plausible that this device could be ready to move to the iPad Pro in its next incarnation.
Current iPad Pros support Smart HDR 4, so an upgrade to Smart HDR 5 is likely. The optical engine and other iPhone-only photography and video features could also make their way to the next iPad Pro.
MagSafe wireless charging
In 2022, it was reported that Apple was testing a new iPad Pro with a glass back to enable wireless charging capabilities.
A later report indicated that Apple may have eventually scrapped the glass back design after testing due to concerns about breakability. Citing sources familiar with Apple's design plans, the report claimed that Apple has developed prototypes of the iPad Pro with a larger Apple logo made of glass, which will still allow for wireless charging. One prototype was said to have MagSafe with stronger magnets than on the iPhone to prevent accidental damage, and it was also said to support faster wireless charging speeds compared to MagSafe on the iPhone.
There's no guarantee that the iPad Pro will launch with a glass back or an Apple logo at all, but rumors seem to agree that Apple has extensively explored some sort of wireless charging solution for the iPad Pro. in December, MacRumors We've received information suggesting that the new iPad Pro models may include support for MagSafe charging, and it now appears that this is the wireless charging technology Apple has chosen for the device.
Apple is also rumored to be working on reverse wireless charging for the iPad Pro, which would allow users to charge iPhones, AirPods, and other accessories by placing them on the back of the iPad. Apple has filed several patents related to this feature.
A redesigned Magic Keyboard for the “laptop” experience.
according to BloombergMark Gurman, Apple is planning a complete revamp of the Magic Keyboard accessory for the iPad Pro that makes the device more like a laptop.
The updated version of the Magic Keyboard for iPad will offer a larger trackpad, address criticisms of the current model, and “make the iPad Pro feel more like a laptop than the current setup.” The area around the keyboard itself will apparently be made of aluminum, similar to the top case of MacBooks, to provide a sturdier structure.
The keyboard's outer casing will retain the silicone cover material used on the current model and a single USB-C port. Gorman believes a redesign using more premium materials could prompt Apple to raise the $299 price of the accessory.
A Weibo leaker known as 'Instant Digital' claims that the next generation Magic Keyboard will also be 100% carbon neutral thanks to its redesign and use of different materials. Last year, Apple unveiled its first carbon-neutral products: the aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE when paired with a new Sport Loop, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 2 when paired with a new Trail Loop or Alpine Loop. The company plans for all of its products to be carbon neutral by 2030.
New Apple Pencil
It is now rumored that a new Apple Pencil will arrive alongside the next-generation iPad Pro models. The current second generation Apple Pencil is more than five years old.
In March 2021, the leaker known as “Mr. White” shared an image that purportedly depicted a prototype of the next-generation Apple Pencil that featured a shorter design, glossy finish, and a larger, deeper tip. Apple is believed to have worked on a smaller Apple Pencil designed for the iPad mini, as well as a $49 model for the iPhone, but both products never came to fruition and are said to have been canceled entirely.
Multiple rumors have indicated that the third generation will include a set of interchangeable magnetic tips to simulate different drawing styles. There have also been reports about color sampling capabilities, but little is known about what the new accessory could offer later this month.
There is no Apple event, but it will be announced any day now
Reports from a wide range of sources agree that new iPad Pro models will be announced in March. While Apple was initially expected to host an event to introduce the new models, the company is no longer expected to hold a traditional announcement event. Instead, Apple reportedly plans to announce new products on its website through “a series of videos and online marketing campaigns.”
Last week, Apple announced new MacBook Air models featuring the M3 chip, so it looks like that rumor is now true. As a result, Apple will very likely unveil the new iPad Pros via a press release on its website during the morning of one of the next few weeks, most likely Monday or Tuesday, followed by a launch the following Friday. The new iPad Pro models may launch at the end of the month or in April, according to BloombergMark Gorman, but they could appear as soon as tomorrow.
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