We’ve been hearing rumors that Apple will launch a pair of new OLED iPad Pro models alongside a refreshed iPad Air lineup in 2024 for months, with the latest reports pointing to a March or April time frame. Now, it looks like things may narrow down even further, as Apple is believed to be ready to unveil its new tablets next week.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has been claiming that there will be updated tablets for quite some time and has so far stuck to the late March or April deadline. However, two different reports now point to a very specific March 26 release date, and third-party accessories seemingly give the game away in both cases. If accurate, this means that Apple tablet users will soon have no less than four new models to consider when making a purchasing decision.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this round of updates is the rumored addition of an all-new 12.9-inch iPad Air, the first non-Pro model to launch with such a large screen size. But for those who need the best of the best, it will be impossible to look beyond the 12.9-inch OLED iPad Pro, a model that is sure to be very impressive and priced accordingly.
A case of leaked cases
These latest reports come courtesy of two Chinese sources. In the first, the Chinese social network Weibo, leaker Instant Digital notes that the new iPads will be announced on March 26 and that Amazon already offers a series of cases designed for the updated tablets. However, they all currently show a release date of March 26, suggesting that the companies in the case know something that we don’t. Or at least, we didn’t.
In addition to the Weibo post, MacRumors spotted a report from IT Home that also mentions third-party cases with a publication date of March 26. However, the IT Home report uses similar language to the Instant Digital Weibo post, so it is unclear. whether the two are linked or whether they are two different reports.
Anyway, Amazon currently lists several ESR cases designed for the iPad Air 2024 and iPad Pro 2024. Notably, the iPad Air case is for the 12.9-inch option, a configuration that doesn’t currently exist.
As for what we can expect, the 2024 iPad Pro models are expected to have new M3 chips and, of course, OLED displays that promise improved contrast, among other things.
The 2024 iPad Air will use the M2 chip, an update to the current model’s M1, while the addition of the larger 12.9-inch model is the biggest news. None of the four new iPad models are expected to have any major design changes compared to previous models, although there are some suggestions that the FaceTime camera could change position. It currently sits at the top of the screen, but reports suggest it could be moved to the side, which would make more sense when the tablet is connected to a keyboard and in landscape orientation.
Pricing for the new tablets is still unknown, but the switch to OLED technology could see the iPad Pro’s price rise a bit, although reports have been conflicting on that front so far.
Whenever the new iPads are announced, we hope it will be done through a press release rather than any kind of event.
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