We’ve been hearing rumors for months that Apple would launch two new OLED iPad Pro models alongside the refreshed iPad Air lineup in 2024, with the latest report pointing to a March or April timeframe. Now it looks like things could narrow down even further, with Apple thought to be ready to unveil a new tablet as early as next week.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has been making the case for updated tablets for a long time at this point, and so far he’s sticking to a late March or April timeframe. But now two different reports are pointing to a very specific March 26th release date, with third-party accessories seemingly giving away the game in both cases. If accurate, this means Apple tablet users will soon have at least four new models to consider when making purchasing decisions.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this update is the rumored addition of an all-new 12.9-inch iPad Air, the first non-Pro model to come with such a large display size. But for those who want the best of the best, nothing beats the 12.9-inch OLED iPad Pro. This model is certainly impressive and has a price tag to match.
Leak Case
This latest report comes courtesy of two Chinese sources. The first comes from leaker Instant Digital on Chinese social network Weibo, who says the new iPad will be announced on March 26 and that Amazon will already be offering several cases designed for the updated tablet. However, they all currently have a release date listed as March 26th, which suggests that the case company knows something we don’t. Or at least we didn’t.
MacRumors found a report from IT Home that, in addition to the Weibo post, also mentions a third-party case with a public date of March 26. However, the IT Home report uses similar language to the Instant Digital Weibo post, so it’s less clear. Are the two reports linked or are they actually two different reports?
Nonetheless, Amazon currently lists several ESR cases designed for the 2024 iPad Air and 2024 iPad Pro. In particular, the iPad Air case for the 12.9-inch option does not currently exist.
As for what we can expect, the 2024 iPad Pro models are expected to feature the new M3 chip and, among other things, an OLED display that promises improved contrast.
The 2024 iPad Air will use the M2 chip, an upgrade over the current model’s M1, and the biggest news is that a larger 12.9-inch model will be added. None of the four new iPad models are expected to have major design changes compared to their predecessors, although there are some hints that the FaceTime camera may move its position. It’s currently at the top of the display, 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.
The price of the new tablet is not yet known, but the switch to OLED technology may result in a slight increase in the price of the iPad Pro.
Whenever a new iPad is actually announced, we expect it to be announced through a press release rather than an event of any kind.