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Apple’s next-generation iPad Pro models are expected to be announced in a matter of weeks, so what can customers expect from the long-awaited new machines?
The 2022 iPad Pro was a minor update that added the M2 chip, floating Apple Pencil, and spec upgrades like Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The iPad Pro as a whole has generally only received relatively small updates in recent years, but rumors indicate that the next-generation iPad Pro will be the first major update to the product since 2018, introducing “fundamental changes.” Below are some of the biggest rumors about the new machines to keep in mind as we get closer to their announcement.
Renewed and slimmer design
The iPad Pro has retained the same design for four consecutive generations since 2018. Various reports suggest that the biggest design change coming to the new models will be a substantial reduction in thickness, shrinking from 5.9mm to 5.1mm and from 6.4mm to 5.0mm. respectively.
CAD renders indicate there won’t be any other major design changes, but there have been vague reports the device could include a horizontal front-facing camera like the 10th-gen iPad, a much more natural placement for video calls when using a Magic Keyboard. . . Rumors dating back to 2021 have suggested that a relocated front camera will be headed to the iPad Pro. Such a change would also likely require changes to the location or charging system of the Apple Pencil, as the accessory’s wireless charging components are currently located where the camera would be moved.
Previous rumors suggested that a future iPad Pro model could have a glass back, which would be a major design change for the device, but it is no longer clear if this is still a possibility.
M3 chip for improved performance
The next generation of the iPad Pro is 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% in single-core tasks and about 21% in multi-core tasks. A major feature of the M3 is a completely redesigned GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, leading to dramatically improved graphics capabilities. In GPU performance, measured against Metal benchmarks, the M3 shows a noticeable improvement of around 15% over the M2.
4TB storage option
Apple will offer next year’s iPad Pro OLED models with a 4TB storage option, a rumor out of Asia claims. As of 2021, the iPad Pro is available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage.
If Apple increases the maximum storage of its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models to 4TB, it would likely also increase the base storage to 256GB to maintain five capacity categories, making all seventh-generation models capable of recording ProRes in 4K at 30 fps.
It’s also worth noting that iPad Pro RAM varies depending on storage capacity, so iPad Pro models with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage come with 8GB of RAM, while iPad Pro models Pro with 1 TB or 2 TB of storage have 16 GB of RAM. It’s unknown whether that means a 4TB iPad Pro would feature 24GB or 32GB of RAM, but it’s not unlikely.
OLED display technology
OLED display technology is perhaps the most anticipated update 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 mini-LED screen.
Apple already uses OLED displays on the Apple Watch and iPhone, but has yet to bring the technology to larger devices. OLED screens consume less power, have higher color accuracy, and provide much better and more consistent contrast than LCD screens. As a significant update, the change will likely be heavily featured 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 have increases in screen size from 11 to 11.1 inches and 12.9 to 13 inches, facilitated by thinner bezels around the screen.
This would allow the size of the devices to remain the same while increasing the screen size. The slight increases are unlikely to add any significant functionality to the device, but would provide a more modern “full screen” look. However, display analyst Ross Young has cast doubt on this rumor, as it may simply be a misinterpretation of screen size rounding.
The highest prices
More advanced OLED display technology in next-generation models is expected to boost 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. Pricing for 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 over the base price for each storage level.
More recent reports suggest that the price increases may have been exaggerated and may not exceed a $160 increase, but it appears that higher prices are on the way.
Improved cameras
The iPad Pro has had the same 12-megapixel main rear camera with an ƒ/1.8 aperture since 2017. The 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with an ƒ/2.4 aperture and a brighter True Tone flash have also remained the same since its introduction in the 2021 iPad Pro. Camera upgrades are rumored to be coming to other future iPad models with related hardware, such as the 7th-generation iPad mini, so it follows that similar improvements are on the way for the iPad Pro.
As of 2021, the iPad Pro also features a 12-megapixel front camera with an ƒ/2.4 aperture. With the 2022 iPhone 14 models, Apple introduced an improved 12-megapixel front camera with ƒ/1.9 aperture and autofocus. It seems plausible that this hardware is set to come to the iPad Pro in its next incarnation.
The current iPad Pros support Smart HDR 4, so an upgrade to Smart HDR 5 is likely. Photonic Engine and other iPhone-exclusive photography and videography features could also make their way to the next iPad Pro.
MagSafe wireless charging
In 2022, Apple was reported to be testing a new glass-backed iPad Pro to enable wireless charging capabilities.
A later report suggested that Apple may have ultimately scrapped the glass back design after testing due to concerns about breakage. Citing sources familiar with Apple’s design plans, the report claimed that Apple has developed iPad Pro prototypes with a larger Apple logo made of glass, which would still allow for wireless charging. One of the prototypes was said to feature MagSafe with stronger magnets than those on the iPhone to prevent accidental damage, and was also said to support faster wireless charging speeds compared to MagSafe on the iPhone.
There’s no guarantee that the glass-backed iPad Pro or Apple logo will ever be released, but rumors seem to agree that Apple has extensively explored some sort of wireless charging solution for the iPad Pro. In December, MacRumors I’ve obtained information suggesting that the new iPad Pro models could include support for MagSafe charging, and this now appears to be Apple’s wireless charging technology of choice for the device.
Apple is also rumored to be working on reverse wireless charging for the iPad Pro, which would allow users to charge their iPhones, AirPods, and other accessories by placing them on the back of the iPad. Apple has filed several patents related to this feature.
Magic Keyboard redesigned for the ‘laptop’ experience
According BloombergMark Gurman, Apple is planning a complete revamp of its 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, addressing criticisms of the current model and “makes the iPad Pro even more like a laptop than the current configuration.” The area around the keyboard will apparently be made of aluminum, resembling the top case of MacBooks, to provide a sturdier structure.
The keyboard’s outer shell will retain the silicone cover material used on the current model and a single USB-C port. Gurman reflected that the redesign using more premium materials could lead Apple to increase the price of the accessory to $299.
The 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 introduced 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 the Apple Watch Ultra 2 when paired with a new Trail Loop or Alpine Loop. The company plans to make all its products carbon neutral by 2030.
New apple pencil
A new Apple Pencil is now actively rumored to arrive alongside the next-generation iPad Pro models. The current second-generation Apple Pencil is now more than five years old.
In March 2021, the leaker known as “Mr. White” shared an image that purported to depict a prototype of the next-generation Apple Pencil that featured a shorter design, a glossy finish, and a larger, deeper tip. Apple was believed to have worked on a smaller Apple Pencil designed for the iPad mini, as well as a $49 iPhone model, but both products never emerged and are said to have been canceled entirely.
Multiple rumors suggested that the third generation will include a variety of interchangeable magnetic tips to emulate different drawing styles. There have also been reports about color sampling capabilities, but little else is known about what the new accessory could offer later this month.
There is no Apple event, but it will be announced any time
Reports from a wide range of sources agree that the new iPad Pro models will be announced in March. While it was initially speculated that Apple would host an event to unveil the new models, the company is no longer expected to hold a traditional event for the announcements. Instead, Apple reportedly plans to announce new products on its website with a “series of online videos and marketing campaigns.”
Last week, Apple announced new MacBook Air models with the M3 chip, so this rumor now appears to be true. As a result, Apple will most likely reveal the new iPad Pros via a press release on its website during a morning in the coming weeks, probably on a Monday or Tuesday, followed by its launch the following Friday. The new iPad Pro models may launch at the end of the month or in April, depending BloombergIt’s Mark Gurman, but they could appear tomorrow.