We’ve seen a lot of iPads lately, but Apple may not be finished. According to rumors, it might be adding an even bigger iPad Pro to the lineup. Here’s everything we know about the next-generation iPad Pro. 2024 iPad Pro release date: When will the M3 iPad Pro arrive?
We were hoping Apple would have a spring event for new iPads, but after the M3 MacBook Air arrived in early March, we had given up. However, Apple surprised us with an invite to its Let Loose event on May 7 at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT, so we’re expecting new iPads then. The device may ship immediately or go up for preorder briefly; A March report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg says the iPad Pro will ship in May, followed by an April report where he said it will “probably” ship the week of May 6.
2024 iPad Pro display: Apple’s first OLED tablet is coming
OLED is replacing LED (on the 11-inch model) and mini-LED (on the 12.9-inch). Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed in November 2023 that the current models would make use of OLED displays instead of their current screens.The rest of the iPad lineup will follow suit eventually; In December 2022, Display analyst Ross Young predicted that “an updated design and OLED screens” would come to the iPad in spring 2024.
Additionally, market research company Omdia has stated that there could be OLED upgrades across all iPad models by 2024. Leaker Yeux1122 has also claimed that Apple is negotiating with LG, Samsung and Chinese companies for active matrix OLEDs (AMOLEDs). More here: Apple may upgrade nearly every iPad with an OLED display.
2024 iPad Pro design: A thinner lighter model is on the way
According to a February 2024 9to5Mac report, the new iPad Pro will be thinner. This is apparently because of Apple’s switch to OLED for the screen, which will shave some millimeters off the thickness.
The new sizes are as follows:
11-inch iPad Pro (2024): 249.7 mm x 177.5 mm x 5.1 mm
11-inch iPad Pro (2022): 247.6 mm x 178.5 mm x 5.9 mm
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2024): 281.5 mm x 215.5 mm x 5.0 mm
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022): 280.6 mm x 214.9 mm x 6.4 mm
If Apple reduces the thickness of the iPad Pro, it remains unclear what this change will mean for the next-gen iPad Air, which reports indicate will be receiving a new larger model that is even more similar to the iPad Pro.
In relation to the design of iPad Pro, it’s possible that Apple might move the camera from portrait to landscape orientation, as it has with the standard iPad. Code suggests that FaceID setup could happen with the iPad in landscape orientation. Moreover, March 2024 rumor claims that Apple did move the camera placement to longer landscape edge.
2024 iPad Pro size: Is there going to be a 14-inch model?
Currently, there are two sizes of iPad Pro: a 12.9-inch model and an 11-inch iPad Pro. For many years now reports have suggested that Apple is working on a 14-inch model as a higher-end flagship.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman started the larger-screened iPad rumor back in June 2021 when he said that Apple was considering an iPad with larger display sizes but not to expect anything for a few years. In December 2023 Gurman said that the new iPad Pro could be 13 inches. Another leaker named Majin Bu also posted that a new 14.1-inch iPad Pro is in development.
In June 2022, he confirmed the development of the 14.1-inch iPad Pro. There is a chance that the release of this model might experience delays or cancellations, potentially resulting in the absence of the larger model this year. With Apple’s plans to introduce a new 12.9-inch iPad Air next year, the 14-inch iPad Pro could still be unveiled next year, especially given the availability of Logic Pro and Final Cut.
2024 iPad Pro price: How much will the 2024 iPad Pro cost?
Here are the starting prices for each model in the current iPad Pro range:
11-inch Wi-Fi (2022): $799/£899
11-inch Cellular (2022): $999/£1,079
12.9-inch Wi-Fi (2022): $1,099/£1,249
12.9-inch Cellular (2022): $1,299/£1,429
We might see a price hike if Apple moves to OLED screens and introduces a larger iPad Pro. “If Apple wants to maintain the price gap between the iPad Air and iPad Pro to preserve its existing product segmentation strategy,” Kuo explained in a late-2023 report, “it means that the new OLED iPad Pros may see a price increase.”
Some reports have claimed that the new iPad Pros will be “massively more expensive,” with prices starting at $1,499 for the 11-inch model and $1,800 for the 12.9 inch model. However other reports say that it won’t be quite so large.
2024 iPad Pro: What specs and features will the 2024 iPad Pro have?
Processor – The current iPad Pros are powered by M2 chip so it makes sense for an M3 chip to appear in any new 2024 models. However report by Mark Gurman just a week before Let Loose even claimed that “there is a strong possibility that the chip in the new iPad Pro will be M4 not M3.” He said Apple will postion the iPad Pro as an AI device thanks to updated neural engine on this chip.
Storage: Storage is expected to remain constant. Apple currently offers 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB iPad Pro configurations — more than any other iPad and a lot of configurations when you consider all the color choices and display sizes. The organization could switch to starting with 256GB or 512GB at the entry-level.
Wi-Fi: To future-proof the tablet, Apple may introduce Wi-Fi 7, even though iPad Pro models already have Wi-Fi 6E. This update may not occur until late 2025 or early 2026.
Camera: The M2 iPad Pro has a dual-camera system with a 12MP Wide camera and an Ultra Wide camera with a new sensor that also enables Center Stage. Apple will probably use the same setup on the new model but could introduce new camera hardware and features.
2024 iPad Pro accessories: New Magic Keyboard expected
In his September newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple is working on an aluminum Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad for its next-generation iPad Pro models. The aluminum finish will make the keyboard look more like a MacBook when docked.
