We’ve been listening to since final yr that Apple has some massive new merchandise in retailer for March, and whereas that partially got here true with final week’s new M3 MacBook Air lineup, the month isn’t even midway over but — and neither is Apple.
Though some early experiences hinted that Apple can be holding one other occasion to unveil its spring product lineup, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman threw some chilly water on that notion in final week’s Energy On e-newsletter, noting that whereas “new Mac, iPad, Apple Pencil, and Magic Keyboard updates are coming,” we shouldn’t “count on a launch occasion.”
As an alternative, Gurman stated that Apple’s advertising groups can be saying them quickly, however quietly — and, apparently, individually.
After the brand new M3 MacBook Air fashions got here out by way of press launch final week — on the primary Monday of March, no much less — some had been questioning what that meant for Apple’s rumored iPad lineup. One principle is that Apple might have merely been clearing the stage in order that it may maintain an occasion later this month to focus completely on the iPad. One other is that Apple might do the identical later this month, with a quiet newsroom announcement heralding the brand new lineup.
It’s onerous to inform which manner Apple will go on this one, as the brand new iPad lineup is rumored to be important sufficient that it may deserve some stage time. In spite of everything, if all the things we’ve heard is true, we’ll be seeing the first-ever OLED iPad Professional with a noticeably thinner design, plus a bigger 12.9-inch iPad Air for the primary time ever, and a brand new slate of iPad equipment. Then there’s the truth that these would be the first new iPad bulletins in practically 18 months after 2023 grew to become the primary utterly quiet yr within the historical past of Apple’s pill releases — an omission that was conspicuously mirrored in Apple’s final earnings report.
Nonetheless, Gurman hasn’t deviated from his earlier stance that we shouldn’t count on a launch occasion, and it’s truthful to say that if Apple did have one thing within the works, there ought to be some murmurings about it by now — in actual fact, Apple would possibly even be on the point of file a number of the periods for what would undoubtedly be one other digital occasion.
At one time, Apple’s obsession with thinness would have warranted an occasion merely to point out off the brand new “impossibly skinny” iPad Professional. Nonetheless, the corporate has grow to be much more pragmatic about such issues lately, making it extra plausible {that a} quiet announcement could also be all that’s within the playing cards.
Therefore, the shortage of an occasion shouldn’t be taken as an indication that Apple’s new 2024 iPad lineup received’t be thrilling. There’s been sufficient smoke within the rumor mill that we have already got a fairly good thought of what to anticipate, and Gurman has confirmed all the things we’ve heard — and that we are able to count on it to reach in early April on the newest,
After I first wrote that Apple was planning new MacBook Airs and iPads for this spring, I famous that the Macs would arrive first. That did occur. However that doesn’t imply the opposite merchandise aren’t coming. As I’ve written a number of occasions, Apple is making ready to launch revamped iPad Execs, new iPad Airs (together with a 12.9-inch model), a Magic Keyboard and upgraded Apple Pencil. Search for that new {hardware} across the finish of March or in April, as that’s when the accompanying iPadOS 17.4 software program ought to be able to go.
Mark Gurman
To recap, we’re anticipating a brand new iPad Air that may probably pack in Apple’s M2 chip, redesigned cameras, and are available in two sizes for the primary time, with the venerable 10.9-inch mannequin joined by a bigger 12.9-inch counterpart.
This may probably be essentially the most important change to the make-up of the iPad household in years, though the iPad Professional can be anticipated to lastly get an OLED display and transfer to the most recent M3 chip that’s now gracing Apple’s total MacBook lineup, with rumors that it’s additionally set to achieve a panorama digital camera, taking its cue from the Tenth-generation iPad launched in late 2022. Newer experiences have urged the iPad Air may additionally observe go well with, which might make sense for consistency.
These shall be accompanied by a brand new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, nevertheless it’s much less clear how a lot these shall be about new options slightly than adjustments required by the brand new iPad designs. As an illustration, the Magic Keyboard is a form-fitting accent that may want some adjustments to accommodate the thinner OLED iPad Professional.
Additional, the second-generation Apple Pencil docks to the aspect of the present iPad Professional, iPad Air, and iPad mini fashions, the place it additionally costs. If the digital camera strikes to that place on the brand new fashions — which most experiences recommend it can — Apple goes to have to vary that dynamic, requiring a brand new Apple Pencil that may dock elsewhere or cost in another manner. As for what different options an Apple Pencil may have? Rumors have swirled for years about potential new “Apple Pencil 3” options, however so little has come of those thus far it’s onerous to say what number of are primarily based on stable data and what number of are wishful considering.
Whereas extra dependable sources like Gurman affirm that these equipment are coming, he’s been mum on what new options they’ll have, which means that we most likely shouldn’t get our hopes up an excessive amount of. The subsequent-gen Apple Pencil may acquire some minor enhancements like replaceable suggestions or new contact controls, and the brand new Magic Keyboard may make some room for the pencil, relying on the place it now docks, however different long-rumored options like colour sensors appear much less probably at this level.
Both manner, we shouldn’t have to attend too lengthy to search out out. If Apple plans to announce the brand new iPad lineup by press launch, that might shock us any day now.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]