Apple will likely begin shipping its new iPad Pro models with OLED displays sometime in April, according to Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants.
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until “deeper” into April. His comments came in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:
I’ve repeatedly said that new software for the iPad Pro — a variant of iPadOS 17.4 designed for the updated models — won’t be complete until the end of March or even sometime in April. Once the OS is finished, Apple needs to send it off to the factories to be installed on the new hardware. That process could last a couple weeks, probably taking us deeper into next month.
Young expects to see Apple announce the new iPad Pro models in “late March or early April,” meaning that it is possible that the devices could still be unveiled later this month. Gurman has also said that an unveiling of the new iPad Pros is possible as early as the “end of March.”
Young also mentioned Apple’s plans to launch a larger 12.9-inch iPad Air as well, which will likely be announced alongside the new iPad Pros.
The new iPad Pro models are expected to be powered by an M3 chip, sport an OLED display, a thinner enclosure. a landscape-oriented front camera, a redesigned rear camera bump, and possibly MagSafe wireless charging.
The new iPad Air models are expected to boast an M2 chip, a landscape-oriented front camera, and a first-ever 12.9-inch model.
In addition to new iPads, we’re also expecting to see a new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro, sporting a larger trackpad, a partially aluminum enclosure, and more. A new Apple Pencil is also expected.
Gurman doesn’t expect to see an Apple event being held to unveil the new iPads. Instead, he expects all of the new models and accessories to be announced via press release in the Apple Newsroom.