Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro models, which will debut on May 7, will boast “by far the best OLED tablet panels on the market,” according to Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants.
Apple will announce new entries to its iPad line-up after not announcing any new iPads in 2023. For the first time, Apple will introduce iPads with an OLED display as part of its iPad Pro models at both 11.1” and 12.9”. With Apple the dominant tablet supplier, the shift to OLED will drive significant growth for the OLED tablet market in 2024. The OLED iPad panels are expected to be by far the best OLED tablet panels on the market with LTPO, 120Hz refresh, a tandem stack and glass thinning resulting in ultra-thin and light displays with high brightness, extended battery life and long lifetime.
Apple is expected to offer the new iPad Pro models in 12.9-inch and 11.1-inch sizes, with both options featuring slimmed-down bezels and a much thinner design.
The 11.1-inch iPad Pro may be in short supply at launch, due to light leakage issues that are not affecting the 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.
In addition to “the best OLED tablet panels on the market,” the new iPad Pro lineup could be powered by Apple’s next-generation M4 chip, optimized for Artificial Intelligence.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said earlier this week that he believes there is a “strong possibility” that Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro models will be powered by Apple’s M4 chip, rather than the M3 that is currently powering MacBook Pro and iMac models. Gurman says the M4 chip will boast an upgraded Neural Engine with boosted AI performance. Gurman says he expects to see Apple promote the new iPad Pro as an AI-powered device.
He says Apple will also unveil a new Apple Pencil at the event and that the new Pencil will for the first time feature Haptic Feedback. Gurman did not offer any additional details about the new stylus.
Last but not least, Gurman says to expect a new iPad Air in a 12.9-inch version, which would be a first for the tablet. He says we can expect to see a redesigned Magic Keyboard for iPads.
Apple has announced its “Let Loose” event will begin on May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time). A video stream will be available on Apple.com and on YouTube.