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New iPad Pro, iPad Air, Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard are still on the way


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After the release of MacBook Air with M3, a report insists that updated iPad models are still on the way, accompanied by new accessories.

Apple was expected to launch a number of new products in quick succession, with the MacBook Air and iPad Pro changes arriving at around the same time. Though MacBook Air with M3 did launch in the first week of March, customers are still waiting on the rest of the rumored items.

Writing in Sunday's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman insists Apple is preparing to launch updated models of the iPad Pro and iPad Air, along with a redesigned Magic Keyboard and yet another version of the Apple Pencil. These changes are expected sometime around the end of March or in April, with a possible revision to iPadOS 17.4 to ensure compatibility.

The long-rumored 12.9-inch iPad Air is expected to debut alongside the updated iPad Pros, further blurring the line between the two product classes.

One of the anticipated changes coming to the iPad Air and Pro lineup is expected to be moving the FaceTime Camera in all models to the long side of the devices, which makes more sense for FaceTime calls. The current 10th-generation iPad was the first model to move the camera to a landscape orientation, and code within iPadOS 17.4 suggests that cameras will be in that position when users set up FaceTime on the as-yet-unreleased models.

The moving of the camera to the landscape orientation may come at a cost, though. The existing iPad Pros have a magnetic attachment on the landscape side where the Apple Pencil can both attach and charge, and it is unclear if that feature could remain if the front-facing camera moves to that position.

The biggest change to the updated Pro models will be a move to OLED screens, which may also trigger a price hike. Currently, iPad Pros use LED-backlit or mini-LED technology, depending on the size.

It's likely that at least one of the anticipated iPad Air models, which will mimic the sizes of the iPad Pros, will "inherit" the mini-LED screen quality.

Apple Pencil

Consequently, rumors have indicated that yet another version of the Apple Pencil will be forthcoming. Apple brought out a less-expensive but non-magnetic Apple Pencil with USB-C last year, which can still "snap" magnetically to existing iPad Air and Pro models but no longer charges that way, relying instead on a sliding USB-C cap for wired charging.

The USB-C version lacks pressure sensitivity, however, and thus is more for traditional handwriting and note-taking uses than drawing. Because Apple will likely soon be dropping support for the original Apple Pencil and the older Lightning-based iPad models, it is hard to say what features the next version would support that would go beyond those of the second-generation model.

Magic Keyboard

Also expected is a redesigned Magic Keyboard for the new models.

The new version is expected to sport an aluminum material for the "top case," the area around the keyboard, to make the unit sturdier and more closely resemble the look and feel of the MacBook Pro and Air keyboard. A larger trackpad area is also anticipated.

The outward material of the updated Magic Keyboards is thought to be the same as the current models. Current rumors suggest the units will also offer a USB-C port separate from the one on the iPads themselves.



14 Comments

GadgetGuy3.0 3 Years · 12 comments

Is the benefit of the OLED screen worth what may be a significant price hike? Wondering what people's thoughts are.

1 Like · 0 Dislikes
foregoneconclusion 13 Years · 2919 comments

Is the benefit of the OLED screen worth what may be a significant price hike? Wondering what people's thoughts are.

Obviously you can't beat OLED for color reproduction, black/white values and per pixel dimming. I would think those would be the main draw. Improved battery life + thinner/lighter are the other improvements that most people seem to expect from the change. Personally, I'm hoping it leads to screen sizes larger than 12.9" at some point if the weight reduction is significant enough. 

2 Likes · 0 Dislikes
tht 24 Years · 5759 comments

It's likely that at least one of the anticipated iPad Air models, which will mimic the sizes of the iPad Pros, will "inherit" the mini-LED screen quality.

Strange sentence. You are saying that at least one of the new iPad Air models will have screen quality like miniLED on the iPP13 or MBP14/16? So, it doesn't have to be miniLED, but will be XDR? But XDR can only be achieved with miniLED or OLED.

Seems a lot more prudent for Apple to use a regular old edge lit LED LCD like on the iPP11 or MBAs to keep its price and margins in check. So, the new iPA models will be just your regular 264 ppi 500 nit LCD panels, and only 60 Hz. Why have anything more for the iPA display?

The new iPP models will have the whole gamut of ProMotion, XDR, OLED, 240 Hz Pencil input whatever it is, etc. Apple is going to say it is the best display in the world.

Hopefully Apple tries another push for iPad content and services. They should push for subscriptions for XDR comics, subscriptions for books, and drawing and illustration content and creation. They need to push the platform to be more full featured, with better multitasking support, Xcode, Terminal, VMs, etc.

1 Like · 0 Dislikes
kiwimachead 1 Year · 71 comments

If you’re listening Apple … the iPad has tons of unrealised potential for education, if only you could give the OS more Mac level functionality and an affordable 13” standard model. Our youngest daughter uses the sole iPad in our home as an occasional Netflix screen. A Mac using family for 30+ years, we’ve learned the hard way that entry level Mac laptops aren’t worth the investment for kids until high school and even then I’m not entirely sure they need the computing power of a Mac. Broke the bank buying my eldest a Macbook which effectively ended up being used for word processing, web browsing and movie watching. The youngest has a Chromebook for study and (free) casual gaming and she loves it.

1 Like · 0 Dislikes
kiwimachead 1 Year · 71 comments

Is the benefit of the OLED screen worth what may be a significant price hike? Wondering what people's thoughts are.

Tech specs are a bit redundant if all you’re getting for the money is a iphone that’s hobbled and too big for a pocket. Always thought the conversation around iPads should be about OS functionality.  Compared with even an out of date basic MacBook Air (so long as it has an SSD), any latest and greatest iPad Pro is still an overpriced toy.