The long wait for fresh iPads will reportedly come to an end in March 2024. The first 12.9-inch iPad Air will launch then, according a reliable Apple tipster, as will the much-anticipated iPad Pro with an OLED screen.
In addition, new versions of Apple Pencil and the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad will also be unveiled at the same time.
Super-size iPad Air coming in spring 2024
There were no new iPads released in 2023. The last time an Apple tablet came on the market was fall 2022. And the long drought will supposedly extend for another few months.
But March 2024 will bring a bonanza, according to a report Wednesday from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. A 12.9-inch iPad Air is supposedly on the docket. An updated 10.9-inch version will also be released.
The larger version of the Air has been the subject of previous leaks from a reliable source, but the new report is the closest to having a specific date.
The current version of this iPadOS tablet is built around an Apple M1 processor. The 2024 model will upgrade to an M3 chip, offering even better performance without sacrificing battery life.
iPad Pro about to go OLED
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Also making March 2024 into a busy month will be an iPad Pro with an OLED screen. Leaks about this have been circulating for years, and it’s apparently finally going to happen in a few months, according to Bloomberg.
With Organic Light-Emitting Diode displays, each pixel glows on its own. This leads to a bright, even image with strong contrast. That’s why all but the budget iPhone have one.
But large OLED panels are expensive, and putting one in the upcoming large and small iPad Pro models will almost certainly push up the prices. That likely explains the upcoming larger iPad Air — it’ll serve as a cheaper alternative. But there’s no word yet on exact pricing for any of Apple’s upcoming tablets.
Gurman’s new report doesn’t weigh in on whether the largest 2024 OLED iPad Pro will be 12.9 inches or 13 inches. Earlier reports have brought up the latter possibility.
The top-of-the line iPad will also be upgraded with a speedy Apple M3 processor, of course. The current version uses an M2.
Apple Pencil and Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad
A previous Bloomberg leak revealed that Apple is working on a new Magic Keyboard featuring a larger trackpad. It’s apparently designed to make the new tablets look more like laptops. This will also supposedly debut in March.
And Wednesday’s report from has one more tidbit: Gurman says a third-generation Apple Pencil will launch with all the new tablets, too. But no additional details are available.
Pricing on either of these accessories is currently unknown.
