M4 iPad Pro is beautiful, powerful and backordered. Screenshot: Apple
Preorder some configurations of the M4 iPad Pro and the recently launched tablet wonāt be delivered until late May or even early June. If you held off ordering until you could read a review of the device, you could be facing a bit of a wait.
That said, there are still ways to get one on launch day, May 15.
Apple M4 offers a boost in performance. Image: Apple
Benchmarks giving an early look at the performance of the Apple M4 processor in the 2024 iPad Pro reveal that the new chip is 21% faster than its predecessor.
The processor launched in the latest iPad but is expected to make its way to Mac later this year.
Apple isn't the only option for a cool iPad Pro or iPad Air keyboard case. Like this one from ESR. Image: ESR
Apple unveiled the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air on Tuesday, and third-party accessory-makers were prepared. Logitech, Otterbox, Zagg, Pitaka and ESR have all already unveiled peripherals for the new tablets.
There are keyboard cases, cases, screen protectors ands more.
Apple's newest Pro and Air iPads do not feature a physical SIM slot. Image: Apple
Following the iPhoneās footsteps, Apple has switched entirely to eSIM on the 2024 iPad Pro and Air. The two tabletsā cellular models lack a physical SIM slot altogether.
With this move, Apple has transitioned two major product categories to eSIMs.
Watch the event in just 3.95% of the time. Photo: Apple
Todayās āLet Looseā Apple event overhauled the iPad lineup. Apple unleashed a new iPad Pro and iPad Air, the refreshed Apple Pencil Pro, a sleek new Magic Keyboard, and lowered the price of the regular iPad. The iPad mini was acknowledged, too.
Gaming is better with more RAM and a faster processor. Screenshot: Apple
Those who want the most powerful 2024 iPad Pro available need to choose one with at least 1TB of storage. Going with lots of capacity brings a faster version of the new M4 processor and twice as much RAM.
The high-storage versions also have the option of a nano-texture display glass.
Getting all these adds considerably to the price tag, though.
2024 iPad Pro breaks ground with OLED screen and Apple M4 processor. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple just took the wraps off the 2024 iPad Pro, the first with an OLED screen rather than a traditional LCD. If that wasnāt enough, a brand-new Apple M4 processor powers the tablet, which Cupertino says is the āthinnest Apple product ever.ā
āWeāve always envisioned iPad as a magical sheet of glass,ā said John Ternus, Appleās senior vice president of hardware engineering, during Tuesdayās prerecorded āLet Looseā event. āAnd with this new design, that vision is brought to life more than ever.ā
The 2024 iPad Air lineup comes in two new colors, blue and purple, in addition to silver and space gray. Photo: Apple
Apple gave the iPad Air a significant size increase at its āLet Looseā event Tuesday. You can get the new 2024 model with a 13-inch display in addition to the familiar smaller size, now 11 inches instead of 10.9. But no matter the size, the tablet runs an Apple M2 processor and features a front-facing Ultra Wide 12MP camera on the landscape edge and beefed-up speakers.
āInspired by iPad Pro, where about half the users choose a larger screen, we created a 13-inch model of the new iPad Air, as well,ā said Melody Kuna, Appleās director of iPad Product Design. ā[It] has 30% more screen real estate than the 11-inch Air.ā
A Clean Up feature rumored to be coming to Apple's Photos app could give users a handy new tool. Photo: Daniel Korpai/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
An AI-powered āClean Upā feature reportedly coming soon to the Apple Photos app could let users eliminate unwanted objects from images. If true, Apple could showcase the rumored image-editing feature Tuesday at its āLet Looseā event.
During the prerecorded product launch, Apple should show off new iPads alongside some updated accessories, like Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.
Apple's product launch event might be about more than iPad. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
Gorgeous new iPad Pro and iPad Air models are expected to be the highlights of Appleās āLet Looseā product event on May 7. Tablet accessories are on the agenda, too.
But there also could be big news for those who donāt use an iPad. Apple might surprise us with the M4 processor, a first glimpse at upcoming AI features, and maybe even a Mac Studio upgrade. Plus more.
For the first time, you can customize Apple Pride Collection new watch face and wallpapers. Photo: Apple
Apple shined a light on LGBTQ+ communities Monday with its new Pride Collection. It includes a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop plus a matching watch face and dynamic iOS and iPadOS wallpapers. In a first, you can customize the watch face and wallpapers by choosing colors.
You can order the new Apple Watch band starting May 22. The watch face and dynamic wallpapers for iOS and iPadOS arrive with an upcoming software update, Apple said.
iPads released years ago are not enough to keep up Apple's tablet shipments. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
iPad shipments declined 8.5% year-over-year in the first quarter of the 2024, according to a market research firm. The drop can be partially chalked up to the complete lack of new models for the last 18 months.
But it demonstrates Appleās dominance of the global tablet market that itās still on top despite a hefty decline during winter quarter.
Change the name so you can tell them apart. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You can change the name of your Apple devices, whether you have an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, AirPods or Apple TV. By default, itās just ā[your name]ās iPhone.ā But you can give your iPhone its own unique name, like Kit-Kat or Magic Rectangle.
Also by default, when you set up a new iPhone, the name is transferred. This can get confusing if you keep old phones around because youāll see āJohnās iPhone,ā āJohnās iPhone (2),ā maybe even āJohnās iPhone (3)ā and more. The same is true for Apple Watch, Mac, iPad and AirPods.
The name of your device shows up among a bunch of Apple features like AirDrop, Find My, Personal Hotspot, AirPlay and more. If you use these features often, giving it a unique name will make it easier to identify.
Hereās how to fix this mess on all your Apple devices. Keep reading or watch our video.
iPad goes into combat in Ukraine fighter jets. Photo: Ukraine Air Force
Ukraineās Air Force needs to launch modern U.S.-made missiles from Soviet-era fighter jets in combat. The surprise solution to the disconnect? iPad.
Apple tablets reportedly give the vintage aircraft the ability to control a variety of weapons systems supplied by Western countries after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It's times like this we envy folks who waited to buy. Photo: Apple
With new iPads expected right around the corner at Appleās May 7 āLet Looseā event, you can expect discounts on older models. Check out Mondayās great deal at Best Buy ā the lowest price on M1 iPad Air 5 (64GB, Wi-Fi) at $399. Thatās a whopping $200 off.
And thatās not the only iPad deal at Best Buy going on right now. See others below.
iPad has been designated a gatekeeper by the EU, and Apple has to open those gates. Image: Cult of Mac
The iPad joined the European Unionās list of āgatekeeperā platforms Monday. The designation requires Apple to make the same sorts of sweeping changes to iPadOS that the company already made to iPhone, including allowing sideloading of applications.
Apple has six months to implement the modifications.
Delta, the all-in-one retro game emulator for iPhone, will soon be available on the iPad. Riley Testut, the game emulatorās developer, confirmed its imminent launch on the App Store.
Could Apple's upcoming OLED iPad Pro sport an M4 chip? Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Appleās upcoming OLED iPad Pro reportedly will begin the companyās shift into AI hardware. The new tablets could sport the next-gen M4 chip to power all the AI features.
If this report proves accurate, Apple will skip bringing its existing M3 SoC to its flagship tablet lineup.
This near-mint condition iPad refurb is $154.97 and comes with accessories. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
We know new iPads are on the way, but the one thing we donāt expect at Appleās May 7 event is a price cut. If you want a budget tablet, a refurbished iPad is the way to go. For a limited time, you can get a refurbished sixth-gen iPad for only $154.97, accessories included.
We've got an iPad event coming in hot! Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Macās podcast: The surprise Apple event on May 7 looks like an iPad and Apple Pencil extravaganza. Whatās on Cupertinoās agenda? We discuss all the latest iPad rumors.
Also on The CultCast:
Apple might finally fix one of the iPadās most glaring omissions. Can you say iPad calculator app?
iOS 18ās big push into artificial intelligence leaves some of us hopeful and others of us skeptical. Same goes for the iPhone 16ās rumored move away from physical buttons.
Some new Apple Watch Series X concept art gets our hearts pounding. (Better check that ECG!)
Plus, an instant tangent where we hear all about Erfonās failed attempt at buying his dream camera.
Listen to this weekās episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
In a long overdue move, Apple will reportedly integrate a Calculator application into the iPad operating system. The change ā which is somehow both minor and monumental ā will supposedly come when iPadOS 18 launched this autumn.
In the mean time, there are already several calculators hidden in the iPad.
Apple's next product launch event will be May 7. iPads are finally coming! Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple just invited the world to a May 7 product-launch event with the theme āLet Loose.ā As an Apple Pencil is prominently included in the invitationās image, thereās no doubt that two much-rumored new iPad models are on the agenda.
What is surprising is that thereāll be an event to announce the products, not simply a press release.
This pro tablet from 2016 might be on Appleās vintage list, but itās still quite capable for certain tasks. Plus, it comes with some handy accessories. And at this price ā less than half the retail price of the current regular iPad ā itās still a deal!