We know new iPads are on the way, but the one thing we don’t expect at Apple’s 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.
What will Apple ‘Let Loose’ at its May 7 event? [The CultCast]
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The surprise Apple event on May 7 looks like an iPad and Apple Pencil extravaganza. What’s on Cupertino’s agenda? We discuss all the latest iPad rumors.
Also on The CultCast:
- Apple might finally fix one of the iPad’s most glaring omissions. Can you say iPad calculator app?
- iOS 18’s big push into artificial intelligence leaves some of us hopeful and others of us skeptical. Same goes for the iPhone 16’s 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 Erfon’s failed attempt at buying his dream camera.
Listen to this week’s 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.
How to check iPad battery health
Checking the health and maximum capacity of the battery in your beloved iPad isn’t as easy as it should be, but we can walk you through the process.
Finding out how worn out the tablet’s battery is can help you decide if it’s time for a new model.
Say goodbye to hopes for mini-LED iPad Air [Updated]
The analyst who predicted last week that the first 12.9-inch iPad Air would include a mini-LED display has now walked it back.
The upcoming super-size version of the tablet will instead apparently use a standard type of screen.
Calculator app for iPad might finally launch in iPadOS 18
In a long overdue move, Apple will reportedly integrate a Calculator application into the iPad operating system. The change — which is somehow both minor and monumental — will supposedly come when iPadOS 18 launched this autumn.
In the mean time, there are already several calculators hidden in the iPad.
Surprise! Apple sets May 7 event to launch new iPad Pro and iPad Air
Apple just invited the world to a May 7 product-launch event with the theme “Let Loose.” As an Apple Pencil is prominently included in the invitation’s image, there’s no doubt that two much-rumored new iPad models are on the agenda.
What is surprising is that there’ll be an event to announce the products, not simply a press release.
Snag a refurbished iPad Pro for just $160
Want an iPad at a rock-bottom price? You can get a refurbished 9.7-inch iPad Pro for just $159.97 — but only through April 21 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
This pro tablet from 2016 might be on Apple’s vintage list, but it’s still quite capable for certain tasks. Plus, it comes with some handy accessories. And at this price — less than half the retail price of the current regular iPad — it’s still a deal!
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
Today in Apple history: Early iPad rumor gets Apple fans buzzing
April 13, 2005: The tech world gets excited when a sketchy rumor suggests Apple is building a tablet computer.
The Chinese-language report claims Quanta will build a 15-inch touchscreen tablet PC with detachable keyboard. Apple will supposedly ship the device in the first quarter of 2006. Things don’t turn out quite like that, but the rumor offers the first hint about Apple’s secret iPad project.
iPadOS 17.5 beta confirms next-gen iPad Pro’s OLED display
Apple’s new iPad Pro could launch in early May with updated internals and a refreshed design. All rumors surrounding Apple’s next premium tablet indicate it will feature OLED displays.
The first iPadOS 17.5 beta seems to confirm this, as it contains four new display firmware for unreleased iPad models.
OLED iPad Pro and new iPad Air on track for early May launch
Apple’s long-rumored (and apparently delayed) OLED iPad Pro with M3 chip could launch in early May. Alongside the Pro iPads, Apple reportedly will unveil a new iPad Air, a third-gen Apple Pencil and a redesigned Magic Keyboard.
To prepare for the impending launch of the new iPads, Apple’s retail stores will receive new product marketing materials soon, according to the latest report.
Apple robots might invade your home [The CultCast]
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After pulling the plug on an ambitious project — creating a self-driving car — Apple sets its sights on making … home robots?!? Say it ain’t so, Tim!
Also on The CultCast:
- New iPhone 16 dummy units bring the rumors to life. But as for those long-predicted fancy new iPads, we’re still waiting. Get used to it!
- The next-gen Apple processor could give Macs a serious performance boost. Erfon talks specs and speculation.
- Vision Pro’s new Spatial Personas aren’t creepy at all … 👻
- Griffin serves up some tips on how to take a proper photo during the upcoming total solar eclipse.
Listen to this week’s 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.
More mystery iPads outed by Indian regulators [Updated]
A day after a pair of unknown iPads were found listed on the Bureau of Indian Standards certification website, two more have now turned up. These are almost certainly tablets that have been the topic of many leaks in recent months.
The 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air might have just taken another small step toward release.
Today in Apple history: ‘Magical’ first iPad debuts in stores
April 3, 2010: The first iPad hits store shelves after months of anticipation. The tablet Apple CEO Steve Jobs called “magical and revolutionary” at its unveiling earlier in the year quickly becomes a major success.
Jobs initially showed off Apple’s first tablet on January 27, 2010. And there had been rumors long before then. But the wait for the iPad is finally over … at least for people in the United States. (The iPad’s international debut won’t happen until May.)
Save $150 on a Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad 10
iPads are great for many things, but there’s one obvious drawback to using a tablet — the lack of a keyboard for typing out notes and performing similar tasks. Fortunately, if you need an iPad 10 accessory to maximize productivity, we’ve get one in this Apple Magic Keyboard Folio sale.
Apple’s outstanding iPad keyboard is perfect as a treat for yourself, but it’s not cheap. It retails for $249. But Cult of Mac Deals customers don’t need to pay full price to get the ultimate iPad 10 accessory. This open-box Magic Keyboard Folio for the 10th-gen iPad is on sale for only $99.99 with free shipping.
Today in Apple history: First iPad reviews hail a true game-changer
March 31, 2010: The world gets its first sense of how Apple’s tablet measures up, as the first iPad reviews hit the internet.
The consensus? That there’s no Flash, no USB, no multitasking — but Apple’s tablet offers an exciting new computing experience all the same. As USA Today writes, “The first iPad is a winner.”
New iPads won’t arrive until May and we can’t stop crying
A release date for much anticipated 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air will come in early May, according to a reliable source of Apple information. Fans of Apple tablets have been on tenterhooks as the announcements for these had been expected weeks ago.
This will reportedly be the debut of the first iPad Pro with an OLED display plus the largest iPad Air model yet.
Shop big bargains on Mac, MacBook and iPad while they last
You may not want to spend top dollar on a new Mac or iPad, but how about bargain-basement deals on older Apple gear? That’s what Amazon bargain site Woot! asks with its latest sale on 40 items.
As the site says: “Apple iMacs, MacBooks, and iPads: Whether you need a big-screen powerhouse, a portable productivity partner, or a tablet to rule them all, we’ve got the iDevices you crave.”
You’ve got a little over a week to shop a wide range of Apple computers, some rather old (and really cheap) and some not so long in the tooth. The sale ends at 10 p.m. Pacific on April 6. See some highlights below.
And if you’re in the market for new Apple accessories, Woot! also offers $3 off with promo code APPLEBITE (although that sale ends March 31.)
Sleek power bank is your iPhone’s backup battery [Review] ★★★★☆
The compact and slim Torras Ostand Power Bank is a second battery for your iPhone, providing 15-watt fast charging whenever and wherever you need it. It also serves as an iPhone stand and can charge other devices, like iPad, too.
Torras sent me a 5000mAh Ostand Power Bank to try. And it did not disappoint. Doing exactly what it claims to do, the device offers good value — especially while it’s discounted for the Amazon Big Spring Sale (see below).
New iPadOS version might finally usher in 2024 iPad Pro and Air [Updated]
Apple reportedly released a tiny, tiny update to iOS and iPadOS on Wednesday. It’s possible this is the new version of the operating system supposedly needed for the much rumored — and much anticipated — 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models.
Don’t go looking for the updates on your iPhone or iPad, however.
Update: The latest leak indicates that Apple’s next tablets won’t reach customers until May. They allegedly aren’t just waiting on software; production challenges are also supposedly pushing back the launch.
Today in Apple history: Apple pays to use ‘iPad’ name
March 26, 2010: Apple pays up to settle a trademark dispute with Japanese multinational Fujitsu over the name “iPad” in the United States.
It comes two months after Steve Jobs first showed off the iPad, and around a week before the tablet will land in stores. As it happens, it’s not the first time Apple battled over the name for one of its new products.
Wait for OLED iPad Pro might stretch into April [Updated again]
Apple is reportedly still working on the version of iPadOS needed for the first iPad Pro with a OLED screen. The software development process might delay the launch until well into April.
Previous leaks previously pointed at a March debut, and that’s still possible. But those eager for Apple’s next premium tablet should also be prepared to wait as much as another month.
And apparently the launch date won’t be March 26, despite a recent rumor.
Concept video shows gorgeous iPad Pro we hope is coming soon
All the people eagerly waiting for the 2024 iPad Pro — which is expected in the coming weeks — can console themselves with a concept video depicting the upcoming tablet in all its magnificence.
Check it out.
Crank up Safari’s privacy to the max
Apple’s Safari web browser packs loads of privacy features that will keep your online activity hidden from ad networks, user tracking and data farms. But are you sure you have everything turned on? Some of Apple’s most important privacy-protecting features don’t come enabled by default.
In light of Google baking ever-more invasive user tracking into Chrome, there are even more reasons to use Safari instead. If you want to make the most out of the best and most secure mainstream browser, here’s how.
Today in Apple history: iPad gets an eye-dazzling Retina display
March 16, 2012: Apple introduces the third-generation iPad, its first tablet to come with a Retina display. Marketed as simply “the new iPad,” it’s widely known as the “iPad 3.”
Boasting that beautiful screen and Apple’s then-swanky A5X chip with a quad-core graphics processor, the third-gen iPad quickly becomes a big success. Disappointingly for customers, it will only hang around until October 2012. That’s the shortest lifespan of any iOS product in history, at just seven months.
OLED iPad Air might be on hold until 2028
While the first iPad Pro with an OLED display is expected any day now, iPad Air fans will have a much longer wait. Possibly until 2028. That’s what an analyst predicted, anyway.
However, this contradicts a previous report that said an OLED iPad Air would be out in 2026.