Apple’s “Let Loose” event is set to kick off in just under 24 hours at 7 AM Pacific Time on Tuesday, May 7. The live-streamed event is expected to usher in a new chapter for the iPad and perhaps Apple as a whole, with a radically redesigned iPad Pro and a glimpse into the Cupertino company’s plans for artificial intelligence.
Below, we outline everything we expect Apple to unveil during its event, from new iPad models, accessories, next-generation Apple silicon, and even AI.
Larger iPad Air
Apple is strongly rumored to introduce a new iPad Air size to complement the current 10.9-inch model. As extensively covered, the new iPad Air would measure 12.9 inches, bringing size parity across Apple’s mid-range iPad lineup and the iPad Pro. The new tablet is expected to retain the same general design as its smaller brethren, save for the larger display and a heftier price tag likely to roam around the $800 mark.
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While a surprising rumor from esteemed displays analyst Ross Young indicated the possibility of a mini-LED panel for the bigger iPad Air, that no longer seems the case as the tablet will likely stick with a conventional LCD panel powered by a uniform backlight. It’s certainly possible that Apple considered the prospect of mini-LED displays for the tablet, but cost issues may have ultimately hindered its plans.
Beyond the size difference, both sizes of the iPad Air are expected to be powered by the M2 chip, the same processor powering the current iPad Pro, and a formidable jump from the current M1. One minor design change Apple could be working on is a new camera housing as indicated in leaked CAD drawings, and a refreshed color palette for the iPad’s aluminum shell is always a possibility.
Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard
To accompany the new iPads, Apple is said to be working on all-new Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard accessories. The bigger update is heading to the Apple Pencil, set to receive its biggest overhaul since its redesign in 2018. While the Pencil’s external appearance isn’t expected to change dramatically, Apple has a lot of changes in store for its functionality.
Rumors agree that Apple is working on a new modular tip system, with interchangeable tips that attach magnetically to the Pencil’s body. Additionally, the planned tips will reportedly come in different shapes, sizes, and materials more tailored for specific workflows. Code references within iPadOS also suggest a new PencilKit API release that could allow developers to create specific drawing tools to take advantage of the new tip system.
For a more immersive experience, Apple is also planning to equip the new Pencil with haptic feedback via one or more Taptic Engine modules embedded within the accessory. Haptic feedback would kick in when drawing with the Pencil on the iPad’s screen for a more realistic experience when drawing, writing, or using the eraser. A new squeeze gesture could also be in tow for quick access to certain tools, much like the current double-tap gesture to cycle between different tools.
To keep users from misplacing their shiny new Pencil, Apple will include support for the Find My network similar to AirTag and more recent AirPods models. It remains to be seen whether the new Pencil will also support Precision Finding enabled by Ultra Wideband like the MagSafe Charging Case of the second-generation AirPods Pro.
The Magic Keyboard is also expected to receive a design change that would make the iPad Pro appear more laptop-like when docked. Apple is rumored to include aluminum for the first time as a material for the Magic Keyboard, though it is expected to be limited to the keyboard and palm rest area. A bigger trackpad is also said to be in consideration.
OLED iPad Pro
The star of the show will undoubtedly be the all-new iPad Pro. After the tablet has largely remained unchanged since the current design was introduced in 2018, Apple is expected to introduce several changes to the iPad Pro, spanning its design, display, processor, and more.
The new iPad Pro will be the first iPad model to feature an OLED display, bringing it in line with the Apple Watch and the iPhone. Unlike mini-LED, OLED is expected to power both sizes of the iPad Pro, bringing superior color accuracy, deeper contrast, higher brightness, and battery life savings.
Apple and its supply partners are said to be working on a new dual-stack tandem design for the OLED displays. This technology should allow for better burn-in mitigation, increased brightness, and a longer lifespan compared to OLED screens with a single emission layer. However, dual-stack displays are much more expensive and harder to manufacture compared to single-layer OLED panels, which could force Apple to considerably increase the iPad Pro’s price while restricting initial availability.
Apple is also planning other changes to the tablet’s display, such as the inclusion of a matte glass cover option for the first time on an iPad. The adoption of OLED should also enable slimmer bezels and a much thinner design, with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro shaving as much as one millimeter from its thickness. Face ID and the front-facing camera could also be placed horizontally instead of vertically, making the iPad Pro look and function more like a laptop than ever.
M4 chip
While earlier consensus pegged the iPad Pro to feature the M3 chip, a surprising rumor last week claimed that the tablet will be the first Apple device to feature the next-generation M4 processor. Apple is said to be accelerating the development of Apple silicon chips in response to AI as the company seeks to make use of Large Language Models (LLMs) that run completely on-device.
As a result, Apple is expected to market and position the new iPad Pro as an AI-first device ahead of a wider reveal of software AI features at WWDC 2024. While concrete specifications of the M4 are yet to be reported, the chip is naturally expected to be equipped with a significantly more powerful Neural Engine. Memory upgrades could also be planned for on-device AI models that require plenty of RAM capacity with fast bandwidth, something that Apple silicon excels at with its unified memory architecture.
The M4 is expected to be built on top of TSMC’s second-generation 3-nanometer process, otherwise known as N3E. This would represent a step up from the first-generation 3nm architecture of the iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Pro and the M3 series. N3E is also rumored to be heading to the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro chip in September, while the M4 is expected to make its way to several Mac models by the end of this year.
AI
While the M4 chip and the iPad Pro as a whole are expected to be centered around AI, Apple won’t likely reveal new software AI features tomorrow, with the company instead focusing on the raw AI capabilities of the new hardware.
Instead, Apple will go all-in with AI software with iOS 18 and more at WWDC 2024. Apple aims to introduce AI capabilities within every corner of iOS 18 as the company has largely remained silent features-wise on today’s AI frenzy that has swept the market. Look out for AI-powered features spanning Siri, Messages, Spotlight Search, Safari, Xcode, Apple Music and more.
