The iPad Pro 2024 has been reportedly pushed back several times, according to DigiTimes, alongside the next-generation iPad Air.
Citing Apple's suppliers as its source, the Taiwan-based publication claims that the iPad Pro 2024 was supposed to be released in March (perhaps with the new M3 MacBook Air). However, its release has been reportedly postponed several times.
Fortunately, according to Mark Gurman, Bloomberg's popular Apple prognosticator, Apple reportedly finally has set release date. Curious about which new features will come with the new iPad Pro? Based on leaks and rumors, we've got the scoop.
iPad Pro 2024 release date
The iPad Pro will likely drop on May 7. On Tuesday, April 23, Apple announced that it will launch a May 7 livestream. It's during this event that you'll probably see the new iPad Pro as well as other lower-tier tablets.
This aligns with Gurman's reporting, who said that the iPad Pro will be announced during the week of May 6.
Per DigiTimes, the iPad Pro 2024 has been delayed repeatedly from March through April. However, it seems like Apple has finally set is sights on an early May release date.
iPad Pro 2024 price
The iPad Pro 2024 will reportedly sport OLED displays, which will likely make the price tag significantly pricier.
According to yeux1122, an X leaker that Macworld claims has a "spotty record," the iPad Pro will have a starting price tag of about $1,499. For reference, here are the starting prices of the current-gen iPad Pro models:
11-inch - $799
12.9-inch - $1,099
If that X leaker is to be believed, that means that Apple has nearly doubled the starting price of the iPad Pro 2024. If you were to ask me, I do believe that the next iPad Pro will have a price hike — I'm just not convinced it'll be that expensive.
Adding salt to the wound, yeux1122 also predicted a jump from $1,099 to somewhere between $1,799 and $1,999 for the 12.9-inch model. Again, I'm doubtful.
DigiTimes' prediction (shared by MacRumors) is a lot more believable, claiming that the iPad Pro 2024 models will have a $160 price increase. Based on this rumor, the new prices should be the following, give or take:
11-inch - $999
13-inch - $1,199
Still pricey, but far more credible than yeux1122's outlandish forecast.
iPad Pro 2024: 6 new features
The new iPad Pro 2024's brand spankin' new display is the talk of the town. In addition to a new screen, here are six new features coming to the next-generation iPad Pro 2024:
New OLED panel for a sharper, brighter display
12.9-inch variant upgrades to 13 inches
Relocated webcam
M3 chip
Thinner chassis
Slimmer bezels
To dive deeper, the iPad Pro 2024 is ditching its current-generation mini-LED display for a new OLED panel, which should bring deeper blacks and better contrast to the screen.
OLED displays are also known to have better power efficiency than mini-LED screens, so there's a good chance that the iPad Pro 2024 will have better battery life than its predecessor.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple's own software confirms its rumored move to OLED displays. Code spotted in iPadOS 17.5 beta, dropped in early April alongside iOS 17.5 beta for developers, suggests that the next-generation iPad Pro will, indeed, feature an OLED panel.
The iPad Pro will also be slightly larger, per Gurman. The 12.9-inch variant will get a slight bump to 13 inches.
According to "Instant Digital", a leaker from Weibo (a China-based social media platform), the new iPad Pro 2024 will have its camera relocated from the top bezel (when it's in portrait mode) to the side for a "landscape webcam." (We're also seeing a similar rumor for the iPad Air 2024.)
Next, the iPad Pro 2024 will be faster. The current model features the M2 chip, but the successor is expected to have the M3 chip.
According to 9to5Mac, the iPad Pro 2024 will have thinner dimensions, too. For context, the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro is 6.4mm thick, but the new one will reportedly be 5mm thick. The 11-inch variant currently has a thickness of 5.9mm, but its successor will allegedly be thinner at 5.1mm.
And again, from Instant Digital, the iPad Pro 2024 will reportedly have slimmer bezels, allowing for users to enjoy more screen real estate. (The iPhone 16 is tipped to have thinner borders, too.)
According to the rumor mill, Apple is also reportedly dropping an Apple Pencil with a new squeeze gesture as well as a new Magic Keyboard.
As I said at the outset, the new iPad Pro 2024 is expected to drop on May 7. Stay tuned for Mashable's coverage on the new tablets.
Topics iPad
