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New iPad Pros, iPad Airs, Apple Pencil and perhaps the M4 chip
So far , the biggest surprise about May 7 ’s “ Let Loose ” event is that it ’s happening at all . We ’re just over a month out from Apple ’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference , and yet the company specify there was enough news to warrant a stand - alone consequence . iPads ( including the iPad Pro and iPad Air ) will be the focus , while the long - leave out Apple Pencil is finally get some sexual love . It was , after all , the focal percentage point of the outcome ’s invite .
Rumors have also begin swirling around a likely M4 announcement . If true , it would represent a key alteration to Apple ’s silicon release beat , though that has n’t exactly been logical over the year . The likeliest intellect for the change is Microsoft ’s await spill of first - party , ARM - based atomic number 14 at its Build league at the end of the calendar month . surmisal has it that Microsoft ’s AI - focused atomic number 14 will smoke Apple ’s M3 chip .
It ’s only been roughly seven month since Apple announced a trio of M3 chips . That ’s a quick reverse for a replacement chip , but keep in psyche , the company is conceive to have been working toward a more staggered departure schedule last year , only to have those plan gunked up by some ongoing supply chain issues . Perhaps this agenda readjustment could see additional M4 SKUs announced during WWDC in a month .
In the meantime , it ’s possible that , for the first time , the former chip could come out on an iPad first — specifically the iPad Pro . At the very least , the high - close iPad is due for a refresh . The recent model , which sports the M2 chip , was release toward the end of 2022 . Apple has spent the past several years blurring the line between the iPad and Mac , so why not let the tablet get its hands on new atomic number 14 first for a change ?
The other big alteration to the Pro is read to be the long - look upgrade to an OLED show . Bloomberg suggeststhat this ca n’t come shortly enough , as the tab category is “ in a deep funk right now . ” Certainly the days of the iPad , one of Apple ’s superstar gadget , seem mostly behind us .
The company continues to dominate the category , but the lozenge had a rough 2023 , give Apple a big gash of an more and more shrinking Proto-Indo European . Canalys say the overall marketdecreased by 10 % last yr . Given the Vision Pro ’s slow start , Apple could really use a shot in the branch justly now — though a redesigned iPad does n’t really check the bill .
A brace of young iPad Airs is enounce to be come in 11- and 12.9 - in versions . The current hearsay still has the more approachable models receiving an M2 poker chip — if the M4 does get in next week , however , perhaps they ’ll get an additional bump as well .
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For what persist a comparatively niche equipment , the Apple Pencil is apparently ready for its close - up . The style is pronounce to be get under one’s skin a young power play spying feature ( which was touch to in the beginning in an iPad ) update . tactile feedback could be on the docket as well , along with interchangeable magnet tips . Find My support could arrive too — a welcome addition for an evermore misplaced peripheral . verbalize of blur the lines between the iPad and Mac , Apple ’s later Magic Keyboard reach the tablet count even more like a laptop computer than before .
As for Macs themselves , with the arrival of the M4 , I would n’t be wholly surprised to see the company sneak a computer refresh or two in . It seems just as — or even more — likely that Apple is saving major addition to the Mac bank line for WWDC in June .
The event is an early one for you West Coasters . It kick off at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET . You canwatch it live hereand postdate TechCrunch for the news as it breaks .
