We have one last iPad Pro Updated in October 2022 when the 11″ and 12.9″ Premium tablets were updated with the Apple M2 processor. According to the rumor mill, those screens will change in 2024 when the next models are due to arrive.
This comes from display analyst Ross Young speaking to MacRumors (opens in new tab). First of all, the display technology of the current iPad Pros is apparently being switched from IPS LCD LED (11 inches) and IPS LCD Mini-LED (12.9 inches) to OLED – just like the flagship iPhones.
That should mean even better screens in terms of contrast and darker blacks, although the panels on the current iPad Pro range are already impressive. We heard rumors that Apple was going to switch to OLED on its iPads For some time.
change sizes
There will also be a change in display sizes, Young says. The 11-inch iPad Pro becomes an 11.1-inch iPad Pro, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro becomes a 13-inch iPad Pro – so not a huge difference, but one worth noting .
It’s possible that Apple could shrink the bezels of these two premium iPads, keeping the overall dimensions of the slates the same while making the displays slightly larger. OLED panels can also mean thinner and lighter devices.
Additionally, despite earlier leaks That suggests Apple is working on an oversized iPad Pro, which Young says is apparently no longer in the pipeline. It seems Apple will be sticking with the two sizes we talked about, at least for the next iteration.
Analysis: Turning the iPad Pros into Pro Pros
iPad Pros have always been high-end, big-budget luxury devices that need as much performance as possible: consider that the entry-level iPad (Yours for $449 / £499 / AU$749) basically does everything the more expensive models do.
Once the move to OLED happens, that will be another differentiator that will help justify the high price tag of the iPad Pro models. Whether these slates will cost the same remains to be seen – but we expect Apple to aim for that.
The size change is less interesting, although Apple clearly wants to keep a large iPad Pro in the range. Not only does it offer more screen real estate, but it also gives buyers a reason to choose one of the more expensive tablets iPad Air.
With these updated tablets appearing to be launching in 2024, it could be a quiet 2023 when it comes to Apple tablets. That might give the rivals time to catch up, but it also means there should be a significant boost in performance when the new iPad Pros arrive.
