Apple iPad event: What to expect
So far, the biggest surprise about May 7ās āLet Looseā event is that itās happening at all. Weāre just over a month out from Appleās annual Worldwide Developer Conference, and yet the company determined there was enough news to warrant a stand-alone event. iPads (including the iPad Pro and iPad Air) will be the focus, while the long-neglected Apple Pencil is finally getting some love. It was, after all, the focal point of the eventās invite.
Rumors have also begun swirling around a potential M4 announcement. If true, it would represent a key change to Appleās silicon release cadence, though that hasnāt exactly been consistent over the year. The likeliest reason for the change is Microsoftās expected release of first-party, ARM-based silicon at its Build conference at the end of the month. Speculation has it that Microsoftās AI-focused silicon will smoke Appleās M3 chips.
Itās only been roughly seven months since Apple announced a trio of M3 chips. Thatās a quick turnaround for a replacement chip, but keep in mind, the company is believed to have been working toward a more staggered release schedule last year, only to have those plans gunked up by some ongoing supply chain issues. Perhaps this schedule readjustment could see additional M4 SKUs announced during WWDC in a month.
In the meantime, itās possible that, for the first time, the latest chip could appear on an iPad first ā specifically the iPad Pro. At the very least, the high-end iPad is due for a refresh. The latest model, which sports the M2 chip, was released 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 silicon first for a change?
The other big change to the Pro is said to be the long-awaited upgrade to an OLED display. Bloomberg suggests that this canāt come soon enough, as the tablet category is āin a deep funk right now.ā Certainly the days of the iPad, one of Appleās superstar devices, seem mostly behind us.
The company continues to dominate the category, but the tablet had a rough 2023, giving Apple a big slice of an increasingly shrinking pie. Canalys says the overall market decreased by 10% last year. Given the Vision Proās slow start, Apple could really use a shot in the arm right now ā though a redesigned iPad doesnāt really fit the bill.
A pair of new iPad Airs is said to be arriving in 11- and 12.9-inch versions. The current rumor still has the more accessible models receiving an M2 chip ā if the M4 does arrive next week, however, perhaps theyāll get an additional bump as well.
For what remains a relatively niche device, the Apple Pencil is apparently ready for its close-up. The stylus is said to be getting a new squeeze detection feature (which was alluded to earlier in an iPad) update. Haptic feedback could be on the docket as well, along with interchangeable magnet tips. Find My support could arrive too ā a welcome addition for an eternally misplaced peripheral. Talking of blurring the lines between the iPad and Mac, Appleās latest Magic Keyboard makes the tablet look even more like a laptop than before.
As for Macs themselves, with the arrival of the M4, I wouldnāt be wholly surprised to see the company sneak a computer refresh or two in. It seems just as ā or even more ā likely that Apple is saving major additions to the Mac line for WWDC in June.
The event is an early one for you West Coasters. It kicks off at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. You can watch it live here and follow TechCrunch for the news as it breaks.