By Joe Rossignol
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will likely release new iPad Air, iPad Pro and MacBook Air models “around the end of March.” In today's Power On newsletter, he said production of the new iPad Pro models and the new 13-inch MacBook Air is at least well underway in Apple's supply chain in Asia.
Below we reiterate Gurman's expectations for the new iPad and Mac, as well as other rumors about features and changes in these devices.
iPad Air
The iPad Air line is expected to get a new 12.9-inch display along with an updated 10.9-inch model.
Rumored and/or probable Features The following iPad Air models include the Apple M2 chip for faster performance, an updated rear camera bump, Wi-Fi 6E support and Bluetooth 5.3. No major changes to the exterior design are expected.
The current fifth-generation iPad Air with the M1 chip was released in March 2022.
iPad Pro
The next 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models are expected to be the first iPads to feature OLED displays.
OLED technology will allow the next iPad Pro displays to offer increased brightness and brightness. colors, higher contrast ratio, lower power consumption and other advantages over existing LCD panel models. Apple already uses OLED displays in the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models, with the exception of the cheaper iPhone SE.
The switch to OLED is expected to make future iPad Pro models more expensive.
The move to OLED is expected to make future iPad Pro models more expensive.
iPad Pro models released in 2017 and later support ProMotion, which allows you to change the refresh rate from 24Hz to 120Hz. OLED and LTPO display technology will likely allow the refresh rate to drop to 10Hz or lower to improve battery life. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models can reach as low as 1Hz in Always-On Display mode.
Other rumors and/or likely features for the next iPad Pro models include Apple's latest M3 chip for improved performance. , MagSafe wireless charging, an updated Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and aluminum top case, and a front-facing camera with landscape orientation. There may also be changes to the rear camera design, as seen on future iPad Air models.
Current iPad Pro models with the M2 chip were released in October 2022.
MacBook Air
Although the current 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air were released a year apart due to production delays, the models are due to be updated simultaneously this March. A key new feature for the laptops will be Apple's latest M3 chip.
With the M3 chip, future MacBook Air models will feature hardware-accelerated ray tracing and grid shading for improved graphics rendering in games, including more accurate lighting, reflections and shadows. Last year, Apple already updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro and 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip.
No major changes are expected in the design of the MacBook Air this year, but the laptop is likely to will get Wi-Fi 6E support like other Macs.
Apple last updated the 13-inch MacBook Air in July 2022, and the first 15-inch MacBook Air was released in June 2023.
Related Reviews: iPad Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Air Tag: Mark Gurman Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro 11-inch (do not buy), MacBook Air 13-inch (do not buy), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (do not buy) t Buy), iPad Air (Do not buy), MacBook Air 15 inches (neutral) Related forums: iPad, MacBook Air [102 comments]
