What’s the least well-kept secret since Darth Vader turned out to be Luke Skywalker’s pappy? Apple is going to seriously upgrade a bunch of its products in early 2024. We’re already expecting the release of the first iPad Pro OLED, which is obviously huge news, considering it would be Crew Cupertino’s first-ever OLED tablet. Just as exciting, though, is the prospect of a new M3 MacBook Air.
Bloomberg’s resident Apple guru Mark Gurman has been tipped off that new versions of the MacBook Air, iPad Pro and iPad Air will all launch in March next year; spilling the beans in his regular Power On newsletter (thanks, Engagdet).
On the MacBook Air front, Gurman suggests the new M3 model will come in the svelte device's usual sizes, meaning we’re looking at 13- and 15-inch versions of Apple’s lightest laptop. To coincide with these rumored new releases, in a hardly shocking knock-on effect, it looks like The Big A could kill off 2020’s M1 MacBook Air.
Rumored iPad upgrades
Back to the new iPad Pro, and the headline news is the OLED factor. While Apple’s phones have been treated to OLED screens since the iPhone X, the company’s high-end tablets are still stuck with mini-LED displays. Granted, these are great panels — with hundreds of dimming zones that create solid black levels — yet they still can’t compete with OLED quality, especially when viewing content in a dark room. It's also rumored the iPad Pro 2024 will feature the Apple M3 chip.
The new iPad Pro could come in two sizes: An 11-inch model and a larger 13-inch edition. Gurman also speculates Apple will launch a new Magic Keyboard specifically for these upgraded Pros.
Away from the company's portable devices, it looks like the Mac Studio and Mac Pro will be late to the M3 party"
As for the new iPad Air, Gurman states Apple will release 11- and 13-inch models of Apple's ultra-portable tablet, both of which will use the iconic tech giant's M2 silicon.
Away from the company's portable devices, the Bloomberg journo has been told the Mac Studio and Mac Pro will be late to the M3 party. He predicts neither of these computers will get Apple’s new chips until late 2024 at the earliest, and that date could even slip to as late as 2025.
The main takeaways from these rumors are focused on those MacBook Air, iPad Pro and iPad Air upgrades, though. The M1 iPad Air is already one of the best iPads the company has ever manufactured, so we’re incredibly pumped at the prospect of a more powerful M2 edition. As for the new iPad Pro, if the OLED screen rumors are true, it will almost certainly be the best tablet on the market… by a distance.
