Apple set to overhaul iPad Pro with OLED and Magic Keyboard revamp

AppleInsider

Apple's next update to the iPad Pro lineup will "overhaul" the product line, a report claims, with size alterations and a new Magic Keyboard expected to arrive in early 2024.

The 2022 12.9-inch iPad Pro on the Magic Keyboard

Rumors surrounding Apple's next iteration of the iPad Pro lineup have largely covered the inclusion of an OLED display, as well as the expectation of a shift to the M3 chip. However, it is reckoned that the release could be a major revamp of a product line that hasn't really changed that much in years.

In Sunday's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman writes about how Apple's iPad lineup is underperforming, with issues ranging from a confusing lineup to minor yearly upgrades, and that iPads are competing with Apple's Mac lineup.

Apple has the "best chance in years to reinvigorate the market" with an "overhauled iPad Pro," Gurman believes. The model, which will be the first major update to the lineup since 2018 excluding smaller camera and chip changes, will undergo a metamorphosis compared to previous releases.

Codenamed J717, J718, J720, and J721, the models will be the first to use OLED displays, rather than mini LED backlighting systems. This correlates with other rumors on the matter.

At the same time, Apple could change the sizes on offer, with the 11-inch joined by a 13-inch model, instead of the marginally smaller 12.9-inch display it uses in its largest model.

Another change for the iPad Pro will be for a major accessory. The Magic Keyboard, which came out in 2020, will apparently be revamped to make the iPad Pro look more like a notebook, and include a larger trackpad.

Gurman adds that Apple is unlikely to introduce the majorly refreshed iPad Pro lineup in its fall event, which will apparently focus more on the iPhone and Apple Watch. Instead, it "probably won't debut" until the spring or early summer of 2024, again following other forecasts for the model.

Read on AppleInsider

anilu_777

I’d love to see an iPad Air with Pro Motion. The Pro is too much for me - I don’t need that power. But I’ve become used to Pro Motion with my 2017 Pro so I want it again. 

cheesefreeze

This all doesn’t change the fact the iPad Pro is a crippled notebook (mostly) due to its software.

The iPad at least isn’t positioned and priced as such (however, still too expensive).

tht

Woo! Glad I held out. My iPP10.5 is getting long on the tooth.

13” OLED, M3 w/16GB RAM, 2 TB storage, Stage Manager maturing. Perhaps landscape default?

dutchlord

“Majorly overhauled”?? Screensize +0.1 inch, different keyboard and screen upgrade. That’s it? What is the customer value? 

dutchlord

“Majorly overhauled”?? Screensize +0.1 inch, different keyboard and screen upgrade. That’s it? What is the customer value? 

tht

dutchlord said:

“Majorly overhauled”?? Screensize +0.1 inch, different keyboard and screen upgrade. That’s it? What is the customer value? 

Value? We will all be the judge of that when it comes out. It’s going to cost as much as a MBA13, and will depend on how people use their computers. For some, the iPP will be much better value than a MBA.

It’s a software and content game for the iPad now too. They need to further open up iPadOS, like Terminal.app, unlimited Stage Manager, multi-stream background audio and whatever else software and content. 

The only hardware feature that sounds interesting to me are eye and hand tracking. Well, I have a lot of ideas, like a 5:4 or 6:5 aspect ratio, TB/USB4 Smart Connector, optional camera models, Pencil slot/port, 2 TB/USB4 ports.

Lots of ideas for accessories: cases with solar PV, keyboard cases with full sized keys, cases with batteries, a magnetic back cover, magnetic stand dock, dual iPad hinge with Smart connectors. Lots of no’s there. 

jdgaz

I typically use my 12.9” iPad Pro to watch tv on the patio. A true upgrade for me would be a15 or 16” screen. 

chasm

jdgaz said:

I typically use my 12.9” iPad Pro to watch tv on the patio. A true upgrade for me would be a15 or 16” screen. 

You paid waaaaay too much for that to watch TV on the patio. You could wall mounted an actual 50-60 inch TV out there for that money.

chasm

I much prefer using my iPad Pro w/Magic Keyboard over using my far more expensive MacBook Pro for most tasks, though of course there are a handful of things that the MBP is the better/only tool.

I'm not sure what's so "overhaul" about the described hardware changes, but I assume there will be significant software changes specific to the iPad Pro that haven't thus far been detailed. That said, I'd be pretty mad if my current Magic Keyboard didn't work with the new 11-inch iPad Pro.

mark fearing

Been waiting for an upgrade. I LOVE the Pro I use. I use it for most of my work now, I'm thinking it's a better investment than a desktop for what I do. And the portability has me sold on it. Would love to see a better chip and screen upgrade. Can't wait.

eriamjh

With the M2 in the current iPad Pros and the crazy expensive magic keyboard, Apple should be selling an iPad that can run MacOS And switch between the iPadOS GUI and MacOS.  

If I’m paying laptop prices for an iPad/keyboard combo,  I want MacOS capabilities.    

I love couch surfing and browsing and video watching on my iPad in my lap.   But iPadOS isn’t as efficient when there’s lots of files and software involved.  Both MacOS IPadOS use Apple Silicon, so why not give us both?  The chip is fully capable, isn’t it?   

I guess what I’m saying is I want an IPad and a desktop not an iPad and a laptop.  The laptop part is a fine benefit of mobile computing, but when I want to sit at a keyboard and use a mouse, I do it at a desk with two 30” displays.   When I sit and surf, I want an iPad.  

A laptop can never be an iPad, but an iPad can be a laptop if it has to be.   A laptop can be a desktop, so let an iPad be a desktop.    Give me MacOS.   

/rant

danox

chasm said:

jdgaz said:

I typically use my 12.9” iPad Pro to watch tv on the patio. A true upgrade for me would be a15 or 16” screen. 

You paid waaaaay too much for that to watch TV on the patio. You could wall mounted an actual 50-60 inch TV out there for that money.

With the Apple Vision Pro coming in the future what’s the point of that big screen TV just wasted space, and it is also well within Apple’s wheel house to release 32 inch or greater iMac, which if you have, would eliminate, buying a separate dedicated big screen TV, but I believe it will be the intro of the Apple Vision Pro that is will be the killer of at least 25% of the upper end of big screen TV market. The front row seat immersive sporting event/concert/movie capability of the AVP will eat away at the big screen market.

I look forward to Messi/Chris Botti/2024 Olympics, front row seats with Apple’s new technology.

edited August 2023

entropys

I upgraded to the current 11 inch IPP from the 10.5 inch IPP from 2017.
initially I thought it was just a bit snappier, but with the iPadOS 16 features, the Apple Pencil and Nebo, it has come into its own and become my paper notebook and MacBook replacement.  It is now my main machine I take everywhere. Marvellous. But it took iPadOS 16 to do it.  It has always been the OS that has held iPads back.  Constantly improving the OS and important software is the way to go IMHO. For example, get MS to really work on SharePoint etc.
also multiuser accounts. Please.

 I am just not convinced that a focus on a physical keyboard in future is the way to go. It just adds bulk and…get an MBA or MBP already.

 

edited August 2023

dewme

I love the Magic Keyboard and iPad Pro. The only change that I’d like to see would be to redesign the magnetic attachment on the iPad and Magic Keyboard to make them work very similar or the same as MagSafe on the iPhone. 

The main reason I’d like this is because when I take the iPad Pro off the Magic Keyboard it’s totally unprotected unless I also buy a second cover for it. It would be nice to be able to mount the iPad Pro on the Magic Keyboard even if the iPad is in a case, which is something I can do with iPhones on MagSafe charging docks. 

In my opinion the iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is interchangeable with the MacBook Air for a lot of users. For those who find the iPadOS makes this interchangeably equation untenable, no problem, buy the MacBook Air. 

I do have to say that I’m disappointed that more iPad apps have not been “ported” to run on Apple Silicon. This is one of the promises of Apple Silicon that has not really come to fruition. The number of cross platform apps is very tiny. If I had to guess I’d say that one of the inhibitors is the lack of touch. 

This begs the question for the advocates of running macOS on iPad Pro - would it make more sense to add a touchscreen to MacBooks to lower the barrier to getting a lot more iPad apps on the Mac? This would allow touchscreen MacBooks to also provide much of the same functionality supported by iPads running side-by-side with Mac apps instead of switching the entire user experience at a macro level between Mac mode or iPad mode. 

Assuming future MacBooks have full support for touch based iPad apps, why keep making high end iPads? If the MacBook keyboard becomes removable the question becomes even more pointed. The answer may come down to the fact that iPads are still single user devices while MacBooks are inherently multiuser devices. Of course that can change. We’ll just have to wait and see, but 13 years into the iPad’s lifespan and more than twice as long with the MacBook, Apple seems very committed to continuing to support both platforms with their current form factors and feature set. 

edited August 2023

entropys

The main reason I’d like this is because when I take the iPad Pro off the Magic Keyboard it’s totally unprotected unless I also buy a second cover for it. It would be nice to be able to mount the iPad Pro on the Magic Keyboard even if the iPad is in a case, which is something I can do with iPhones on MagSafe charging docks. 

If Apple did that I might even think about a Magic Trackpad for the desk. No brainer if the usb-c  port was both pass through charging and data that allowed you to extend the iPad to a second screen rather than just mirror.

tenthousandthings

The October event will be fun. M3 iPad Pro, then M3 iPad Air... Then M3 iMac 24"... 

I think all of the above are more than likely. I don't have an opinion about the MacBooks. Maybe just the 13" Pro -- a redesign of that would mark the true end of the Apple Silicon transition, as it is the only redesign that remains (not counting the Mini, which got a sort of product revision and gave birth to the Mac Studio in the process, or the Mac Pro -- I believe the 2019 redesign was always intended to house Apple silicon).

The iMac 24" not getting a refresh for M2 will remain a mystery for now. It goes against Apple's oft-stated goal of having all the Mac (if not iPad) products refresh with each generation of the M series. It would be nice of they would explain that, but I'm not holding my breath.

edited August 2023

macfanatic

Magic keyboard needs dedicated function keys.  I’d consider an upgrade if the new one has that…

fastasleep

AppleInsider said:

At the same time, Apple could change the sizes on offer, with the 11-inch joined by a 13-inch model, instead of the marginally smaller 12.9-inch display it uses in its largest model.

What. 

fastasleep

dewme said:

[...]

I do have to say that I’m disappointed that more iPad apps have not been “ported” to run on Apple Silicon. This is one of the promises of Apple Silicon that has not really come to fruition. The number of cross platform apps is very tiny. If I had to guess I’d say that one of the inhibitors is the lack of touch. 

This begs the question for the advocates of running macOS on iPad Pro - would it make more sense to add a touchscreen to MacBooks to lower the barrier to getting a lot more iPad apps on the Mac? This would allow touchscreen MacBooks to also provide much of the same functionality supported by iPads running side-by-side with Mac apps instead of switching the entire user experience at a macro level between Mac mode or iPad mode. 

Assuming future MacBooks have full support for touch based iPad apps, why keep making high end iPads? If the MacBook keyboard becomes removable the question becomes even more pointed. The answer may come down to the fact that iPads are still single user devices while MacBooks are inherently multiuser devices. Of course that can change. We’ll just have to wait and see, but 13 years into the iPad’s lifespan and more than twice as long with the MacBook, Apple seems very committed to continuing to support both platforms with their current form factors and feature set. 

Mac apps and macOS do not generally function well on iPad. I use Screens to control my Mac mini media server all the time on my iPad and it sucks both with finger and Pencil. 

Similarly, many iPad apps don't translate well to macOS, being its trackpad/mouse-first. Adding touch screens to *some* Macs doesn't solve for this.

Most apps need to be rethought/redesigned to work on the opposite platform it was initially designed for.

Not everyone wants a keyboard and trackpad with their iPad. There is a market for people who just want an iPad to be an iPad.

danox

fastasleep said:

dewme said:

[...]

I do have to say that I’m disappointed that more iPad apps have not been “ported” to run on Apple Silicon. This is one of the promises of Apple Silicon that has not really come to fruition. The number of cross platform apps is very tiny. If I had to guess I’d say that one of the inhibitors is the lack of touch. 

This begs the question for the advocates of running macOS on iPad Pro - would it make more sense to add a touchscreen to MacBooks to lower the barrier to getting a lot more iPad apps on the Mac? This would allow touchscreen MacBooks to also provide much of the same functionality supported by iPads running side-by-side with Mac apps instead of switching the entire user experience at a macro level between Mac mode or iPad mode. 

Assuming future MacBooks have full support for touch based iPad apps, why keep making high end iPads? If the MacBook keyboard becomes removable the question becomes even more pointed. The answer may come down to the fact that iPads are still single user devices while MacBooks are inherently multiuser devices. Of course that can change. We’ll just have to wait and see, but 13 years into the iPad’s lifespan and more than twice as long with the MacBook, Apple seems very committed to continuing to support both platforms with their current form factors and feature set. 

Mac apps and macOS do not generally function well on iPad. I use Screens to control my Mac mini media server all the time on my iPad and it sucks both with finger and Pencil. 

Similarly, many iPad apps don't translate well to macOS, being its trackpad/mouse-first. Adding touch screens to *some* Macs doesn't solve for this.

Most apps need to be rethought/redesigned to work on the opposite platform it was initially designed for.

Not everyone wants a keyboard and trackpad with their iPad. There is a market for people who just want an iPad to be an iPad.

The iPad dominates it’s market segment, saying Apple OS doesn’t run on the iPad therefore, it’s a failure, is just the latest talking point by Android and Windows users, when the Apple Vision Pro hits the street next year it too will be thrown into the same box, the three main talking points will be the price is too high, the fact that it doesn’t run Apple OS, and it doesn’t play AAA games. Even though it is a different device and wasn’t intended to operate as a desktop replacement just like the iPad, get ready….

And last, but not least the EU government will weigh in proclaiming the Apple Vision Pro as a gateway/monopoly, in short, Apple is it’s own grandpa, and should give Spotify a leg over because they (Spotify) are technically disabled.

edited August 2023