The present iPad lineup is one of the most diverse we’ve seen.
There are two versions of the basic iPad, the iPad mini, the iPad Air, and the 11in and 12.9in iPad Pro models to pick from. However, it appears that Apple will not stop there: rumors say that an even bigger iPad Pro will be added to the lineup.
Here’s all we know about the next-generation iPad Pro, which might include a 14-inch variant.
When will the M3 iPad Pro be released?
It appears that a new iPad Pro will not be released until 2024. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, no big changes to the iPad are planned for 2023, and the iPad Pro “certainly isn’t getting anything of note this year.”
Indeed, no announcement was made at WWDC in June or at Apple’s iPhone 15 launch in September.
Most rumors currently point to a revised iPad Pro sometime in 2024, which may feature a new 14in device among the 11- and 12-inch models, or possibly the 14in model would replace one of the existing alternatives.
We may look at prior releases for some hints as to when Apple might release the new iPad Pro, but keep in mind that Apple has been inconsistent with previous model launch timeframes. When did they make their debuts?
- iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch (6th gen): Oct 2022
- iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch (5th gen): Apr 2021
- iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch (4th gen): Mar 2020
- iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch (3rd gen): Oct 2018
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch (2nd gen): June 2017
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch (1st gen): Mar 2016
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st gen): Nov 2015
On that basis, we could see the new iPad Pro around April 2024. But that’s pure speculation at this stage.
How much will the M3 iPad Pro cost?
At the moment, these are the starting prices for each model in the current iPad Pro range.
- iPad Pro 11in Wi-Fi (2022): $799/£899
- iPad Pro 11in Cellular (2022): $999/£1,079
- iPad Pro 12.9in Wi-Fi (2022): $1,099/£1,249
- iPad Pro 12.9in Cellular (2022): $1,299/£1,429
If Apple offers a bigger 14in Pro, we should expect price increases at the top of the spectrum, thus the iPad Pro 14in should start at more than $1,299/£1,429.
Apple typically moves up by 100 units, and there are 300 between the base 11in and 12.9in versions. So it seems logical to expect the 14in iPad Pro to start at $1,399/£1,529 or something like.
The pricing of the remaining models will be determined by Apple’s ability to continue selling all models. Apple may discontinue the 11in model and cut the price of the 12.9in model, or it might discontinue the 12.9in model and keep the 11in at its present price.
Will the M3 iPad Pro have a mini-LED screen?
There is some dispute over the screen technology that will be available.
panel analyst Ross Young predicted in June 2022 that the 14-inch iPad Pro will have a mini-LED panel, similar to the present 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Later that month, though, he tweeted that the bigger iPad will instead have a conventional LED panel, similar to the 11-inch iPad Pro, citing cost as a probable explanation.
Then, in December 2022, Young stated that Apple is planned to transition the whole iPad line to OLED by 2024 (via Macworld). This corresponds to what Gurman wrote (in January 2023). He anticipated that “an updated design and OLED screens” will be available for the iPad in the spring of 2024 (via Macworld).
Apple is also rumored to be developing its own micro-LED panels (via Macworld), which might potentially be used in a bigger iPad. Gurman also predicted in January that Apple will begin switching its entire product line to micro-LED screens, beginning with the Apple Watch.
Will there be a 14-inch iPad Pro?
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman first mentioned a larger-screen iPad in June 2021. He said that Apple was exploring creating larger-display iPads (via Macworld), but that nothing would be available for a few years.
Another leaker, Majin Bu, has revealed that a new 14.1-inch iPad Pro is in the works.
Display expert Ross Young also said in 2022 that a 14.1in iPad Pro model was in development and that a release date of “early 2023” was a possibility.
Young was said to have reversed this prediction in December 2022, claiming that “Apple is no longer planning to launch a 14.1-inch iPad Pro with a mini-LED display in early 2023” through Macrumors. Young went on to say that Apple is no longer intending to release the new 14.1in form factor, and that it may never be released.
With the advent of Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro on the iPad, it makes perfect sense for Apple to provide an iPad with a bigger screen and compatibility for external displays.
What features will the M3 iPad Pro have?
Analyst941 reported (in a now-deleted tweet reported by Macworld) that Apple was planning to release the new iPad Pro with external support for up to two 6K monitors running at 60Hz, the potential inclusion of an M3 Pro chipset, and a “special version of iPadOS 17” being developed for the larger iPad Pro models. However, an apparent sting operation halted the leaks, casting doubt on some of their forecasts regarding the next 14-inch iPad Pro.
The present iPad Pros are powered by the M2 processor, thus an M3 would make sense in any new 2024 versions. The M3 Pro, however, does not appear to be a probable possibility, given Apple’s Pro versions of its CPUs have so far only debuted on the 14in and 16in MacBook Pro and Mac mini, and the M2 in the iPad Pros already delivers more power than it requires. Also, given the iPad’s thin, finless form, it appears more logical for a normal M3 to power a 14-inch iPad Pro.
Majin Bu’s June 2022 tweet stated that the 14-inch iPad Pro would include an M2 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of basic storage; however, the M2 would only be utilized in the 14-inch iPad Pro if it launched independently from the rest of the line.
According to my resource, Apple is developing a new 14.1-inch iPad M2 with 512GB and 16GB of base memory. The new M2 line is expected to include a new 11-inch model with no major changes, a new 12.9 model with reduced bezels and this new 14.1 iPad #Apple #AppleRumor
— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) June 8, 2022
As you can see, there are a lot of rumors and conjecture regarding the next-generation iPad Pro, but not much real information. We’ll keep this post updated when new information becomes available, so come back often to see what we find.
