Apple could take wraps off its biggest iPad model in March

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman spilled the beans that Apple is gearing up to drop some fresh iPad Air, iPad Pro, and MacBook Air models this spring. If things go as planned, we might see these gadgets hitting the shelves as soon as March or April. Once they’re out, Gurman hinted that all eyes will be on Apple’s big annual developers conference, WWDC, slated for June.

iPad Air

The upcoming iPad Air is rumored to come in 10.9-inch and 12.9-inch display sizes. Word on the street is that these models will likely pack the new M2 chip for a speed boost, a revamped rear camera bump, support for Wi-Fi 6E, and the latest Bluetooth 5.3.

Don’t count on any big external makeovers. The fifth-gen iPad Air, rocking the M1 chip, hit the scene back in March 2022.

iPad Pro

Everyone’s thinking that the upcoming 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models will be the pioneers rocking OLED displays. If the next iPad Pro gets OLED screens, get ready for brighter displays, better contrast, and lower power usage. Apple’s already rocking OLED in the latest iPhones and Apple Watches, but not in the more budget-friendly iPhone SE.

With the move to OLED, the next iPad Pro is likely to hit your wallet harder. Those Pro models from 2017 onward already boast ProMotion, with a refresh rate ranging from 24Hz to 120Hz. If they make the switch to OLED, you might see an even lower refresh rate, possibly dipping to 10Hz or lower to save on battery life. Just like the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models, which can drop down to 1Hz in their always-on display mode.

Here’s what might be coming with the next iPad Pro models: they could be packing Apple’s hot-off-the-press M3 chip for some serious speed, MagSafe wireless charging for that cable-free life, and a spiffed-up Magic Keyboard with a bigger trackpad and an aluminum top casing. And don’t be surprised if the rear camera bump gets a makeover, just like the iPad Air. The current iPad Pro lineup, rocking the M2 chip, dropped in October 2022.

MacBook Air

According to Gurman, Apple’s cooking up a plan to drop several MacBook Airs with the M3 chip this spring. Looks like they’re shaking things up by launching the next 13-inch and 15-inch models together this time, breaking away from the past tradition of separate releases.

Once the M3 chip lands in the next MacBook Air, get ready for some serious graphics upgrades. We’re talking hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, making games look way better with more precise lighting, reflections, and shadows. Apple already rolled out the M3 chip to the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the 24-inch iMac last year.