The iPad Pro is getting ready for its biggest update in years and it’s expected to happen towards the middle of 2024. That might be a way off just now, but the leaks and rumors are already starting to fly and they make for some interesting reading.
Picking up one of Apple’s best iPads right now will get you a great tablet with a blazing-fast M2 chip and gorgeous ProMotion display in either 11- or 12.9-inch configuration. Those two things are the main aspects of what makes an iPad Pro, pro. And they are both expected to get notable updates when the new models arrive next year.
A new chip and display isn’t all that iPad Pro buyers can look forward to, either. Talk of a brand-new keyboard points towards Apple once again trying to turn its tablet into a laptop, while creative types who can’t fit their workflows inside the 2TB top-tier option today might get a new 4TB one to look forward to. As mentioned, it’s still early days for the 2024 iPad Pro but here’s everything we know so far.
2024 iPad Pro: The headlines
- What is it? The next iPad Pro refresh with upgraded specs
- When will it arrive? Current rumors suggest a mid-2024 launch
- Price? Unclear at the moment, but there’s talk of a huge price increase and a starting price of $1,500.
2024 iPad Pro: Models
Just like recent iPad Pro models, the 2024 refresh is expected to come in two different sizes with various configuration options available for each.
The current expectations are that we will see 11- and 13-inch versions while both will also get Wi-Fi and cellular options, with Mark Gurman recently revealing four codenames for future models, indicating the two sizes and aforementioned Wi-Fi and Cellular configurations.
Beyond that, each model will likely also be offered in multiple storage configurations while Space Gray and Silver versions of each will be available for people who like to make sure their tablet matches their particular aesthetic.
Beyond extra connectivity options and more storage, all of the new iPad Pros will likely use the same M3 chip, although the exact configuration of that chip hasn’t been confirmed yet.
2024 iPad Pro: Release date and price expectations
While it’s often difficult to pin down release dates for iPads this far in advance, a DigiTimes report claims that Apple is getting ready to launch the new iPad Pro “in the mid or second half of 2024.”
That could potentially mean a new iPad Pro around WWDC time in June, but it also opens the door to an October 2024 event as well. We’ll likely be able to narrow down that date as we work our way into 2024.
As for pricing, rumors of iPhone 15 Pro price hikes suggest that Apple could bump the price of the iPad Pro as well. The 11-inch model currently starts at $799 while the 12.9-inch version starts at $1,099. Some rumors claim that Apple’s new tablets could start at an eye-watering $1,500 due to the new display technology they will use. But that might well depend on the current global economic situation closer to release day. If such a huge price increase really is in the cards it’s possible Apple may keep the existing versions around as a cheaper option. Could the new OLED models be called iPad Ultra, perhaps?
Those starting prices will obviously increase as more storage is added to each model, while buyers of tablets equipped with cellular radios can expect to pay around $200 more.
2024 iPad Pro: Processor
If everything goes according to the leaks we’ve seen to date, the new 2024 iPad Pros will ship with Apple’s M3 chip inside. Those same chips are set to power new 2023 iMac, 2023 13-inch MacBook Pro, and 2023 13-inch MacBook Air devices as soon as October.
Apple has yet to confirm anything about the new M3 chips but it’s expected that they will feature eight CPU cores and 10 GPU cores, just like the M2. It’ll be built on a new 3nm manufacturing process from TSMC, however. That’s expected to allow for improved performance, better thermals, and lower power usage.
We’ll get a feel for how fast the M3 is once those new Macs arrive, but the performance increase is expected to be much more pronounced than the one experienced when moving from M1 to M2.
2024 iPad Pro: Design and display
The 2024 iPad Pro refresh isn’t expected to bring with it a huge change in the way the tablet looks, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The tablet already has small borders and going any thinner might make the device hard to hold without accidentally touching on-screen elements. But the display itself is set to undergo quite a revamp.
Rumors of new OLED iPad Pros have been around for months and the new displays could be the biggest change beyond that new M3 chip. The benefits of an OLED iPad Pro include improvements to battery life, potentially thinner and lighter tablets, and improved contrast and color reproduction. We might also see better viewing angles from this generation of iPad Pros as well, although the current models aren’t particularly poor in that regard already.
The move to an OLED display won’t affect negatively ProMotion, with the 120Hz variable refresh rate expected to stay. It may even be improved, with the new technology potentially allowing the display to refresh even more slowly, saving battery life as a result.
Interestingly, rumors claim that the 12.9-inch model will grow to 13 inches, but the 11-inch version isn’t expected to get any larger.
2024 iPad Pro: RAM and Storage
In terms of storage, new rumors claim that a whopping 4TB storage option could be added, doubling the current 2TB maximum. It isn’t clear whether that will mean the loss of the base 128GB storage option to maintain a five-capacity lineup, however.
The extra storage could be a boon for creative people whose workflows use huge amounts of storage, although it’s unlikely most people will need 4TB in their iPad.
When it comes to RAM, rumors have been sparse. Most iPad Pros come with 8GB today, with that increasing to 16GB on the 1TB and 2TB models. We’d expect a similar split with the 2024 models as well.
2024 iPad Pro: Accessories
It’s highly likely that the 2024 iPad Pro will use the same 2nd-generation Apple Pencil as the previous generations, but there is talk of a brand-new Magic Keyboard on the way.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes that the new keyboard will make the iPad Pro more like a laptop than ever thanks to a new metal design. That change should make the new Magic Keyboard a much sturdier affair than the old one but Gurman says the exterior shell will retain the same cover material as the outgoing model.
The bad news? The Magic Keyboard is already expensive at $300, but Gurman believes there’s a chance the new metal build could make the updated version even more costly.
Will there be an iPad Pro 2023?
No, all of the rumors currently point to Apple skipping 2023 and releasing the next iPad Pro refresh in mid-to-late 2024 instead.