Expect Apple's new iPad Pro and iPad Air in late March, report claims

2023 was the first year since the introduction of the iPad that Apple hasn't refreshed any models in its lineup throughout the entire calendar, but that's all going to change in 2024 if the reports we've seen turn out to be anything close to accurate. We've been hearing reports of new iPads being in the works for some time and now a new report claims that some of those tablets will debut within the next couple of months.

That report comes via Bloomberg's Mark Gurman who claims that we should expect Apple to launch its new tablets around the end of March. Gurman says that the new iPad Pros are already in production at Apple's overseas factories which suggests that Apple is very much set to bring those to market.

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In terms of the hardware that we should expect, there's plenty for iPad buyers to sink their teeth into. Things begin with a brand-new 12.9-inch iPad Air, for example, the biggest iPad Air that the company has ever made. That'll likely be joined by a refreshed 10.9-inch model with both display sizes benefiting from Apple's M2 chip for the first time. No major design changes are expected, however.

As for the iPad Pro, that's likely to be offered in 13-inch and 11-inch configurations and move to a new type of display technology. A switch to OLED panels, similar to those used in the iPhone and Apple Watch, should allow for improved contrast and better blacks, all while potentially saving power. The new machines are set to feature Apple's latest M3 chips like the latest Macs, while it's been reported that the tablet will finally see the camera moved to the side of the display to allow it to sit at the top when the iPad is rotated into landscape.

That change is another example of Apple's stance that the iPad Pro is a laptop replacement, admitting that it will be used in landscape orientation most of the time. The company is also thought to be ready to ship an updated Magic Keyboard with a sturdier construction, while a refreshed Apple Pencil with Find My support has also been rumored already.

Hard timings for when the new machines will be unveiled have yet to be announced of course, but Gurman's late-March claims could well fit in with previous release cadences.

Apple is also expected to update the MacBook Air lineup within the next few months although it isn't clear whether that will happen at the same time as the new iPads.