Apple has just announced that its next big product event will take place on May 7, and here’s everything we expect to get revealed at the show.
Apple’s Let Loose event looks set to see the launch of a slate of new iPads. We’ve been waiting for these updates for a while now, with 2023 notably absent of any updates to Apple’s tablet range.
Rumours have swirled in the past few months about when we might finally see the new devices, with some suggesting Apple would forgo an event and simply release the tablets via a press release.
That doesn’t look to be the case though, as this event seems the perfect spot to unveil a bunch of new iPads. Here’s what we think will headline the event.
New iPad Pros with OLED displays
The star of the show will surely be the next-gen iPad Pros, the flagship tablet in Apple’s range. All of the rumours point to the big upgrade here being a new OLED display – a first for an iPad – for both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models. There have also been rumblings that we could see a matte screen option, which would make the tablet even more tempting for digital artists.
A move to the M3 chip seems a given, while a thinner and lighter design that includes some sort of wireless MagSafe charging would be welcome. As would the talk that Apple is finally moving the position of the webcam to make it better suited to landscape use.
The biggest iPad Air yet
With reports of iPad Air stock at retail locations dwindling, it seems likely that this event will see updates to Apple’s mid-range tablet too.
The big news here could be the introduction of a larger 12-inch iPad Air – a first for the series. Some rumours have even suggested this bigger model could use a similar Mini LED display to the one found in the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro. We are huge fans of that display, so its arrival on a more affordable option would be very welcome.
A revised Apple Pencil
The invite for the Let Loose event has a very clear Apple Pencil right in the middle, so along with pointing towards new iPads, we could also see a fresh spin on the stylus that many pair with the tablet. Some code inside the iPadOS 17.5 beta pointed towards a new ‘Squeeze’ gesture so this could be one of the new benefits.
There’s also been talk that the next Apple Pencil could have support for VisionOS and Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
An updated Magic Keyboard case
Alongside a revised Apple Pencil, the event could also see a redesigned Magic Keyboard announced as a partner to the new iPads. The current Magic Keyboard helps turn the iPad Air and Pro into viable laptop replacements, and rumours suggest the next iteration could have more of a MacBook look by adding an aluminium lid.
