The iPad Pro 2023 is (surprise!) expected to land some time this year, and although we haven’t heard much about the device by way of official details, the rumors we have come across suggest Apple’s next Pro-level tablet will be a much bigger upgrade than we saw with the iPad Pro 12.9 (2022).
In fact, ‘big’ is the key word here, because numerous sources suggest that this year’s iPad Pro will be even larger than the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro – though it’s likely that Apple will keep making models in the current sizes, too.
That’s not all we’ve heard, either. Below, you’ll find all the latest news, leaks and rumors surrounding the iPad Pro 2023, with details on its possible release date and specs. We’re also adding to this article whenever we hear something new, so keep it bookmarked and check back soon.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next top-end iPad
- When is it out? Probably sometime in 2023
- How much will it cost? Unknown but expect a very high price
iPad Pro 2023 release date and price
The next iPad Pro could land sooner than you might expect. While the iPad Pro 2022 line only launched as recently as October 2022, we might see a new model in early 2023.
That’s according to Ross Young (opens in new tab) – a leaker with a solid track record – who says that Apple’s could debut a new iPad Pro with a 14.1-inch display sometime this year.
We’ve more recently heard that a 16-inch iPad (which may or may not be a Pro model) might land in late 2023, though it’s not clear whether this would be in addition to or instead of the rumored 14.1-inch version.
It’s also entirely possible that neither of these leaks are right. In fact, we might not see a new iPad Pro in 2023 at all, given that there was over a year between the April 2021 launch of the iPad Pro 2021 and the October 2022 launch of the iPad Pro 2022.
As for price, Apple may keep pricing similar to current models, if the screen sizes remain the same. That would mean a starting price of around $799 / £899 / AU$1,399 for the 11-inch version and $1,099 / £1,249 / AU$1,899 for the 12.9-inch model, though that’s just speculation for now.
And, of course, if these slates have larger screens, their asking prices are sure to be higher, too. We’ve heard rumblings that Apple’s first OLED iPad Pros – which are rumored to arrive in 2024 – could cost more than some of the best MacBooks, so it’s possible that the company’s 2023 slates could surprise us in the price department.
iPad Pro 2023 news, rumors, and leaks
As noted above, one of the biggest changes coming to the iPad Pro 2023 could be a bigger screen. We’ve heard talk of a 14.1-inch iPad Pro display multiple times, while 16-inch iPad Pro display has been talked about, too. Elsewhere, there’s been more general talk of larger iPad Pro screens in the future.
Whether one or both of these screen sizes would be offered is unclear, but it certainly seems likely that a bigger screen is coming, given the number of sources mentioning one.
The sources who mentioned a 14.1-inch model also said more about it, claiming between them that the next iPad Pro will have a mini-LED display – like the latest 12.9-inch models – and that it will have an M2 chipset, again matching current models. Its base storage, meanwhile, might sit at 512GB, and it could start with a whopping 16GB of RAM.
Those last two details are higher than the starting configurations of current Pro models, but you can spec exiting models to match, if you’ve got the extra cash.
With the main change seemingly being screen size, there’s a chance that this may not be a new generation of iPad Pro at all, and rather an additional model for the current line.
The other big leak surrounding a future iPad Pro is the possible switch to an OLED screen. This would arguably be better than the mini-LED currently used by the iPad Pro 12.9, and certainly better than the IPS LCD display used by the iPad Pro 11.
That said, while we’ve heard a number of times that this change is coming, the consensus seems to be that Apple’s OLED iPad Pros won’t be arriving until 2024. The latest rumors suggest that Apple is working on a 14.1-inch OLED iPad Pro with a super-fast M3 Pro chipset, and while that suggestion fits with Ross Young’s aforementioned claims regarding a 14-inch iPad Pro arriving some time in the future, we think a 2024 ETA for these devices is more likely than 2023.
According with my source Apple would be testing a smaller version of macOS exclusively for the new iPad Pro M2!”Mendocino” should be the codename for macOS 14. A simplified version should be planned for the M2. pic.twitter.com/f4RrainlZ1October 20, 2022
And finally, leaker Majin Bu (opens in new tab) – who has a mixed track record when it comes to predictions – has claimed that Apple is working on a “smaller” version of macOS for the latest iPad Pro models. This would apparently arrive as a software update alongside macOS 14, in late 2023, and would make the interface a lot more like that of a Mac, while still allowing the slates to run iPad apps.
While we’d take this with a pinch of salt, Apple has clearly been trying to bridge the gap between tablets and laptops for a while, so it’s certainly possible that this will happen, and if it does, we’re sure to see this operating system on the next iPad Pro.
Beyond the leaks, we can also take some educated guesses at possible changes. The next iPad Pro might use the as-yet-unannounced M3 chipset, for example – of the sort rumored for Apple’s aforementioned OLED iPad Pro models – since that would be a step up from the current M2 SoC. Though that will depend on when the next models launch.
There’s a chance Apple will also move the selfie camera to one of the long edges of the slate, since that makes it more useful in a landscape orientation, which is how iPads tend to be positioned – especially for video calls. The company actually already did this with the iPad 10.9 (2022), but not with the latest iPad Pros.
The issue it would have to solve is the Apple Pencil charger, as that currently sits on the same edge as the camera would want to be, and there’s probably not room for both. So, we might have to see more extensive design changes for the iPad Pro to allow for this switch.
Check back regularly for the latest developments surrounding the iPad Pro 2023 and in the meantime, check out our rundown of the best iPads. If you’re already looking to buy one of Apple’s tablets, our constantly-updated collection of the best iPad deals is a good place to start.
