According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple could release the new iPad Air, iPad Pro and MacBook Air "around the end of March." He said in today's Power On newsletter that the new iPad Pro model and at least one new 13-inch MacBook Air are already being produced in Apple's Asian supply chain.
Here's what Gurman can expect from the new iPad and Mac, as well as other rumors and changes about the device.
iPad Air
The iPad Air lineup is expected to add a 12.9-inch display size and update a 10.9-inch model.
Rumors and/or possible features of the next-generation iPad Air models include Apple's M2 chip for faster performance, a redesigned rear camera bulge, Wi-Fi 6E support, and Bluetooth 5.3. There won't be much of a change in the exterior design.
The current fifth-generation iPad Air with the M1 chip was released in March 2022.
iPad Pro
The next-generation 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models are expected to be the first iPad to feature an OLED display.
OLED technology will enable the display of the next iPad Pro to have higher brightness, more vivid colors, higher contrast, lower power consumption, and other advantages compared to existing models that use LCD panels. Apple already uses OLED displays in the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models, with the exception of the low-end iPhone SE.
Thanks to the OLED display, the price of the next-generation iPad Pro models is expected to be higher.
iPad Pro models released after 2017 support ProMotion technology, which adjusts the refresh rate between 24Hz and 120Hz. With OLED and LTPO display technology, the refresh rate may be further reduced to 10Hz or below to save battery life. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models can even drop to 1Hz in always-on mode.
Other rumors and/or possible features about the next iPad Pro model include Apple's latest M3 chip for faster performance, MagSafe wireless charging, a redesigned Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and aluminum top case, and a front-facing camera positioned in landscape orientation. The rear camera design may also change, as will the case with the next-generation iPad Air models.
The current iPad Pro model with the M2 chip was released in October 2022.
MacBook Air
Although the current 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models are available a year apart due to production delays, this update should happen at the same time in March of this year. The key new feature of this laptop will be Apple's latest M3 chip.
Next-generation MacBook Air models with the M3 chip will get hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shadows to improve graphics rendering in games, including more accurate lighting, reflections, and shadows. Last year, Apple has updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac to the M3 chip.
There won't be major design changes this year, but the laptop is likely to get support for Wi-Fi 6E like other Macs. Apple last updated the 13-inch MacBook Air in July 2022, while the first 15-inch MacBook Air was released in June 2023.