After months – no, years! – full of speculation, Apple has finally set a date for the launch of its new iPads.
The company has started inviting members of the media to a “special Apple Event” on May 7 at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST, and while new iPads aren’t mentioned by name in the invite itself, it shows the accompanying illustration the Apple Pencil, which is a good sign that iPad-related announcements are on the agenda.
The main reveal is expected to be a new iPad Pro, which is expected to arrive with a super-large OLED display, an updated M3 chipset and a relocated front camera. Two iPad Air 6 models (including a larger 12.9-inch size) and a new Apple Pencil also seem likely, and we could even see Apple debut a new Magic Keyboard.
In the X-message below, Apple CEO Tim Cook writes “Pencil us in for May 7!”, which is as close to confirming a new Apple Pencil as we could have hoped for. The static invite image above doesn’t portend any major changes for this particular product, but the graphical version looks a little shorter, which would align with recent rumors. Other expected changes include a glossier surface and magnetic, interchangeable tips. The fact that the Apple Pencil is the star of the event must mean something, right?
Register us before May 7! ✏️ #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/1tvyB7h450April 23, 2024
As for iPads, Apple’s invite marks the end of the longest wait for new iPad models since the company began producing iPads in 2010; The last new iPad to hit shelves was the iPad 10.9 (2022) in October 2022.
It was previously thought that new iPad Pros and iPad Airs would be released on March 26, but Bloomberg’s Apple expert Mark Gurman reported that complications in the production of OLED displays led to shipping delays.
Instead, it now appears that new iPads will be released on May 7, which, by the way, is just a few weeks before Apple’s annual developer conference, WWDC 2024, kicks off on June 10.
If you’re an Apple fan, the coming months are looking very tasty indeed.