New iPad Pros and iPad Air are getting bigger but slimmer
The next-generation iPad Pro 2024 and iPad Air 6 could be bigger yet thinner than their predecessors and are expected to launch this year.
That’s according to 9to5Mac’s sources, who reportedly tipped the publication off to the actual dimensions of a trio of new iPads, one of which is expected to be a new 12.9-inch iPad Air. The latter would provide an option for a large-screen Apple tablet, without having to spend a lot of the money for a high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
According to 9to5Mac, the dimensions of the supposedly upcoming iPads will be as follows, as opposed to the sizes of the current models:
- 2022 11-inch iPad Pro: 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm
- Rumors about the new 11-inch iPad Pro: 249.7 x 177.5 x 5.1 mm
- 2022 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm
- Rumors about the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 281.5 x 215.5 x 5.0 mm
- Rumors about the new 12.9-inch iPad Air: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.0 mm
Bigger but thinner
Based on 9to5Mac’s figures, the 2024 iPad Pro models will be slightly larger than their predecessors, likely adding a bit more potential vertical screen real estate, but also slimmer overall. The reason for this reduction has been placed on rumors of OLED screens for the tablets, which would replace the LCD and mini-LED options available for the current Pro iPads.
OLED screens for the iPad Pros have been touted for a while, and it seems likely that we’ll finally see high-end iPads adopt the screen technology this year; After all, OLED screens can already be found in some of the best Android tablets.
But it’s the rumored 12.9-inch iPad Air that caught my attention. While the current iPad Air offers a decent 10.9-inch screen, the display can feel a little cramped compared to similarly priced tablets from Windows and Android versions with screens of around 12 inches.
A larger iPad Air could still be priced competitively, yet offer a bit more practical screen space for people who plan to use it as a productivity device but don’t need the full power of the iPad Pro’s high-end specs. And I’d expect the next iPad Air to use an M2 or M3 chip, both of which are very capable and could make a next-generation Air a real workhorse that can still pull double duty for watching your favorite shows . when it’s 5:30 p.m.
That could of course affect the iPad Pro’s position as a professional tablet. So I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple finds a way to equip the next-generation Pros with more powerful M3 chips, say the M3 Pro; this could enable faster editing of things like video pulled straight from an SD card or serve as a touch-friendly code composition engine.
At this point, we’re expecting new iPads to arrive sometime in the second quarter of the year, aka Spring for those in the Northern Hemisphere. Since the changes to the iPads aren’t expected to be major, their unveiling could come via a minor Apple update, with Cupertino saving its big showcases for the Worldwide Developers Conference likely to take place sometime in June.
If you can’t wait and want a new iPad today, check out our list of the best iPads because you really can’t go wrong with either choice.