With iPads leading the way and AI teasing, this could be the strangest Apple event ever and I’m 100% for it
It’s finally time for the iPad to shine. After a long hiatus between updates, it looks like Apple’s iPad lineup will get more than a major update and design refresh during the May 7 “Let Loose” event. It could unlikely be the showcase for the latest piece of Apple Silicon and Apple’s Generative AI strategy.
There’s a lot that’s unusual about this May 2024 Apple iPad event. First, the meeting will be held early in the morning on May 7, starting at 7 a.m. PT in Apple’s hometown of California. Apple usually starts events hours later in the morning, Pacific Time.
Second, it’s a virtual event, but Apple is calling this, what I expect is a pre-recorded video presentation, a “Keynote.” Keynotes are usually the first speech in a larger, ongoing event. As far as I know, there’s nothing going on other than what Apple CEO Tim Cook and his cohorts deliver in what’s expected to be a 35-minute presentation: according to Mark Gurman of reliable leaker Bloomberg.
Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) is now just over a month away, but Apple has apparently chosen this iPad event to unveil a new piece of Apple Silicon: the M4 chip.
But wait, it gets even weirder.
A completely different event
Most rumors place the new M4 in Apple’s expected high-end iPad Pro 12.4-inch tablet (just one of several expected new iPads with a pair of new iPad Air tablets).
Apple normally introduces Apple Silicon updates to its popular Mac line. The Apple M3 chip appeared earlier this year in the iMac, MacBook Pro 14 and then the excellent MacBook Air 13. Similarly, the MacBook Air, Mini and MacBook Pro launched in 2020 with various flavors of the OG Apple M1, before Apple Silicon showed up in the iPad Pro in 2021 and the iPad Air the following year.
That’s not all. There are indications that Apple could preview its AI approach on the iPad Pro, a reasonable assumption given that most believe Apple is devising generative AI on the device via the expected M4 chip.
Perhaps this is just a taste. Seriously, how much would Apple reveal about its AI strategy at its developer conference so soon, in just over a month? Whatever Apple shows on the iPad, Tim Cook recently made it clear that Apple’s AI intentions extend far beyond a single device. As he told investors during Apple’s earnings call last week, “We see generative AI as a very important opportunity for our products and believe we have advantages that differentiate us.”
Apple Genative AI isn’t just an iPad, Mac or iPhone game. It may be a broad and strategic shift in focus that will support the Apple ecosystem.
But let’s get back to Tuesday’s Apple Event.
Gain an edge over the competition
If all these things are true, Apple will suddenly pull the iPad firmly back into the spotlight and entrust it with the launch of its latest custom CPU and Apple AI. It’s a big vote of confidence and a lot of responsibility for a somewhat ignored product category that, at least on the sales side, has failed a bit in recent years.
Speaking of which, Apple also promised in the earnings call that iPad sales would grow by double digits in the next quarter. That’s likely confirmation that this is an iPad event and that Apple will offer more than just a lightweight update.
While I’m surprised that Apple is introducing new chips and AI features into its product line in a somewhat backwards manner, it also makes sense. Between now and WWDC 2024, both Microsoft and Google will be hosting major events, Microsoft Build and Google I/O, which should tell us a lot about their ongoing efforts in generative AI. Those companies have a huge advantage over Apple.
In addition, Microsoft is expected to launch new Surface tablets with Qualcomm chips, such as the Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite. These mobile CPUs stand out for their efficiency and performance, especially in AI tasks, according to Qualcomm. Qualcomm already claims its chips beat Apple’s M3.
The best way for Apple to steal the thunder from Qualcomm, Microsoft and Google is to pre-announce an AI-sporting Apple M4 and show off a bit of its Apple AI before the first Qualcomm system is released, before Microsoft unveils major Copilot updates for Windows 12, and before Google impresses us with even more Gemini tricks.
Seen in that light, the rumors about Apple’s plans are not that surprising at all. The iPad gets a boost that sets it up for a strong 2024, Apple fans and potential switchers see another generational leap in the M4’s performance, and we finally learn how Apple plans to rule the AI-obsessed world.