Several models of the Apple Inc. iPad at the company’s Yeouido store during its opening in Seoul, South Korea, on February 26, 2021.
Photographer: Jean Chung / Bloomberg
Photographer: Jean Chung / Bloomberg
Apple Inc. plans to announce new iPads as early as April, adding to a product line that performed particularly well because people work and study at home, according to people with knowledge of the subject.
The company is planning an upgrade to its iPad Pro line, adding a better processor and cameras, people said. The new models will be similar to the current iPad Pros and will come in the same screen sizes of 11 and 12.9 inches.
The devices will have an updated processor that is on par with the fastest M1 chip on the latest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini. Apple designs these processors and usually manufactures them for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Apple also plans to include a Mini-LED display on at least the larger model, which would be brighter and have better contrast ratios.
In testing, the new iPad Pros used a Thunderbolt connector, the same port as the newer Macs with custom Apple processors. The port does not require new chargers, but it would allow connectivity to additional external monitors, hard drives and other peripherals. It is also faster in data synchronization than the USB-C technology used in current models.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment. The company has yet to announce its first product launch event of the year, so its plans may change.
The iPad generated $ 8.4 billion in revenue for Apple during the important quarter of the 2020 holiday, the largest since 2014. Sales increased with the demand for people who worked and studied at home during the pandemic. As employees and students begin to return to offices and schools in the coming months, Apple will be betting on the new iPad models to maintain interest in the tablet line.
IP WFH Pop
Sales of the Apple tablet increased last year during the Covid-19 pandemic
Source: Data compiled by Bloomberg
The iPad Pro was last update in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, adding an improved processor, support for the magic keyboard with Trackpad case and a scanner handle next to the camera.
Apple plans to update its cheaper student-oriented iPad with a slimmer, lighter design later this year, Bloomberg News reported. It is also preparing to launch a new iPad mini with a larger screen this year, an increase over the 7.9-inch screen used since the first model. The iPad mini was last updated in 2019 with support for the Apple Pencil pen and a faster processor.
Apple has several other product updates planned for this year. The company is working on new iPhones and Apple Watches, an accessory to track the location of physical objects, and major updates for the MacBook Pro laptop and iMac desktop.