The first Apple event of the new year is coming up. Apple is expected to present the long-awaited iPad Pro, iPad Air and new iPad accessories later this month. That is also allowed after a year without new iPad models.
It is not yet clear whether Apple will announce more products and services. We may also expect a new MacBook Air and Mac mini with M3 chip. We may also see an upgrade for the other iPad models, but that may not be expected until this fall.
March event date
For the time being, Apple has not yet announced when the first event of 2024 will take place. If we look at recent years, there is a good chance that Apple will hold this on March 12, 19 or 26, 2024. As soon as the announcement is official, you can read it here on appletips. Below you can view the recent history of the March events.
- March 8, 2022: “Peak Performance” including new iPhone SE, Mac Studio and Studio Display.
- April 20, 2021: “Spring Loaded” including 24-inch iMac, AirTag and iPad Pro.
- March 25, 2019: “It’s show time” focused on services including Apple Card, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade
- March 27, 2018: “Let’s take a field trip” in Chicago focused on education and the iPad.
Apple event expectations
Below is an overview of the products that Apple will most likely announce during the special event. These are expected in stores a week later.
2024 the year of the iPad
Remarkably, Apple has not launched a single new iPad in 2023, not even a minor update for the entry-level model or specification improvements for the iPad Air. This is not surprising, because most iPad models are fairly complete and require little innovation.
Still, we can expect a major update for all iPad models this year. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says he expects Apple to overtake the past year in 2024 and revamp its entire iPad lineup. Also Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman confirms these rumors.
iPad Pro with OLED display
Most likely, the new generation iPad Pro will have a modified design. Don’t expect a brand new design, but rather adjustments to the current model. This includes thinner screen edges and possibly a relocation of the TrueDepth camera at the front.
Currently, the 11-inch iPad Pro has an LCD Liquid Retina display and the 12.9-inch model has a Liquid Retina XDR display made from miniLED. According to rumors, both models will make the switch to OLED.
Last fall, Apple unveiled the M3 chip for Mac and it is expected that the new generation of iPad Pro will also use it. Like the A17 Pro for iPhone 15 Pro (Max), the M3 chip is designed using a 3nm manufacturing process.
In addition, more innovations are expected, such as MagSafe. You can read all the rumors and leaked details in the highlighted article below.
iPad Air in two sizes
The iPad Air is the ‘cheaper’ brother of the 11-inch iPad Pro and has a similar design, but in happier colors and a single camera. Apple may want to expand the 6th generation of the iPad Air with a new screen size in the first quarter of 2024. In addition to 10.9-inch, the company also wants to offer a 12.9-inch version, an alternative to the large iPad Pro.
The iPad Air will still use LCD screen panels, but it may feature a new panel for better performance. The processor will also be upgraded to an M2 or M3 chip.
New iPad accessories
Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to introduce new Magic Keyboards for iPad. These would have a sturdier aluminum frame, making Apple’s tablet look more like a MacBook. There is also talk of a new Apple Pencil 3rd generation, but what will be updated is still unclear. Previously there was talk of a shiny design with interchangeable tips.
Entry-level iPad and iPad mini
Finally, Apple will also renew the iPad mini and the entry-level iPad model (10.2-inch), probably in the fall of 2024. However, this update will be limited to improved specifications, such as a faster processor. A new design is not expected.
MacBook Air with M3 chip
Last year, Apple launched the brand new 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip. Its smaller brother was already equipped with this processor in the summer of 2022. We can most likely expect a new MacBook Air with M3 chip later this year.
It is not yet clear whether these Mac models will be released in the spring or during WWDC 2024. Besides a faster chip, no spectacular changes are expected.
Mac mini with M3 chip
Just like the MacBook Air, the Mac mini is also expected to be equipped with an M3 chip. Just like with the current version, you can choose between the standard model and an extended version with the M3 Pro chip. No other innovations are expected at this time.
Other announcements
It is almost certain that Apple will announce new iPads during the event, but there are also rumors that point to other products that we may expect this year. It remains to be seen whether this will be immediately during the spring event. Below an overview.
- New color for iPhone 15 (Plus)
- New colors for Apple accessories
- Minor update for HomePod mini
- HomePod with display
- Mac Studio with M3 Ultra chip
- AirPods Max second generation
- AirPods 4th generation
- AirPods Pro 3rd generation