Apple is reportedly set to expand its iPad Air lineup, with new versions of the tablet that will include a 12.9-inch model. Until now, this size was only available in the iPad Pro range. Ross Young, a long-time supply chain analyst, said https://twitter.com/DSCCRoss/status/1780968254808461341 Thursday that Apple was preparing a new 12.9-inch iPad Air and that it would use “leftover panels” from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Apple markets these displays under the name “Liquid Retina XDR,” a name similar to the Pro Display .
The news about the iPad Air’s mini-LED displays comes amid growing rumors about upcoming iPad updates, which are expected to arrive next month. Every iPad line is expected to receive an update this year, which has never happened before.
A 12.9-inch iPad Air with mini LED screen and more
One of the main developments is expected to include improvements to the iPad Pro, which starts at €1,069 for an 11-inch screen and €1,469 for a 12-inch screen. Apple reportedly plans to replace its current screen technology with OLED displays, known for their low power consumption while offering deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. The iPad Air would then naturally use the mini-LED technology well known for its 12.9-inch range, but hopefully at a lower price than the equivalent iPad Pro.
Later this year, Apple is also expected to release new iPhones. The new devices, likely called iPhone 16, are expected to have thinner bezels and a larger screen size for the Pro and Pro Max versions. Additionally, entry-level iPhones will feature last year’s action button instead of a mute button.
Between the expected launch of the iPad in May and the iPhone in September, Apple is also expected to introduce significant software improvements for these devices this summer. The latest software versions will likely be called iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 when they are announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
The updated software will include new artificial intelligence features to compete with the growing popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
