After the launch of a new iPad Air with an M1 chip, upgrading the iPad Pro seems like the logical next step for Apple. And Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has revealed that Apple is indeed working on the next-gen iPad Pro with a new chipset. As per his “Power On” newsletter, Apple will upgrade its iPad Pro lineup by adding a new M2 processor under the hood. The device could be launched this fall.
Continuing his previous reporting of Apple planning “the wildest array of new hardware products in its history” for the fall of 2022, Gurman has speculated that the iPad Pro will be part of Apple’s 2022 hardware product lineup. As MacRumors points out, the new iPad Pro models have launched in March 2016, June 2017, October 2018, March 2020, and April 2021 – pointing toward a 13 to 16 months update time frame. However, this time around, Apple could take up to 19 months to introduce the next-gen iPad Pro lineup.
The presence of M2 chip means that the upcoming iPad Pro would be more powerful than the current MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, both of which are also due for an update soon. The chipset is expected to have the same 8-core CPU as the M1, but it will get speed and efficiency boosts with TSMC’s 4-nanometer process. Apple M2 chip could also come with additional GPU cores, with 9- and 10-core GPU options, as compared to the 7- and 8-core GPU options in the M1 chip.
Apart from a new processor, the next iPad Pro could come equipped with MagSafe charging for magnetic wireless charging like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series. While there is no rumor pointing toward it, we speculate Apple bringing the mini-LED display to the 11-inch iPad Pro to further distinguish it from the M1 iPad Air.
A new more powerful iPad Pro will continue to set Apple’s products apart from Qualcomm-powered competitors made by Samsung and Microsoft. While Apple has often set itself apart by way of software support, the company’s hardware has in recent years simply been too powerful for rivals to keep up with. If true, this year will be no different. For people who want the absolute best tablets, Apple may yet remain a top choice.
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