Forget flowers, this spring will be all about M3 iPads and Macs
Since it follows the winter months, spring is often thought of as a season of awakening. And it looks like Apple is hoping for a bit of spring influence on iPad and Mac sales, as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is planning to release new iPads and an M3 MacBook Air by the end of March.
The iPad Air, which was last updated in March 2022, will reportedly see the biggest change, with Apple launching a new 12.9-inch model to go along with the 10.9-inch version. Gurman did not mention any other updates to the iPad Air, but we can assume it will get a new chip as well, either the M2 or M3.
At the higher end, the iPad Pro models will get a major update to its displays. Gurman says Apple will replace both the LED screen in the 11-inch model and the mini-LED screen in the 12.9-inch model with OLED screens that offer a wider range of colors. Additionally, the M2 chip in both Pro models will be upgraded to the M3, which made its debut in the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
To go along with the new iPad Pro, Gurman reports that Apple is “preparing revamped versions of the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard accessories.” The news of a revamped Apple Pencil is a bit surprising since Apple recently released a new USB-C Apple Pencil, though the Pro model with wireless charging hasn’t been updated since 2018. (Gurman does not clarify if the “revamped” Pencil will be in addition to the three other Pencils Apple offers, or if it will replace any of them, though it seems likely to be a replacement for the 2nd-gen model and possibly the 1st-gen too if Apple ditches the last remaining Lightning Pencil.) As for the new Magic Keyboard, Gurman says it “will make the iPad Pro look more like a laptop and include a sturdier frame with aluminum.”
To top off the spring announcements, Apple will update the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with the M3 chip. Apple introduced the M3 with the 14-inch MacBook Pro back in October.
iPad and Mac sales have been down in Apple’s recent quarterly fiscal results. Apple released new M3-based MacBook Pros and a new iMac for the holiday sales season, which could boost Mac sales for the current quarter, but none of Apple’s iPads have been updated in over a year. Apple regularly releases new products in the spring, but Apple’s recent sales numbers have put new focus on the company’s release schedule and how it can boost sales.
As for the rest of 2024, Gurman reports that Apple could unveil the Vision Pro “early next year.” Later in 2024, we could see an Apple Watch with blood pressure sensing, a new iPad mini, a new low-end iPad, revamped USB-C AirPods, and “larger upscale iPhones.”