The iPad is a product that's equally loved and criticized: It has loyal fans who love it for what it is and use it for everything from work to passion projects to entertainment. But it has its detractors, mainly those who feel the experience is limited due to the operating system's lack of features.
While Apple rarely seems to cater to the whims of its critics, it has made some iterative changes to the iPad over the years: Before Apple refined its multitasking capabilities, iPadOS used to be an undeniably "tablet" experience, not once, But twice. Coupled with mouse and trackpad support, the iPad can be used as a computer replacement.
It's been a while since Apple made many fundamental changes to the iPad's overall design: the Pro model's design is nearly identical to the one released in 2018, minus the 12.9-inch Pro's mini-LED display. However, this year's iPad lineup could see some big changes, both in terms of hardware and software.
Apple's new iPad
Rumors about the iPad have been circulating for months, but they're only getting more serious as Apple's big iPad event approaches next week.
For example, famous Apple reporter Mark Gurman's latest Bloomberg report introduced the highlights of Apple's iPad demonstration: The star of the show was the iPad Pro. Apple is switching from a mini-LED display on the 12.9-inch Pro (and standard LCD on the 11-inch Pro) to OLED. This is the first time Apple has used this display technology on an iPad, but it's better late than never: On an OLED display, each pixel can light up individually, meaning they can be turned off completely in dark scenes. Contrast is not comparable to LCDs with a single solid backlight, and is an improvement over mini-LEDs: which use many dimming zones to improve contrast, but have the side effect of haloing, or the appearance of white areas in surrounding dark areas image.
In addition to the display upgrade, there are rumors that these iPads may be the first to feature Apple's upcoming M4 chip, which may power many of Apple's upcoming artificial intelligence features. (At least, the ones that aren't outsourced to OpenAI or Google.) Perhaps the 2024 iPad Pro will usher in Apple's long-awaited AI strategy. We just have to see.
While the OLED iPad is sure to grab the headlines, the iPad Air is also getting an upgrade: Gurman expects Apple to launch a new 12.9-inch version of the Air for those who want a larger iPad without paying Pro price. The standard 10.9-inch model will also suit anyone who prefers the Air's traditional form factor, and both are expected to feature Apple's M2 chip. So this isn't a tablet for AI or the best contrast ratio, but it's probably the best tablet most people would consider.
Some new accessories for the new iPad
Of course, what's an iPad without some extra (expensive) accessories? Gurman expects Apple to launch new versions of Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. The new pencils will come with haptic feedback, which is something I support: These are tiny vibrations you feel in certain technologies, which provide some physical feedback every time an action is completed. It's unclear how Apple plans to implement this into the new Pencil, but it would be cool if they came into play when drawing, erasing, or selecting items on the screen.
The new Magic Keyboard also sounds like an improvement: It will reportedly use more durable materials, such as aluminum, and make the iPad "look more like a laptop." While I'm a fan of the current Magic Keyboard, it does feel quite flimsy compared to other Apple products. There are other areas of improvement I'd like to see: the main keyboard is nice, but I wish Apple increased the size of the trackpad and added a row of function keys. Honestly, if all they did was add brightness and volume controls to the keyboard, I'd be a done deal.
The iPad is becoming more and more like a computer
Since the introduction of tablet computers in 2010, people have been hoping to replace Macs and PCs with iPads. While we've come a long way since its original design, there's no denying that the iPad simply can't do everything a traditional computer can. Sure, you can now have up to four windows running simultaneously on your iPhone, and the Magic Keyboard lets you interact with your tablet like a laptop, but you'll continue to hit roadblocks and jump through painful workarounds to get things done that you can't task. Keep it simple on Mac.
Apple still needs to iron out many of these differences, but one big one comes down to apps. Yes, the App Store is full of apps you can discover and download, but it's not the same experience as a computer: On a Mac or PC, you find an interesting app or utility on the web, install it, and then use the On the road. On iPadOS, if Apple doesn't approve an app on the App Store, you can't run it.
That's changing this year, at least in Europe: Apple confirmed on Thursday that it will allow app developers to sell their apps through third-party app stores and websites, following the same path the company has rolled out for iPhones starting with iOS 17.5 rule. While app developers still need to follow Apple's rules and give a percentage of their revenue to the company (it's not a way to circumvent Apple's fees, after all), it gives users more options for downloading apps. choose. This means that the iPhone feels more like Android, while the iPad feels more like a computer: if you see an app online and want to install it directly on your iPad, you can.
Of course, the only reason Apple is doing this is because the European Commission forced them to do so. The EU considers the iPhone and iPad to be "gateway technologies" and must therefore open up their platforms to allow for more competition. Unless we see similar legislation passed in the US, it's unlikely we'll have sideloading on the iPad anytime soon.
That said, this is a reality for European iPad users: while computers still have many small advantages over iPads, this change is another step toward a future where Apple tablets become an all-in-one device for most people. One small step.
New iPads are always fun, but arguably the best part of a product launch is seeing prices drop on older devices. If you want a new iPad but don't want to pay the price of a new iPad, keep an eye out for these iPad prices after Apple's event:
12.9-inch M2 iPad Pro (updated)
11-inch M2 iPad Pro (updated)
iPad Air (5th generation)
