The refresh will be the first for the iPad Pro line in roughly one and a half years. All variants of the current generation iPad Pro utilize the M1 chip, which is comprised of an eight-core CPU (four performance cores and four efficiency cores) alongside an eight-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. The slate can be configured with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of onboard storage. Gurman believes the new iPads will look similar to the existing lineup, with the flat edge design sticking around for another cycle. Apple’s recently released iPhone 14 family uses the same design language.
Apple is also expected to release iPadOS 16.1, the first iPad version of iOS 16, next week. The release could be timed with the launch of the new iPads and will almost certainly happen before October 27 when Apple hosts its quarterly earnings call. In related news, Apple is also said to be working on a new entry-level iPad with a USB-C port. The revised slate will additionally receive the iPad Pro’s flat edge treatment, bringing it more in line with Apple’s premium lineup. The entry-level iPad typically only gets a processor bump, meaning this will mark a significant update to the line. The new iPads are expected to launch on Apple’s website without the fanfare that comes with a dedicated press event. That is likely due in part to the fact that they will deliver par for the course spec bumps and previously-seen designs. Apple may also want to save its marketing zest for the Reality Pro headset in 2023. Image credit: Daniel Romero
