Apple CEO Tim Cook looks at a screen of the all-new redesigned MacBook Air (Photo by Justin … [+]
As Apple prepares to launch a new iPad model after an eighteen-month interval, will the MacBook Pro lose out?
With the launch of the M1 Apple Silicon chipset in 2020 and its subsequent inclusion on the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, Apple disrupted not only its own laptop and desktop business, but also that of the competition. The pressure has been kept up with the release of the M2, and only now, with the near-competitive M3 iteration, are we seeing the potential of ARM-based competitors driven by Qulacomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite.
Yet Apple is poised to shift the public’s attention away from the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The year of the Mac is over, long live the iPad.
With the announcement of its next live event on Tuesday, May 7, Apple has all but confirmed the launch of a new iPad and a new Apple Pencil through the invitation artwork. The iPad line hasn’t seen any new products since October 2022. Two versions of the iPad Air are expected to launch, a 10.9-inch version and a 12.9-inch version.
Two iPad Pro upgrades are also planned, with a move to OLED displays accidentally leaked by Apple.
Apple has always emphasized the role of the iPad family as a replacement for a traditional computer. With a stylus, touchscreen, and keyboard available, the iPad Pro could satisfy the basic needs of consumers who would normally turn to the MacBook Air and Pro models. You’ll be limited to apps that Apple deems safe to list in the iPad’s App Store. These will generally be simplified versions of the applications you can find on the macOS platform; good enough for social media, casual use, and office tools, but don’t expect to be able to expand the iPad platform like with the Mac platform.
With the new iPads arriving, you can expect Apple’s PR team to focus on hardware over the next few months. The power of the iPad, the ability to do everything you need on the go, the power of the hardware and the apps that unlock it…
Apple hopes pent-up demand for a new model will contribute to a successful sales period. It just needs to diminish the promises of the MacBook.
Now read the latest headlines on iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro in Forbes’ weekly Apple roundup…
