IPad Will Change This Year
The iPad is a product loved and criticized in equal measure, with loyal fans who love it for what it is and use it for everything from work, passion projects, to entertainment. But it also has its detractors, mainly those who consider it limited due to an insufficiently powerful OS.
While Apple rarely seems to pander to the whims of its critics, it has made some iterative changes to the iPad over the years: iPadOS used to be undeniably a “tablet” product before Apple updated its multitasking features not once , but twice . Add in mouse and trackpad support, and the iPad can be used as a computer replacement.
It’s been a while since Apple made many fundamental changes to the overall design of the iPad, with the Pro models remaining virtually identical in design to the models released back in 2018, with the exception of the Pro’s 12.9-inch Mini-LED display. However, this year could see major changes to the iPad lineup, both in hardware and software.
New iPads from Apple
iPad rumors have been swirling for months , but as Apple’s big iPad event approaches next week, the claims are only getting more serious.
A case in point is a new Bloomberg report from renowned Apple reporter Mark Gurman, which provides highlights from Apple’s iPad presentation: The star of the show is the iPad Pro. Apple is ditching the mini-LED display on the 12.9-inch Pro (as well as the standard LCD display on the 11-inch Pro) in favor of OLED. This is the first time Apple has used this display technology in the iPad, but it’s better late than never: on OLED displays, each pixel can be individually backlit, meaning they can be turned off completely in dark scenes. The contrast is incomparable to an LCD, which is illuminated by a single constant backlight, and it is better than a mini-LED: the latter uses multiple dimming zones to increase contrast, but has the side effect of glowing light or white zones in dark areas around it. image.
In addition to the display upgrade, rumors suggest these iPads could be the first to receive Apple’s new M4 chip , which could be the basis for many of Apple’s future artificial intelligence features . (At least the ones not outsourced to OpenAI or Google .) Perhaps the 2024 iPad Pro will mark Apple’s long-awaited AI strategy. We’ll just have to see.
While the OLED iPad will certainly be in the headlines, the iPad Air will also get an upgrade: Gurman expects Apple to introduce a new 12.9-inch version of the Air for those who want a larger iPad without paying Pro prices. A standard 10.9-inch screen will also be available for anyone who likes the Air’s traditional form factor, and both are expected to be powered by Apple’s M2 chip. So, these aren’t tablets for AI or better contrast, but probably the best tablets for most people.
A few new accessories for your new iPad
Of course, what would an iPad be without additional (expensive) accessories? Gurman expects Apple to introduce new versions of the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. The new Pencil will feature haptic feedback, and I’m all for it: those tiny vibrations you feel in certain technologies that provide some physical feedback as you perform an action. It’s unclear how Apple plans to implement this in the new Pencil, but it would be cool if they were used when drawing, erasing, or selecting items on the screen.
The new Magic Keyboard also appears to be a step forward: it will reportedly use more durable materials such as aluminum and make the iPad “more laptop-like.” While I’m a fan of the current Magic Keyboard , it feels quite flimsy compared to other Apple products. There are other areas where I’d like to see improvement: The main keyboard is good, but I hope Apple increases the size of the trackpad and adds a row of function keys. Honestly, if only they added brightness and volume controls to the keyboard, I’d be thrilled.
The iPad is becoming more like a computer
People have been wanting to replace their Macs and PCs with iPads since the tablet launched in 2010. And while we’ve come a long way since that original design, there’s no denying that the iPad simply can’t do everything a traditional computer can. Sure, your iPhone can now have up to four windows running at once, and the Magic Keyboard lets you interact with your tablet just like you would a laptop, but you’ll continue to run into obstacles and go through painful workarounds to accomplish tasks that would be easier on a Mac .
Apple still has a lot of these differences to iron out, but one of them comes down to apps. Yes, the App Store is full of applications that you can find and download, but it is not the same as on a computer: on a Mac or PC, you can find an interesting application or utility on the Internet, install it and enjoy it on your way. On iPadOS, if Apple hasn’t approved an app in the App Store, you don’t run it.
That’s changing this year, at least in Europe: Apple confirmed Thursday it will allow app developers to sell their apps through third-party app stores and websites, following the same rules it introduced for the iPhone starting with iOS 17.5 . While app developers will still have to play by Apple’s rules and give the company a percentage of their income (it’s not a way to bypass Apple’s fees, after all), it gives users more options regarding where they can download their apps. This means that the iPhone is more like Android and the iPad is 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 is forcing them to do it. The EU views iPhones and iPads as ” access control technologies ” and should therefore open up its platforms to allow more competition. Unless we see similar legislation passed in the US, it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing sideloading on the iPad anytime soon.
However, this is the reality for European iPad owners: while computers still have many small advantages over the iPad, this change is another small step towards a future in which Apple’s tablet can become an all-in-one device for most people.
New iPads are always fun, but perhaps the best part of the product release is the price drop on older devices. If you want a new iPad but don’t want to pay for a new iPad, keep an eye on the prices of these iPads after the Apple event: