iPad Air 4 Said to Launch in March 2021 With A14 Processor, iPad Pro Update Possibly Next Month

[MacRumors]

Apple will launch the iPad Air 4 in March 2021 with an A14 processor, according to Chinese site MyDrivers.

According to "foreign sources," the report corroborates previous rumors that Apple will bring the iPad Air 4 much closer to the current iPad Pro in terms of design and features. The iPad Air 4 will reportedly have a smart connector on its rear to support the new Magic Keyboard. It is also apparently set to transition from the Lightning Connector to USB-C, and feature four stereo speakers.

The report alleges that the iPad Air 4 will be equipped with an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, and offer storage configurations of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. It is possible that this speculated 11-inch screen size is in fact 10.8-inches, as reported by supply chain analyst Ming Chi Kuo. In either case, the iPad Air 4 looks to have a larger screen size and significantly reduced bezels.

Currently, each of these features are reserved for the iPad Pro only. The iPad Air fills the mid-market gap between the high-end iPad Pro and the entry-level iPad, but the new device will supposedly begin at a higher starting price of $649, $150 more than the current iPad Air 3.

The report also claims that an updated iPad Pro could arrive as soon as next month, presumably alongside new iPhones at Apple's usual fall event. Rumors have however been mixed on when an updated iPad Pro sporting Mini-LED technology may arrive, with the earliest projections claiming this fall, and the latest claiming the first half of 2021.

Article Link: iPad Air 4 Said to Launch in March 2021 With A14 Processor, iPad Pro Update Possibly Next Month

 

[4look4rd]

RIP anyone that bought the 2020 iPad Pro. That version should have been released only as a dev kit for AR cameras, almost no benefit over the 2018.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Bring it! Can't wait to see the iPad mini refresh. Or an iPad mini Pro so I don't have to use a different Pencil.

 

[Scottsoapbox]

If the iPad Air gets all of these Pro features, why would anyone buy the 11" Pro?

 

[xxray]

So they’d basically be selling the iPad Pro 11” as an Air. Makes no sense. And not a reputable source.

 

[PlayUltimate]

sigh, bought in March. Oh well, still happy and we will see.

 

[iHack13]

I hope my iPad Pro 2018 Model wont be obsolete soon.
I wont buy a new iPad Pro , if macOS Big Sur comes to the iPad Pros and the 2018 model wont be supported.
Kind of worried that Apple's move earlier this year might be an indication for that. ("oh crap. 4GB isnt enough. all models need 6GB at least")

Also: Lets be honest. The iPad Pro doesnt live up to its name. We are still waiting for the "Pro" experience.

 

[cmaier]

I hope my iPad Pro 2018 Model wont be obsolete soon.
I wont buy a new iPad Pro , if macOS Big Sur comes to the iPad Pros and the 2018 model wont be supported.
Kind of worried that Apple's move earlier this year might be an indication for that. ("oh crap. 4GB isnt enough. all models need 6GB at least")

Big Sur is not coming to any ipads.

 

[GeoStructural]

RIP anyone that bought the 2020 iPad Pro. That version should have been released only as a dev kit for AR cameras, almost no benefit over the 2018.

It is iPad 3 all over again.

 

[Rychiar]

just here to chime in again and say the "air" moniker no longer makes any sense and should be retired

 

[jmgregory1]

Looking forward to a new, new iPad Pro this fall. I don’t really care if it uses a mini-LED screen, or sticks with the existing LCD, but I would like to get the updated chip and 5G support.

 

[GeoStructural]

Big Sur is not coming to any ipads.

How can you be so sure? Apple said so during the keynote but it does look like they are merging the OSes.

 

[nicho]

If the iPad Air gets all of the Pro features, why would anyone buy the (same size) Pro?

It would make sense if the 11" iPad Pro is set for the chop, leaving only a larger iPad Pro with more thermal headroom for future AxxX processors?

There's talk of the current MBA and base MBP overlapping and potential streamlining. What if Apple have decided Big = Pro and combine all three of their 13" into one as the new MacBook Air?

 

[GeoStructural]

just here to chime in again and say the "air" moniker no longer makes any sense and should be retired

The Air moniker no longer makes sense and should be retired.

 

[thadoggfather]

I actually like the mockup! Hybrid of new + old style iPads

 

[iHack13]

Big Sur is not coming to any ipads.

The iPad Pro now has a Keyboard with a trackpad.
Apple is switching to ARM.
The devkit is powered by an A12Z from the iPad Pro 2020.

How can you be so sure that it wont come to the ipad pros?

 

[mazz0]

Rumors have however been mixed on when an updated iPad Pro sporting micro-LED technology may arrive, with the earliest projections claiming this fall, and the latest claiming the first half of 2021.

I thought we were expecting Mini-LED, not Micro-LED? It's a far bigger difference than the name suggests, no pun intended.

 

[dapa0s]

Well why did I buy a new ipad pro in april this year? Thanks, tim apple!

 

[oneMadRssn]

If the iPad Air gets all of these Pro features, why would anyone buy the 11" Pro?

Because the 11" Pro will likely also receive updates that the Air won't have. That's how it usually works. What was flagship last year becomes midrange this year, and the flagship model gets some new stuff.

 

[cmaier]

How can you be so sure? Apple said so during the keynote but it does look like they are merging the OSes.

Because (1) apple said so; (2) they are not at all merging the OSes; (3) NO ipads have enough memory to support that; (4) there have been zero rumors to that effect; (5) the code base, which all developers can see, has zero indications of anything like that.

 

[Hattig]

I imagine that the iPad next month will be using an A14X, and the low-end Macs (Macbook non-pro, Mac Mini) this year will also use that processor, rather than a dedicated piece of Apple Silicon for Macs - which will come for the more powerful Macs next year.

Could be wrong of course, maybe Apple has A14, A14X and AS1 (Apple Silicon 1) chips coming this year, and AS1X for MB Pro & iMac for next year.

 

[Spock]

The iPad Pro now has a Keyboard with a trackpad.
Apple is switching to ARM.
The devkit is powered by an A12Z from the iPad Pro 2020.

How can you be so sure that it wont come to the ipad pros?

Because iPadOS is for the iPad and MacOS is for the Mac?

 

[mazz0]

RIP anyone that bought the 2020 iPad Pro. That version should have been released only as a dev kit for AR cameras, almost no benefit over the 2018.

I don't understand this argument at all. So what if it wasn't a big improvement over the 2018? People could buy it without already owning a 2018.

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

I hope my iPad Pro 2018 Model wont be obsolete soon.
I wont buy a new iPad Pro , if macOS Big Sur comes to the iPad Pros and the 2018 model wont be supported.
Kind of worried that Apple's move earlier this year might be an indication for that. ("oh crap. 4GB isnt enough. all models need 6GB at least")

Also: Lets be honest. The iPad Pro doesnt live up to its name. We are still waiting for the "Pro" experience.

Big Sur is not coming to any ipads.

How can you be so sure? Apple said so during the keynote but it does look like they are merging the OSes.

If Big Sur was coming to iPad they would have announced it. macOS runs on Macs, iPadOS runs on iPad. Nothing indicates that this is going to change in the near future.

 

[progx]

Looking forward to the iPad Air. I'll be upgrading my 2018 9.7" iPad to this model once it arrives.