Top Stories: Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event With New iPads and More Expected

[MacRumors]

New iPads are coming, and Apple is holding a virtual event to introduce them! While it appears likely to be a relatively short video event, we should be seeing new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, some new accessories, and perhaps some additional surprises.

Other Apple news and rumors this week included word that Apple is FINALLY planning to introduce a native Calculator app for the iPad later this year, the release of a fresh round of betas for iOS 17.5 and related operating system updates, and perhaps the end of the road coming for Apple's FineWoven accessories, so read on below for details on these stories and more!

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7

Apple this week announced that it will be holding its first event of the year on Tuesday, May 7, at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time). During the event, Apple is expected to unveil new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, along with updated Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard accessories. As always, there could be other surprises in store too.

The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and includes an artistic render of an Apple Pencil. The event will be streamed on Apple.com and on YouTube, and we will have full coverage of everything announced.

Tim Cook Hints at New Apple Pencil

Just moments after Apple announced its "Let Loose" event taking place on May 7, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at a new Apple Pencil.

"Pencil us in for May 7," said Cook, in a post shared on social media platform X.

The next-generation Apple Pencil is rumored to feature a new "squeeze" gesture for certain actions, and it may support Apple's Vision Pro headset starting with visionOS 2 later this year.

Apple Finally Plans to Release a Calculator App for iPad Later This Year

Apple is finally planning a Calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years after launching the device, according to a source familiar with the matter.

iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the update, which should be widely released in September.

A revamped Calculator app for macOS 15 will likely be based on the iPad app.

Apple Seeds Third Beta of iOS 17.5 to Developers

Apple this week made the third betas of iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 available to developers and members of its public beta program for testing.

iOS 17.5 introduces the ability to download select iPhone apps via the web in the EU, adds a new Quartiles game for Apple News+ subscribers in select countries, and hints at new iPad and Apple Pencil features.

FineWoven Accessories May Get One Last Outing Before Apple Pulls Plug

A leaker this week claimed that Apple had stopped production of FineWoven accessories following poor reviews from customers, but they later said that Apple may offer the accessories in one final set of new colors before discontinuing them for good.

FineWoven is a fabric material that Apple introduced after it announced that it would no longer make leather accessories for the iPhone and other devices. Customers have complained about FineWoven accessories being prone to scratches and stains.

Apple Vision Pro Customer Interest Dying Down at Some Retail Stores

Apple launched its Vision Pro headset in the U.S. in early February, but a recent report claims that customer interest in the device has dramatically slowed.

Apple said it will release the Vision Pro in additional countries later this year, and that will likely include the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, China, Singapore, and South Korea.

Vision Pro starts at $3,499, limiting customer demand for the device, but a less-expensive model will likely be released in the future.

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Article Link: Top Stories: Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event With New iPads and More Expected

 

[I7guy]

Let’s see what the new iPads has to offer.

 

[lkrupp]

I would love to hear a logical explanation of why the iPad does not have a Calculator app included. Macs and iPhones have had one for a very long time. Weird.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Wow what innovation. Finally figured out how to make a calculator app for the iPad. I’m amazed and excited.

 

[AppleTO]

Perhaps the inclusion of a calculator app in iPadOS 18 means that apps will finally be able to be within free floating resizable windows, like Vision Pro. Otherwise, the calculator would be comically large…

 

[mattg3]

So just what we all want--new iPads. What happen to things like 27 inch iMacs or new Apple TV ?

 

[zombierunner]

Let loose your wallet.

 

[Hastings101]

So just what we all want--new iPads. What happen to things like 27 inch iMacs or new Apple TV ?

what is Apple TV missing that you would want? It's already insanely powerful for a streaming box. Voice controls ?

 

[magicschoolbus]

Looking forward to the iPad calculator app available only on the new M3 iPads. The new Apple silicon contains Binary Cell AI dedicated to high processing calculator computations; thus unavailable on prior versions of the iPad. Looking forward to upgrading to take advantage of this feature.

 

[dbo789]

I wouldn't accept another Finewoven accessory if Apple gave it to me for free. What a joke.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Perhaps the inclusion of a calculator app in iPadOS 18 means that apps will finally be able to be within free floating resizable windows, like Vision Pro. Otherwise, the calculator would be comically large…

This is an interesting possibility indeed... but they could make a free floating one just as with notes without making a re sizeable window desktop in general :/

 

[Fuzzball84]

Using the power of the advanced ML architecture has enabled us to create.... iPad calculator.. available XX on all new iPads.

We are so excited to see what you do with iPad Calculator

 

[brofkand]

I would love to hear a logical explanation of why the iPad does not have a Calculator app included. Macs and iPhones have had one for a very long time. Weird.

I can't speak for Apple obviously but I think that Apple chose not to just because blowing up the iPhone calculator was lazy and they didn't want to spend the development effort on anything more.

 

[Fuzzball84]

I can't speak for Apple obviously but I think that Apple chose not to just because blowing up the iPhone calculator was lazy and they didn't want to spend the development effort on anything more.

The development effort would have been miniscule... if it was a cost saving measure... it was the most ridiculous of bean counting ever.

All they had to do was incorporate a calculator into the notes app... either a slide out or floating. As it would have been in the notes app where most people would have made us of it.

 

[brofkand]

The development effort would have been miniscule... if it was a cost saving measure... it was the most ridiculous of bean counting ever.

All they had to do was incorporate a calculator into the notes app... either a slide out or floating. As it would have been in the notes app where most people would have made us of it.

I'm just spitballing. I am talking about in 2009/10 when the iPad software was being finalized and Apple decided which iPhone apps to port over to iPad. My contention is they decided that just blowing up the iPhone version was not what they wanted to do. And yes they could have made pCalc but chose not to for whatever reason. My guess is they just didn't feel it was necessary. Those that needed a calculator could download one from the App Store.

 

[imtoretto]

Apple finally launching a calculator app for the iPad, WOW, that’s innovation right there.
The finewoven cases lineup is an embarrassment for Apple, something should have never be in talks to begin with.
AVP was already predicted to fail, don’t be surprised fan girls.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Apple finally launching a calculator app for the iPad, WOW, that’s innovation right there.
The finewoven cases lineup is an embarrassment for Apple, something should have never be in talks to begin with.
AVP was already predicted to fail, don’t be surprised fan girls.

How those fine woven cases got past typical Apple quality control is perplexing.

A company like Apple tests things to destruction, literally. They have people who work out where the weak points in products are.. how many key presses (though for butterfly I guess their testing conditions didn't go far enough), how many insertion cycles ports can take, how many open and close of laptop lid etc

And they would have had people test these.. or a machine that repeats typical wear... to see how the material copes.

Maybe it just wasn't tested at all... or they thought it was acceptable.

 

[sjalfr]

What I want is an iPhone 15 for adults. Meaning a new better colour than those pastel candies that all look like some variation of white.

 

[Realityck]

Let’s see what the new iPads has to offer.

I'm hopeful they do several updates to the iPad line, including rectify the display issue that bothers some with the Mini 6 as that is my favorite to carry around to augment iPhone usage on the go.

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

I bet there will be an Apple lanyard to attach to your phone so you can “let loose”.

 

[dblackwood72]

Pretty courageous releasing a calculator app 😂

 

[F23]

what is Apple TV missing that you would want? It's already insanely powerful for a streaming box. Voice controls ?

a Calculator app

 

[jlnr]

what is Apple TV missing that you would want? It's already insanely powerful for a streaming box. Voice controls ?

I really wanted tvOS to be a good casual gaming platform, but Arcade was an absolute joke, especially on the TV, even with a gamepad. It'd be a fun project for the right person at Apple to fix all of this. Buy an ML 4K upscaler, some exclusives, develop own gaming IP, release better hardware, include a first-party gamepad, and so on.

 

[Realityck]

what is Apple TV missing that you would want? It's already insanely powerful for a streaming box. Voice controls ?

A browser interface so that SiRI can answer additional questions such as located content reviews or related suggestive content. The biggest problem tvOS has is that it can't interact with the internet in the same manner as a iPhone or iPad can. Sure you can airplay content from both to the APTV4k, but the present tVOS environment treats the streaming digital receiver as a non-computing device when it could be. The discussing of improving the gaming environment is very much related.

 

[Algr]

I would love to hear a logical explanation of why the iPad does not have a Calculator app included. Macs and iPhones have had one for a very long time. Weird.

IKR! I just bought a third party calculator app. I use it on my phone too, just because it is more familiar where the buttons are.