Final yr’s iPad Professional vary introduced vital adjustments to the flagship iPad duo. In addition to an upgraded Mini-LED show on the 12.9in mannequin, Apple launched its desktop-class processor – the Apple M1 – to the vary, permitting the tablets to carry out duties normally unique to MacBooks and iMacs.
Spectacular although that was, Apple is tough at work on the subsequent iPad Professional vary behind closed doorways – and rumours counsel it’s simply days away from its grand reveal.
Right here we’ve rounded up all there may be to know in regards to the iPad Professional (2022) vary proper now, together with the newest launch date rumours and what to anticipate from the upcoming tablets.
When will the iPad Professional (2022) vary be launched?
With the iPad Professional (2021) now round a yr previous, Apple is predicted to launch an replace quickly – although not as quickly as some may hope.
Going again to the discharge of the first-gen iPad Professional 11 in 2018, right here’s how the iPad Professional launch schedule seems:
- iPad Professional vary (2018): November 2018
- iPad Professional vary (2020): March 2020
- iPad Professional vary (2021): Could 2021
As you’ll be able to see, it’s not fairly as clear-cut because the Apple Watch or iPhone, which are inclined to launch in September yearly, however there’s a imprecise first-half-of-the-year schedule over the previous few years.
Nonetheless, it seems like that pattern is about to vary in 2022, with no point out of the iPad Professional at Apple’s March 2022 occasion – as an alternative, it targeted on the iPad Air 5, iPhone SE 3 and new Mac Studio, with Apple’s Professional vary set to take centre stage later within the yr.
Some may’ve hoped that WWDC 2022 would’ve been a candidate – it did announce the brand new MacBook Air and the M2 chip, in any case – however the Professional-level iPads had been a no-show.
Twitter leaker @dylandkt was the primary to counsel in a now-deleted tweet that the iPad Professional “is coming within the Fall” – or Autumn to these within the UK, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman agreed months later in March 2022.
Talking in his Energy On! e-newsletter, Gurman urged that the launch would happen between September and November this yr, mirroring the 16-18 month hole that Apple tends to comply with for its Professional releases (except for the 2021 replace, that’s!).
Apparently, Apple confirmed in August that the discharge of iPadOS 16 had been delayed from its normal September launch to someday in October. Bloomberg’s sources consider it’s to coincide with the discharge of latest iPad {hardware}, which is all however confirmed to be the brand new iPad Professional vary, lending extra weight to an October reveal.
Following on from this, 9to5Mac sources additionally confirmed an iPad-themed occasion happening someday in October, particularly mentioning the reveal of two new fashions of iPad Professional and the brand new tenth gen iPad.
Nonetheless, a contradictory report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in late September means that Apple may forego the October occasion totally, as an alternative saying the brand new merchandise through press launch. It’s not an alien thought – Apple did the very same factor with the present iPad Professional vary – but it surely’ll actually come as a shock given Apple’s penchant for autumnal occasions previously few years.
What’s most enjoyable is that we could possibly be simply days away from the announcement. Gurman notes in a 17 October e-newsletter that the upcoming vary is about to be revealed “in a matter of days”, suggesting that the discharge may come someday w/c 17 October forward of iPadOS 16.1’s rumoured w/c 24 October launch.
With all that mentioned, it appears virtually sure that we’ll be seeing the brand new iPad Professional vary within the subsequent few days, and given we’ve but to see invitations to an occasion, it’s doubtless that information will come within the type of a press launch.
In case you can’t wait any longer, check out our iPad shopping for information to seek out out which is the most effective pill for you proper now.
How a lot will the iPad Professional (2022) vary value?
Very similar to the discharge date, there’s no phrase on attainable pricing for the iPad Professional (2022) vary, so we’ll replicate on previous base pricing to present us a tough thought:
- iPad Professional 12.9in (2020): £969/$999
- iPad Professional 11in (2020): £769/$799
- iPad Professional 12.9in (2021): £999/$1,099
- iPad Professional 11in (2021): £749/$799
As you’ll be able to see, Apple isn’t afraid to tweak the pricing of the iPad Professional vary sometimes. Whereas the iPad Professional 11in (2021) is definitely £20 cheaper within the UK than its predecessor, the iPad Professional 12.9in mannequin noticed a £30/$100 improve this time round – doubtless as a result of upgraded mini-LED show.
The excellent news is that tipster LeaksApplePro believes the iPad Professional vary will are available in at a near-identical worth this yr regardless of the potential upgrades on supply, with the 11in mannequin beginning at $799 and the 12.9in mannequin coming in at a cool $1,099.
We’ll replace this part if we hear something otherwise.
Newest iPad Professional (2022) design & function rumours
Apple has spent the previous yr syncing the design language of its product vary, with the iPad Mini 6 and iPhone 14 sporting the identical industrial, angular look because the iPad Professional vary.
With that in thoughts, we don’t count on Apple to revamp the wheel – or extra appropriately, the iPad Professional – with its 2022 refresh. There might be a spread of latest options in fact, and the hearsay mill has been churning away.
New 14.1in iPad Professional
This one’s just a little out of the left area, but it surely could possibly be probably very attention-grabbing. Rumours are circulating that declare Apple could possibly be engaged on an iPad Professional bigger than the 12.9in variant at the moment obtainable. Whereas some scoffed on the thought of a fair bigger iPad than the behemoth that’s the 12.9in mannequin, it looks as if there could possibly be fact to the hearsay.
Actually, Ross Younger – show analyst at DSCC – obtained extra particular in June, claiming that Apple is engaged on a 14.1in iPad Professional with a mini-LED show and super-smooth 120Hz ProMotion know-how. Younger has an important observe report relating to display-related leaks, nailing earlier Apple flagship iPhones and iPads months forward of launch, so there could possibly be one thing to the hearsay.
Younger isn’t the one leaker that believes Apple is engaged on a fair larger iPad Professional both. Twitter leaker Majin Bu has additionally launched particulars, suggesting it may pack the Apple M2 chipset alongside 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, although the tipster isn’t fairly as dependable with a hit-and-miss observe report.
Apparently, Younger notes that the 14.1in mannequin isn’t due till someday in 2023, which clashes with present rumours of a September/October 2022 announcement for the M2-powered iPad Professional vary. It’s attainable that Apple may reveal all three fashions on the identical occasion later this yr and easily delay the discharge of the biggest mannequin till early 2023, however we’ll have to attend and see for now.
Mini-LED on 11in mannequin
One of the crucial prevalent rumours within the early levels of iPad Professional rumours was arguably one of the crucial apparent; the 11in iPad Professional (2022) was anticipated to match the 12.9in mannequin’s Mini-LED show, after lacking out on the tech within the 2021 vary. The information initially got here from the eerily correct Ming-Chi Kuo, suggesting in a July 2021 word to buyers that the iPad Professional 11in and MacBook Air would each get the mini-LED improve in 2022.
Twitter leaker @Dylandkt additionally believed that Mini-LED might be current on each fashions, stating that “all iPad Professional fashions could have a MiniLED show” in a late January 2022 tweet.
Nonetheless, as we’ve obtained nearer to the rumoured launch of the next-gen mannequin, it seems prefer it won’t be the case in any case. Show analyst Ross Younger means that it isn’t doubtless in an October 2022 reply to a follower asking in regards to the Mini-LED tech on the 11in mannequin.
That’s a disgrace, as we’ve seen from the iPad Professional 12.9 (2021) that the upgraded show tech is a big step ahead from the usual LCD show utilized by previous-gen tablets. It permits extra management over distinction with actually inky blacks, produces vibrant colors, and is impressively shiny too.
Actually, Tech Advisor Editor Jim Martin described the Mini-LED show as “phenomenal” in his 4.5-star iPad Professional 12.9in (2021) evaluation, so it’ll be disappointing to not see it obtainable throughout the vary.
Glass rear for wi-fi charging
Regardless of not altering the general kind issue of the upcoming vary, the brand new fashions of iPad Professional are rumoured to sport glass backs rather than the aluminium at the moment used. The rationale for the change to glass, based on
Bloomberg, is to allow wi-fi charging to the iPad vary for the primary time.
The declare was backed up once more in September 2021, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman doubling down on the glass rear and reverse wi-fi charging capabilities of the upcoming iPad Professional vary. Given the truth that it’s available (to not point out a vastly fashionable function) on the iPhone vary, it is smart for the tech to lastly make an look on Apple’s pill vary.
In the identical report, Bloomberg additionally means that the transition to a glass again will even allow reverse wi-fi charging for the primary time. This is able to enable house owners to cost a Qi-enabled iPhone or AirPods by inserting them on the rear of the pill – helpful for fast top-ups.
A follow-up report in early 2022
from 9to5Mac suggests otherwise although. Based on “sources conversant in Apple’s design plans”, the glass rear design may’ve been scrapped resulting from how fragile it’d make the system in comparison with its present aluminium physique.
As an alternative, the corporate is growing prototypes with a bigger Apple brand (comparable in dimension to that of the brand new MacBook Professional) made totally from glass to permit for wi-fi energy switch. The report additionally means that it’ll function magnets – very like MagSafe on the iPhone – however with “stronger magnets to forestall accidents” and it’ll cost sooner than iPhone fashions do too.
The inclusion of MagSafe has additionally been teased by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in a March 2022 version of his Energy On! e-newsletter.
As with all rumours, it’s value taking this with a pinch of salt – particularly given the disagreement amongst leakers. Actually, leaker @Dylandkt claims that they’ve heard “nothing however issues from a number of sources” in regards to the wi-fi charging/MagSafe capabilities, so it could get pushed again or canned altogether.
New Sensible Connector
An August 2022 provide chain report from Macotakara means that the brand new iPad Professional vary may get an upgraded good connector. The present three-pin connector on the iPad Professional is used to attach equipment just like the Magic Keyboard, however the Macotakara report suggests the brand new mannequin will sport an upgraded 4-pin connector “on the highest and backside facet edges”.
The report goes on to counsel the brand new connectors may “help in powering peripherals” very like the prevailing good connector. iPadOS 16 is about to function DriverKit assist for the primary time, making it simpler for accent makers to make tech that works with the iPad Professional, and the upgraded four-pin connector may additional support in that.
The difficulty is that, if true, it’ll make current three-pin equipment – just like the premium Magic Keyboard – incompatible with the brand new fashions, and I doubt there might be many in a rush to switch a superbly good keyboard simply because it’s one pin quick.
Refreshed design
In addition to a glass rear and reverse wi-fi charging, one analyst suggests the iPad Professional may get an up to date design – although the leaker isn’t positive if it’s for this yr’s mannequin, or it’s simply one thing within the works behind closed doorways at Apple Park.
Discussing the leak through Twitter,
@dylandkt suggests {that a} new iPad Professional may function a horizontal digicam placement and a horizontal Apple brand to match, with the ‘default’ orientation of the Professional tablets switching from portrait to panorama.
There’s no point out of different iPads getting the identical remedy, and whereas which will sound odd at first, the Professional vary does lend itself extra to panorama eventualities than different tablets in Apple’s vary. Creatives have a tendency to attract in panorama orientation, editors edit in panorama and it’s in panorama when used with the Magic Keyboard too.
In fact, with no point out of the reorientation in another design leaks, it’s value taking this one with a pinch of salt, but it surely’s actually an attention-grabbing thought.
M1 Professional, M1 Max, or M2 chipset
Given Apple’s transition to the M1 chipset on the iPad Professional (2021) vary, it’s secure to imagine that one in every of its successors might be featured within the 2022 vary – particularly now that the mid-range iPad Air additionally options an M1 chipset.
This could possibly be both of the M1 Professional or M1 Max chips discovered within the
redesigned 14 & 16in MacBook Professional vary, maybe with the Professional discovered within the smaller iPad Professional and the Max included within the bigger mannequin.
It’s additionally attainable that Apple will debut a next-gen M2 chip in 2022, and that would energy the brand new iPad Professionals – one thing that leaker
@dylandkt predicts – which might clarify why Apple has allegedly pushed the discharge of the vary again to Autumn 2022.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman additionally means that the M2 could possibly be on the playing cards for the brand new iPad Professional vary, claiming that the brand new chipset’s CPU might be barely sooner than the M1 however will pack the identical eight-core structure.
He reiterated the declare months later, once more claiming that the subsequent iPad Professional vary will sport the newest M2 chipset – not the M1 Professional or Max chips as initially rumoured.
Improved accessibility options
Whereas it won’t be unique to the iPad Professional vary, Apple has taken the weird step of confirming plenty of new and improved accessibility options headed to iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 later this yr. Whereas options like Door Detection are primarily aimed toward iPhone customers, there are just a few iPad-focused options coming too.
One of the crucial fashionable accessibility options coming to iPadOS 16 is Stay Captioning. Because the title suggests, the function will caption any audio in real-time, together with in video calls through the likes of Zoom and FaceTime, in addition to social apps like Instagram and Snapchat.
What’s extra, the function can be utilized in actual life to offer captioning when speaking to somebody shut by – ideally suited for the deaf and exhausting of listening to neighborhood.
Underneath-display Face ID
Okay, so this one is a bit more on the market, and chances are high it gained’t be on the 2022 mannequin, however there are rumours that Apple could possibly be bringing under-display digicam and Face ID know-how to the iPad Professional earlier than it makes its debut on the iPhone.
Talking on a July 2022 episode of The MacRumors Present, show analyst Ross Younger means that it’s attainable that under-display Face ID may seem on an iPad earlier than an iPhone due primarily to the know-how being simpler to introduce below a bigger show with a smaller pixel density. He additionally notes that it’s extra possible just because there are fewer iPads manufactured than iPhones, making it simpler to introduce and scale over time.
Younger is assured in regards to the tech too, suggesting it may make an look in an iPad as early as subsequent yr – nicely earlier than the 2026 mannequin of iPhone Younger at the moment believes would be the first to sport the under-display tech.