Studies over the weekend claimed that Apple would quickly unveil new merchandise by way of press releases quite than holding a particular media occasion. One in every of them stated Apple would launch the OLED iPad Professional, iPad Air 6, and M3 MacBook Airs this month or in early April. One other steered Apple would share these product bulletins this week.
Apple partially confirmed the latter leak on Monday when the company announced the M3 MacBook Airs. The 13-inch and 15-inch M3 MacBook Air fashions can be found for preorder, they usually’ll begin transport on Friday.
We thought Apple would announce the brand new iPads on Tuesday. It didn’t occur. Wednesday rolled alongside, and we figured the announcement was coming. We have been incorrect once more. So, the place are the 2024 iPads? Why isn’t Apple launching them alongside the M3 MacBook Airs?
The reality is that we don’t know, however we will make some educated guesses.
Worry of cannibalization
The only clarification would possibly concern product cannibalization. Apple has lengthy marketed the iPad, particularly the Professional mannequin, as a laptop computer different. And the M3 MacBook Airs are laptops. Having the M3 iPad Professionals, M2 iPad Air 6, and M3 MacBook Airs launch on the similar time might harm gross sales of both the iPads or the MacBooks.
Ideally, consumers would buy a brand new pill and a brand new pocket book. So possibly Apple needs to area these units out so every has an opportunity to shine. The M3 MacBook Airs are extremely anticipated units, arriving later than their MacBook Professional counterparts. They’ll get loads of consideration from reviewers within the coming days and weeks.
There isn’t any level in having the OLED iPad steal the highlight. I feel that’s what would occur.
The OLED iPad Pro is rumored to deliver an unbelievable show expertise and a thinner profile than ever. That is all attainable due to the brand new OLED show tech that Apple developed for the iPad Professional. Show tech that’s not obtainable on competing tablets. Show tech that may persuade some consumers to spend more money on a pill.
I’m not able to spend an arm and a leg on the OLED iPad Professional, however I’m tentatively curious. I need to see what they’re about as a result of I need to reintegrate an iPad into my total Apple computing expertise.
On that word, the M2 iPad Air refresh is equally thrilling. That is an iPad Professional-grade system sans the bells and whistles you get from the Professional fashions. And, for the primary time, the iPad Air will are available in a 12.9-inch model.
There’s no telling if we’re additionally getting the iPad 11 and iPad mini 7 alongside the OLED iPad Professional and iPad Air 6. Most rumors solely specify the final two upgrades for this spring refresh.
What if the OLED iPad Professionals aren’t prepared?
But when Apple needs to launch its early 2024 tablets concurrently, I can consider another excuse that doesn’t contain cannibalization worries.
It’s the OLED iPad Pro display. Current rumors from Korea have indicated that Samsung and LG are manufacturing the OLED panels. However every firm will get to work on one of many iPad Professional sizes.
Samsung Show reportedly received the preliminary 11-inch OLED orders, whereas LG will manufacture the 13-inch OLED panels that Apple wants. LG was supposedly tasked to fabricate nearly all of OLED iPad Professional screens. However Apple modified its thoughts.
These are first-gen OLED panels, and manufacturing points would possibly influence yields. Apple will need to have a sure variety of iPad Professional shows prepared, because it’s in all probability concentrating on a particular gross sales determine for the launch interval.
The identical report stated that Samsung and LG began manufacturing the iPad Professional panels in January. Possibly Apple continues to be ready for sufficient screens to be made so its assemblers can ship the preliminary batch of iPad Professional fashions.
Apple is not going to verify any manufacturing delays if there are any. Additionally, there’s a simple repair for that. Apple might unveil the iPads and provides consumers an prolonged preorder interval to compensate for any manufacturing points.
However this will get me again to the earlier downside. Apple has not merged the iPad and Mac strains as a result of it needs you to, ideally, purchase one in every of every product. Beginning OLED iPad Professional preorders too quickly might influence M3 MacBook Air gross sales.
All of that is hypothesis primarily based on the latest rumors detailing Apple’s plans for the brand new iPads and Macs. The purpose is we’re again to ready. Possibly Apple will unveil the OLED iPad Professionals and iPad Air 6 this week. Or maybe we’ll have to attend till later this month for the 2024 tablets to hit shops.
