Lee Jin-man/AP Photo
- Apple is reportedly launching new iPads, which haven't been refreshed in well over a year.
- That includes the first-ever iPad with an OLED screen and some new screen sizes.
- The revamped iPads are expected to come out the week of May 6, Bloomberg reported.
If your iPad has been collecting dust at home, Apple is hoping an impressive new screen will convince you to upgrade.
The tech giant is reportedly upgrading its iPad Pros with OLED displays, known for their deep contrast ratios — a first for the product line, Bloomberg reported. Apple first introduced OLED displays to the iPhone with the iPhone X back in 2017.
"The technology apparently looks amazing on such large displays — taking what iPhone users have experienced since 2017 to a whole new level," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman wrote in his report on the upcoming iPad Pro.
Don't be surprised if the prices for the new iPad Pros go up as a result, as OLED displays typically cost more to manufacture. The hardware changes represent the first major overhaul to the Pro lineup since 2018, according to the report.
Apple is also updating its iPad Air with a 12.9-inch screen — bigger than the display of its previous Air models, Bloomberg reported.
New versions of its Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil stylus are also expected, according to the report.
Getty/Melodie Jeng
The new products may only be a month away, Bloomberg reported, with a likely launch anticipated for the week of May 6. Apple didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on the report ahead of publication.
The iPad revamp appears to be part of Apple's efforts to increase tablet sales after revenue from the product line fell for two years in a row. Apple could also use the extra revenue as it seeks to combat declining iPhone sales in China, a major market.
If they generate enough interest, the new iPads could prove to be a bright spot on Apple's nightmarish start to the year. Since the beginning of 2024, the tech company killed its self-driving car project, got hit with a DOJ antitrust lawsuit, and now faces a nearly $2 billion fine in the EU — all while lagging behind on AI.
It sounds like Apple may be looking to flip the script though on the perception that its AI advancements have been lacking. The company is expected to show off the next version of its iPhone software, iOS 18, in a couple of months, and the AI features that Tim Cook has been teasing will reportedly be front and center.