The super-sized iPad rumored for next year could be equipped with a mighty M3 Pro chip says leaker Revegnus, adding yet another absurd-looking spec to Apple's alleged new tablet.
Apparently offering a new top-tier iPad with a 14.1-inch display, extra RAM and storage and an enhanced iPadOS experience (along with a major price hike) wasn't enough. This rumor now suggests it'll be equipped with the same type of chip that Apple normally reserves for its MacBook Pro laptops.
While having a chip that powerful in a tablet sounds very tempting, we have to be realistic. The current iPad Pro, with its Apple M2 chip, is already blazing fast and is arguably overkill for what people typically use tablets for.
The 14.1-inch iPad will have an M3 Pro.Apple is crazy!!!They are building a monster👽iPadOS will also get a big updateMany features from macOS are coming to iPadOS pic.twitter.com/Z5sYw7ACfBMay 2, 2023
Perhaps this rumored iPadOS upgrade, which will supposedly bring more macOS-style capabilities to the 14.1-inch iPad, would allow users to make the most of the chip's might. And if rumors of Apple's full Mac-grade Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro apps coming to iPadOS next year (via analyst941) are correct, that could certainly encourage some users to move to this iPad instead of just getting another MacBook or Mac desktop.
The leaker says in their tweet that Apple is "building a monster" and that "iPadOS will also get a big update. Many features from macOS are coming to iPadOS." So we'll have to see how much Apple borrows from macOS and for the iPad.
When will the 14-inch iPad launch?
The Apple M3 chip family hasn't arrived yet, although going by previous reports we should see the vanilla chip debut this year, with Pro, Max and possibly Ultra variants appearing in 2024. That schedule would fit with the alleged launch timing for this new iPad model, as well as other iPads using OLED displays instead of the current LCD/mini LED screens.
It's not clear if the 14.1-inch model would also use OLED, but considering everything else Apple's said to be adding to this tablet, it may as well use its latest display option as well.
The status of the 14.1-inch iPad iPro s unclear, as it's been rumored to have been canceled by some sources, with others claiming it's just been held back a year or more. We'd be very interested in this alleged iPad if it does come out, since it could be a device capable of challenging both the best tablets and best laptops.
The 14-inch iPad Pro could also provide more direct competition like the 14.6-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, another giant tablet with amazing specs but currently little-to-no real competition.
Another rumored incoming Apple product is a monitor that can double up as a smart display.
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