Apple (AAPL) will announce new iPads in April

Photographer: Jean Chung / Bloomberg

Apple Inc. plans to announce new iPads as early as April, adding to a product line that has had a particularly good result while people work and study from home, according to people with knowledge on the subject.

The company plans to refresh its iPad Pro line, adding a better processor and improved cameras, people said. The new models will look similar to current iPads and will have the same screen sizes of 11 inches and 12.9 inches.

The devices will have an updated processor, which is on par with the faster M1 chip of the latest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini. Apple designs these processors themselves and usually makes them manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Apple also wants to include a Mini-LED screen with at least the larger model, which would be brighter and have improved contrast ratios.

In testing, the new iPad Pro used a Thunderbolt connector, the same port on the latest Macs with Apple custom processors. The port does not require new chargers, but would allow connectivity with additional external monitors, hard drives and other peripherals. Also, data synchronization is faster than the USB-C technology used in current models.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment. The company has not yet announced its first product launch event this year, so its plans could change.

The iPad generated $ 8.4 billion in revenue for Apple in the key holiday quarter of 2020, the most since 2014. Sales rose on demand from people working and studying at home during the pandemic. As employees and students begin to return to offices and schools in the coming months, Apple will bet on new iPad models to maintain interest in the tablet line.

IPad WFH Pop

The iPad Pro was last updated in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, adding a modified processor, support for the Magic keyboard with Trackpad case and a lidar scanner next to the camera.

Apple plans to refresh its cheapest iPad, designed for students with a slimmer and lighter design later this year, Bloomberg News reported. It is also preparing to launch a new iPad mini with a larger screen later this year, an increase over the 7.9-inch display used since the first model. The iPad mini was last updated in 2019 with support for the Apple Pencil and a faster processor.

Apple has a few more product updates planned for this year. The company is working on new iPhones and Apple Watches, an accessory for tracking the location of physical objects and major updates to your MacBook Pro laptop and iMac desktop.