According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple may launch new iPad Air, iPad Pro and MacBook Air "around the end of March." He said in today's PowerOn newsletter that production of new iPad Pro models and new 13-inch MacBook Air is well underway, at least in Apple's supply chain in Asia.
Gurman reiterated expectations for the new iPads and Macs, along with other rumored features and changes.
iPadAir
It is expected that in addition to the updated 10.9-inch model, the iPad Air series will also add a 12.9-inch display.
Features of the rumored and/or possible next-generation iPad Air models include: Apple's M2 chip (faster performance), redesigned rear camera bump, support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. No major changes are expected to the exterior design.
The fifth-generation iPad Air, currently equipped with the M1 chip, will be released in March 2022.
iPadPro
The next-generation 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models are widely expected to be the first iPads to feature OLED displays.
OLED technology will enable the next-generation iPad Pro display to have higher brightness, more vivid colors, higher contrast, lower power consumption, and other advantages compared to existing models using LCD panels. Apple already uses OLED displays on its latest iPhones and Apple Watches (except for the low-end iPhone SE).
The next iPad Pro models are expected to be more expensive due to the switch to OLED technology.
iPad Pro models released in 2017 and later support ProMotion, allowing the refresh rate to be adjusted between 24Hz and 120Hz. OLED and LTPO display technology may allow the refresh rate to be further reduced to 10Hz or lower to save battery consumption.
Other rumored and/or possible features of the next-generation iPad Pro include: Apple's latest M3 chip (for faster performance), MagSafe wireless charging, a redesigned Magic Keyboard (with a larger trackpad and aluminum top cover), and a horizontal front-facing camera. There may also be changes to the rear camera design, such as on the next iPad Air model.
The current iPad Pro model equipped with the M2 chip will be released in October 2022.
MacBookAir
Due to production delays, the current 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air were launched a year apart, but both models will be updated at the same time in March this year. The main new feature in both laptops will be Apple's latest M3 chip.
With the M3 chip, next-generation MacBook Air models will gain hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading capabilities, resulting in improved graphics rendering in games, including more accurate lighting, reflections, and shadows. Apple has updated the M3 chip for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro and 24-inch iMac last year.
This year's MacBook Air is not expected to see major design changes, but it may support Wi-Fi 6E like other Macs.
Apple last updated the 13-inch MacBook Air in July 2022, and the first 15-inch MacBook Air will be released in June 2023.