Apple is working on a next-gen version of the iPad Pro, and while there aren’t any major design updates as far as we know, there are a few new features worth looking forward to.
This guide rounds up everything we know about the iPad Pro 2022 so far based on the rumors we’ve heard.
Mini LED display
Last year, Apple introduced an updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro with mini-LED display technology, and in 2022 the 11-inch and 12.9-inch versions of the iPad Pro may feature a mini-LED screen.
Apple calls the iPad Pro’s mini LED display a “Liquid Retina XDR display” that offers enhanced dynamic range with realistic detail, vivid color, and HDR. The current 12.9-inch iPad Pro display uses over 10,000 LEDs on the back of the display, enabling up to 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness, 1,600 nits of peak brightness, and a ratio of contrast of 1 million to 1.
Whether the 11-inch iPad Pro will actually get a mini-LED display is in question, as was said earlier in 2022, but display analyst Ross Young recently said that the 11-inch iPad Pro will not wouldn’t get the mini-LED upgrade after all, because the 12.9-inch iPad is selling well enough that Apple doesn’t need to add mini-LEDs to the smaller tablet.
M2 chip
The 2021 iPad Pro models adopted the same M1 chip used in the 13-inch MacBook Air, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro rather than continuing to use an A-series chip as typical iPads do.
This put iPad Pro performance on par with Apple’s Macs, and it’s likely that Apple will stick with Mac chips for pro-level iPads. In 2022, Apple is expected to introduce the successor to the M1, the M2.
The M2 chip will be used in 2022 releases of the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and, of course, iPad Pros. It will have the same 7-8 core processor, but it is expected to have updated 9-10 core GPU options.
The M2 chip will offer speed and efficiency improvements over the M1, but details are unknown at this time.
MagSafe charging
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, the next-gen version of the iPad Pro will support MagSafe wireless charging, much like the iPhone.
Apple may consider adding glass to the iPad Pro and has tested such a feature, but due to breakage issues, Apple may instead opt for a larger glass Apple logo that would facilitate wireless charging.
If Apple opts for the glass Apple logo, there would likely be magnets underneath and a MagSafe charger could line up with those magnets for quick and easy charging. One of the iPads Apple tested is said to have MagSafe with stronger magnets than the iPhone’s magnets, and it’s also supposed to allow for faster wireless charging speeds.
Reverse wireless charging
Along with MagSafe wireless charging, the next-generation iPad Pro could support reverse wireless charging capabilities, which would allow the iPad to be used to charge iPhones, AirPods, and other accessories by laying them down on the back of the iPad.
A new Apple Pencil?
We’ve heard rumors that Apple is working on a new version of the Apple Pencil, but most of this information dates back to early 2021 and we haven’t heard anything since. It’s unclear if we’ll actually get a new Apple Pencil.
There were rumors that there would be a black Apple Pencil option in 2021, but that didn’t happen, so it might not have been accurate.
Titanium frame
DigiTimes says Apple is working on a titanium chassis for the iPad, which would replace the aluminum used in current models, but titanium is an expensive material, so this may be unlikely or a feature limited to the most high-end iPads .
Future iPad Pros
The 2022 iPad Pro models will continue to use a mini-LED display, but Apple is working on OLED technology for future Macs and iPads. Apple could add an OLED iPad to its lineup in 2023 or 2024, and the iPad Pro could possibly be the first iPad to adopt an OLED display.
Apple is also developing iPad screens larger than 12.9 inches, but a larger-screen iPad isn’t expected to come out for a few years. Larger screens and OLED technology could go hand in hand.
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