Apple (AAPL) will announce new iPads in April

Photographer: Jean Chung / Bloomberg

Apple Inc. plans to announce new iPads in April, adding to a product line that has performed particularly well while people work and study from home, according to people who are aware of it.

The company plans to upgrade its iPad Pro line, adding a better processor and improved cameras, according to people. The new models will look like the current iPad Pro and will feature the same screen sizes of 11 and 12.9 inches.

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

In testing, the new iPad Pros have used a Thunderbolt connector, the same port as 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. It is also faster in data synchronization than the USB-C technology used in current models.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment. The company has yet to announce its first product launch event of the year, so its plans could change.

The iPad generated $ 8.4 billion in revenue for Apple during the key holiday quarter of 2020, the highest since 2014. Sales rose in demand from people who worked and studied from home during the pandemic. When employees and students begin returning to offices and schools in the coming months, Apple will be betting on new iPad models to keep interest in the tablet line.

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

Apple plans to upgrade its cheaper iPad aimed at students with a thinner, lighter design later this year, Bloomberg News reported. It is also preparing to launch a new iPad mini with a larger screen already this year, an increase over the 7.9-inch screen that was 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 several other 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 the MacBook Pro’s laptop and iMac desktop.