Apple to Unveil New iPad, Macbook Air, iPhone 15 colour and more

Apple usually holds two significant events yearly: one in June for WWDC and one in September for new iPhones. Sometimes, Apple also has a spring event in March or April, showcasing new Mac and iPad products. For instance, in the past few years, Apple has launched the iMac, iPhone SE, AirTag, and more at these events. Following this chronology, Apple is also expected to introduce new devices for its iPad and Mac series this year.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is working on new versions of iPad Pro and iPad Air, joining the five existing iPad models: iPad Pro, iPad (9th and 10th generation), iPad Air, and iPad mini. The launch is also set for spring, i.e. in the first quarter of the year, before Apple shifts its attention to its annual developers conference, WWDC, in June.

Let's take a detailed look at what we can expect from Apple in March 2024:

New iPad Lineup

Reports suggest that Apple plans to unveil some new products in an event this March. The main attraction would be a new generation of iPads already in production.

iPad Air with Larger Screens

The new iPad Air models are expected to boast larger screens, measuring 10.9 inches and 12.9 inches, respectively. But that's not all; performance will also get a boost with the powerful M2 chip, while the back camera will receive a redesign in addition to significant improvements in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

iPad Pro with OLED Screens

Apple is not only focusing on the Air. It is also rumoured to introduce new iPad Pro models that will feature 11-inch and 13-inch OLED screens. These screens will be brighter, more contrasted, more energy-efficient, and superior in other aspects than the LCD screens of the current models. The latest iPhone and Apple Watch models, except for the cheaper iPhone SE, already have OLED screens.

The OLED screens will probably make the iPad Pro models more expensive. The iPad Pro models have had ProMotion since 2017, which enables the refresh rate to vary from 24Hz to 120Hz. With OLED, the refresh rate could go even lower to 10Hz or less to save power. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models can go as low as 1Hz in always-on display mode.

The rumours also suggest that the new iPad Pro models will contain the more powerful M3 chip, support MagSafe for easy wireless charging, and come with a redesigned Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and an aluminium top. Moreover, the back camera might get a makeover as well. Apple is also allegedly developing a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil designed to work with the new iPad Pro models to complete the package.

15-inch MacBook Air

Apple also plans to update its MacBook Air line with new 13-inch and 15-inch models running on the M3 chip, reports Bloomberg. The M3 chip is the latest processor from Apple that powers the new MacBook Pro and iMac models launched last year.

The new MacBook Air models will be part of the iPad launch event, which is unusual for Apple as it usually does not mix iPad and MacBook announcements. The M3 chip will enhance the gaming performance of the MacBook Air models with more realistic graphics and effects. The M3 chip also supports the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac models that were released last year.

The design of the MacBook Air models will not change much this year, but they will likely have Wi-Fi 6E connectivity like other Macs. The 13-inch MacBook Air model was last refreshed in July 2022, while the 15-inch MacBook Air model was introduced in June 2023.

Apple is also working on M3 updates for the Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro, but they still need to be ready. Bloomberg reported in November that Apple had yet to begin extensive testing of the M3 Ultra chip that would power the new versions of the Mac Studio and Mac Pro. This suggests that Apple will delay the Mac Pro and Mac Studio updates until later this year, but a new Mac mini with an M3 chip could be possible.

iPhone 16 new colour variant

It is not just a new device; we can expect a new colour variant for the iPhone 15. Apple has released a new iPhone colour every spring for the past few years. Last year, it introduced the New Yellow colour for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models. This year, we might see a similar announcement for the iPhone 15 models.

Apple Vision Pro availability

The Vision Pro, Apple's new augmented reality headset, was recently made available for sale in the US on February 2. But Apple has yet to give word on when it will be available in other countries. However, in a recent report, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple will reveal the details of global availability before the WWDC in June. So we can expect it to be official in Spring announcements, probably in March or by April.