The leaker Instant Digital has been busy on Weibo recently, with a series of claims about the upcoming iPad Pro models. One of these was that an iPad announcement would be made on March 26 – but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has said that this is “not true.”
Instant Digital does have some track record, including the yellow color update to the iPhone 14, and the matte back glass design of the iPhone 15. However, the account has also been mistaken on a number of predictions, so falls into the hit-and-miss category …
Instant Digital has recently made three claims about the upcoming iPad Pro models.
Matte screen option
First, that the new models will be available in both glossy and matte screen versions. The effectiveness of anti-glare treatments is measured through something known as haze value, and the higher the number, the more effective the impact.
A haze value of 25% plus is generally needed for a claim of a matte screen, and the account claims that the iPad will have a value of 29%, plus or minus 4%, so would qualify.
If true, this option would undoubtedly carry a price premium, but it would be a significant development, and we noted at the time that this hasn’t been reported by anyone else, so we’re somewhat skeptical for now at least.
Smaller bezels
Second, that iPad bezels will be 15% thinner this year, with specific dimensions provided.
This one has supporting evidence, with Bloomberg earlier reporting on Apple working on this goal. Additionally, it aligns with a separate report on smaller bezels on the iPhone 16, using a technology acquired by all three of Apple’s display suppliers. So this one seems a safer bet.
iPad announcement on March 26 – “not true”
Finally, Instant Digital claimed that Apple would announce the new iPads on March 26.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman hasn’t said exactly when he expects an announcement – stating only that it would be in the late March to April timeframe. But he has jumped onto Twitter to state categorically that the March 26 date is wrong, simply linking to a report and commenting “Not true.”
Gurman has stated that “a variant iPadOS 17.4 designed for the updated models won’t be complete until the end of March or even sometime in April,” and that allowing time for Apple to install it on the new hardware takes us well into April before the devices can ship. However, that does leave room for an announcement on an earlier date.
The new iPad Pro models will make the switch to OLED screens, enabling a significantly thinner design, and upgrading to the M3 chip will also boost performance. Check out our full roundup for details on everything to expect.
Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash
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