Everything we know about Apple's 2022 iPad Pro update

Apple’s fall 2022 release schedule will be highlighted by the debut of new smartphones in the iPhone 14 lineup. However, it is very likely that new tablets are also in the pipeline. Unlike details about the iPhone 14, not much solid information has been leaked so far, but the handful of possible upgrade crumbs that have made a splash on social media have us hyped.

If you’re wondering what Apple’s new Pro tablet will bring, expect some design improvements, the usual generational chip updates, a much-needed charging tech update, and more. Here’s everything you can expect from Apple’s next iPad Pro tablet, based on leaked information over the past few months and a few reliable sources:

Design fate associated with key upgrades

So far, we haven’t heard of any design changes for this year’s iPad Pro update. The core design with unified bezels, the squirrel camera island on the back, and the metal chassis are likely to carry over to the next generation. However, the introduction of wireless charging support can make things interesting.

Bloomberg reports that Apple is Trying to find a way to implement wireless charging on the iPad Pro might go the MagSafe route it introduced on the iPhone 12 series. However, the iPad Pro’s metal back panel proved to be a hindrance to charge transfer. Apple leaves some options here. One is to ditch the metal back panel in favor of glass for wireless charging. However, the company’s engineers were reportedly in a dilemma with the decision because the glass back is more fragile. Also, given the iPad’s significantly larger size, the glass panel is more susceptible to mechanical damage. Of course, repair costs will also balloon and repairs will become more difficult. Another design consideration on the tabletop is the placement of the wireless charging coil under the Apple logo, which is now made of glass rather than etched or polished on the metal back panel.

So far, we haven’t seen any new reports that tell us Apple’s final decision on the wireless charging hardware woes, and how it will change the final design of the iPad Pro . No matter which route Apple takes, this perk will make a lot of sense. With support for wireless charging and a larger case battery, the 2022 iPad Pro update also allows users to charge their iPhone and earbuds by simply placing them on the tablet. The technology isn’t entirely unheard of, especially on Android phones. But for tablets, this feature is rare. So far, the only mainstream brand that supports reverse wireless charging is Huawei. The company’s flagship MatePad Pro tablet allows users to charge their gadgets with a peak output of 7.5W via reverse wireless charging.

Apple may bring MagSafe to the iPad Pro this year. Andy Boxall/Digital Trends In the March edition of his PowerOn newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman mentioned that MagSafe could be on the iPad Pro in 2022, and 9to5Mac a few months away The former claims that Apple has scrapped plans to equip the iPad Pro with a glass back this year.

A bigger iPad Pro?

One of the hottest iPad rumors of the year has nothing to do with feature upgrades. Instead, it predicts a future where Apple goes all-in on its Pro tablet size, kind of like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. Display supply chain analyst Ross Young tweeted in June that the 14.1-inch iPad Pro is on the design table. A Bloomberg report also mentioned that Apple is exploring iPad Pro models in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, paralleling the MacBook Pro models with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

Apple reportedly wants to make something like the Samsung Galaxy A giant tablet like the Tab S8 Ultra. Ajay Kumar A key argument is that for someone used to working with a 16-inch MacBook Pro, even the largest iPad Pro with a 12.9-inch screen changes It is also cumbersome for maintaining cross-device workflows. By equipping the iPad with laptop-grade processes and features like Stage Manager and Universal Control, Apple is certainly trying to blur the lines between tablet and Mac, and it makes sense that Apple is developing a larger tablet for demanding workflows.

More or less the same screen

When Apple switched to a mini-LED panel for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, there was hope that the smaller 11-inch model would also be available a year later get the same treatment. However, that doesn’t seem to be happening, at least this year. TF International Securities analyst and reliable Apple roadmap leaker Ming-Chi Kuo recently tweeted that mini-LED panels won’t enter new form factors in 2022 due to cost concerns. Young also wrote in a research note that the 2022 11-inch iPad Pro refresh will stick to the ProMotion LCD panel and won’t get the mini-LED screen upgrade that Apple is pitching as Liquid Retina XDR technology.

To briefly touch on the core differences here, mini-LED panels – despite being LCD panels in nature – provide deeper blacks, improved color reproduction, wider viewing angles and better contrast control to mimic the characteristics of OLED screens. On the iPad Pro series, the 12.9-inch model mini-LED offers higher peak brightness (1,600 nits versus 600 nits) and a higher 10,00,000:1 contrast ratio. So it looks like the 2022 iPad Pro lineup will stick with mini-LED panels in the 12.9-inch version, while the 11-inch version will offer LCD screens for another year. As for the much-anticipated upgrade to OLED screens for Apple’s tablets, you’re probably still a year or two away from that.

Big Chip Upgrade

The existing iPad Pro lineup comes with the M1 chip, which can also be found in a handful of Mac hardware. This year, Apple is expected to put the next-generation M2 chip into the iPad Pro update.