New iPad Pros and iPad Air are tipped to get bigger but slimmer

(Image credit: Future)

The next-generation iPad Pro 2024 and iPad Air 6 could be larger yet thinner than their predecessors and are expected to arrive this year.

That’s according to 9to5Mac’s sources, which have reportedly tipped the publication off about the actual sizes of a trio of new iPads, one of which is expected to be a new 12.9-inch iPad Air. The latter would bring in an option for a large-screen Apple tablet without the need to fork out a large chunk of cash for a high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

According to 9to5Mac, the measurements of the supposedly upcoming iPads will be as follows, in contrast to the sizes of the current models:

2022 11-inch iPad Pro: 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm
Rumoured new 11-inch iPad Pro: 249.7 x 177.5 x 5.1mm
2022 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm
Rumoured new 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 281.5 x 215.5 x 5.0mm
Rumoured new 12.9-inch iPad Air: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.0mm

Bigger but thinner

Going by 9to5Mac’s numbers, the 2024 iPad Pro models will be a little larger than their predecessors, likely adding in a bit more potential vertical screen space, but also slimmer overall. The reason for this trimming down has been laid at the feet of rumored OLED displays for the tablets, which would replace the LCD and mini-LED options available for the current Pro iPads.

OLED displays for the iPad Pros have been touted for some time, and it’s looking likely that this year we could finally see the high-end iPads adopt the screen tech; OLED displays can already be found in some of the best Android tablets after all.

But it’s the rumored 12.9-inch iPad Air that’s caught my eye. While the current iPad Air offers a decent 10.9-inch display, the screen can feel a tad cramped when compared to similarly priced tablets of Windows and Android flavors that have screens of around 12 inches.

A larger iPad Air could still be priced competitively, yet offer a bit more practical screen space for people who plan on using it as a productivity device but don’t need the full power of high-end specs found in the iPad Pros. And I’d expect the next iPad Air to use an M2 or M3 chip, both of which are very capable and could make a next-gen Air into a real workhorse device that can still pull double duty as a slate to watch your favorite shows on when 5:30pm rolls around.

Of course, that could eat into the iPad Pro’s position as a professional tablet. So I’d not be surprised if Apple finds a way to equip the next-gen Pros with more powerful M3 chips, say the M3 Pro; this could enable faster editing of things like video sucked directly from an SD card or serve as a touch-friendly code composition machine.

Right now, we’re expecting new iPads to arrive sometime in the second quarter of the year, aka Spring for people in the Northern Hemisphere. As the changes to the iPads aren’t expected to be huge, their reveal could come via a small-ish Apple update, with Cupertino saving its big showcases for its Worldwide Developers Conference that’s likely taking place sometime in June.

If you can’t wait and want a new iPad today, then take a look at our best iPads list, as you can’t really go wrong with any pick from there.

Roland Moore-Colyer is Managing Editor at TechRadar with a focus on phones and tablets, but a general interest in all things tech, especially those with a good story behind them. He can also be found writing about games, computers, and cars when the occasion arrives, and supports with the day-to-day running of TechRadar. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face and a nose for food markets.

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