Apple may be planning to add Thunderbolt to the iPad Pro, making data transfer speeds up to four times faster on Apple's most powerful tablet.
According to a report from reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, Apple has tested iPad Pro models with a Thunderbolt port to make them compatible with additional external monitors, hard drives, and peripherals.
Apple's Mac machines have featured Thunderbolt technology for many years, but the current iPad Pro and iPad Air models have standard USB-C ports, which only transfer at USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds. This means that USB-C on the current iPad Pro can transfer at a speed of 10Gb/s, while Thunderbolt 4 supports speeds of up to 40Gb/s. As well as being considerably faster, Thunderbolt opens up the potential for compatibility with a much broader range of Thunderbolt-only accessories.
Apple is planning to refresh its iPad Pro lineup in the immediate future, introducing new models that "look similar to the current iPad Pros" in the same 11 and 12.9-inch screen sizes, according to Gurman. The two new iPad Pros are expected to feature an updated A14X processor that is "on par" with the M1 chip in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, along with camera improvements.
A mini-LED display will be included with "at least" the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with the display upgrade bringing improved brightness and contrast ratios. This is in line with many previous rumors, which have also indicated that the upgraded display technology will be limited to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
The new iPad Pro models are expected to arrive on April 20 at Apple's "Spring Loaded" event, potentially alongside new AirPods and the long-awaited AirTags item trackers.
The updated 11-inch iPad Pro expected to launch sometime this year can no longer be expected to feature a mini-LED display like its larger 12.9-inch sibling, display analyst Ross Young said today on Twitter. Earlier rumors indicated that after keeping mini-LED exclusive to just the 12.9-inch iPad Pro in 2021, Apple would expand the newer display technology to the smaller 11-inch form...
Apple is working on even bigger iPad models that could further "blur the lines" between tablet and laptop, according to reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman.
In the first edition of his new "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Gurman said Apple is currently exploring iPads with larger displays for the future. An excerpt from the newsletter:I'm told that Apple has engineers and designers ...
Tuesday April 20, 2021 10:40 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today announced the next-generation iPad Pro with the same M1 chip found in the latest Macs, Thunderbolt and USB4 support, 5G connectivity on cellular models with mmWave support in the United States, and more.
With an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, Apple says the M1 chip in the new iPad Pro provides up to 50% faster performance and up to 40% faster graphics compared to the A12Z Bionic chip ...
Tuesday March 8, 2022 10:23 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple announced a new iPad Air today at its "Peek Performance" event, featuring Apple's powerful M1 chip previously found in the iPad Pro, as well as optional 5G connectivity, a new front camera with Center Stage, and even faster USB-C connectivity.
Available in a new array of colors, iPad Air features Apple's Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage for a more natural video conferencing...
Wednesday March 9, 2022 3:26 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Update: Apple has since confirmed to MacRumors that plugging in a fourth-generation iPad Air or iPad mini 6 into the Studio Display will result in a downscaled 1440p output. According to Apple, the new 27-inch 5K Studio Display supports a range of Macs going back to 2016 MacBook Pro models, but its compatibility with iPads is notably limited to the 11-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro...
In the first edition of his new Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman said Apple is exploring future iPads with larger displays, although he added that a potential release is likely at least a few years away if ever.
An excerpt from Gurman's newsletter, which also covers some reshuffling of the Apple Car team, Peloton working on a heart rate monitor, and more:I'm told that Apple has ...
In our latest YouTube video, MacRumors videographer Dan goes hands-on with the new 12.9-inch 2021 M1 iPad Pro and compares it to the 2020 12.9-inch iPad Pro to answer the question "Is it worth upgrading?"
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Compared to the 2020 iPad Pro, the 2021 model features an upgraded M1 chip that's faster, a new Center Stage option powered by an...
Apple today introduced the Studio Display, a lower-priced 27-inch alternative to its Pro Display XDR. The standalone monitor includes a one-meter Thunderbolt cable in the box, and for customers looking for longer options, Apple has started selling a 1.8-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable for $129 and has a three-meter option coming soon for $159.
Apple says the Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable supports...
Apple has "started to record" its virtual September event, where it's expected to announce the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 8, and a new "rugged" Apple Watch model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the event, which is expected to take place in the early part of September, is already under production, implying...
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are rumored to be available in a refreshed range of color options, including an all-new purple color. Most expectations about the iPhone 14 lineup's color options come from an unverified post on Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this year.
Overall, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro's selection of color options could look fairly similar to those of the ...
With the fifth beta of iOS 16, Apple has updated the battery icon on iPhones with Face ID to display the specific battery percentage rather than just a visual representation of battery level. The new battery indicator is available on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12/13 mini. It is also available on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, XS and XS Max, and...
Apple this week brought back one of the most highly requested features from iOS users since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017: the ability to see your battery percentage directly in the status bar.
Ever since the launch of the iPhone X with the notch, Apple has not allowed users to show their battery percentage directly in the status bar, forcing them to swipe down into Control Center to...
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 16 to developers for testing purposes, introducing some small but notable changes to the iOS operating system.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up everything new in the fifth beta below.
Battery Percentage in Status Bar
The battery icon in the status bar now displays the exact battery percent, a feature that ...
The camera bump on the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to be the largest rear lens housing Apple has ever installed on its flagship smartphones, and a new photo offers a rare glimpse at just how prominent it is compared to Apple's predecessor device.
iPhone 14 Pro Max dummy (left) vs iPhone 13 Pro Max All iPhone 14 models are expected to see upgrades to the Ultra Wide camera on the...
While the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 are expected to be announced in September as usual, there are several more Apple products rumored to launch later this year, including new iPad and Mac models and more.
Beyond the iPhone and Apple Watch, we've put together a list of five Apple products that are most likely to be unveiled by the end of 2022.
Second-Generation AirPods Pro
Apple...
