Last week Apple announced new iPad Pro models with the faster M1 processor and a new mini-LED 12.9-inch display, as well as redesigned 24-inch iMac models. Both iPad models and iMacs will be available to pre-order from the April 30, and while Apple said they'll be shipping in the second half of May, it hasn't provided a specific date.
Today, however, U.K. retailer and long-time Apple stockist John Lewis has updated its online store to indicate that the new iMacs and both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models of iPad Pro will be "available" from Friday, May 21. The reveal is notable, given that Apple usually launches new products in the U.K. on the same day as it does in the United States.
Assuming the date refers to launch rather than when pre-orders start, the date lines up with a prediction from leaker Jon Prosser, who on Monday suggested May 21 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Prosser also said the 11-inch iPad Pro could ship the day after on May 22, but that suggestion immediately came under suspicion because it's a Saturday, and Apple typically refrains from product launches during the weekend.
Reports have suggested that Apple has faced from considerable supply restraints due to the ongoing chip shortage, and the delay between the announcement and shipments of the new devices would seem to back up those reports. Indeed, during Apple's earnings briefing on Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook said that there would be supply issues affecting the iPad and Mac lines.
(Thanks, Jack!)
Update: Moments after this story was published, Prosser tweeted that "the '22nd' date I mentioned [for the iPad Pro launch] is linked to the 5G model for a certain carrier and should be disregarded for the most part."
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...
<Deleted bit about Apple UK pre-order times. Already asked in another post>
Has anyone done an Apple first-day pre-order from the John Lewis site before? Does JL open its web pre-orders at exactly the same time that Apple does and does it give immediate feedback on when the order is expected to be delivered so that you can see if stuff is selling out and delivery dates slipping or does the JL online ordering simply look at the stock Apple has committed to deliver on the release day and once that has gone it simply shows some sort of non-committal message about when the order is likely to be fulfilled? (I realise no one knows for sure about how ordering will behave for the upcoming iPad release but presumably previous iPhone and iPad launches have given people a fairly good basis to predict how first-few-hours pre-ordering is likely to work on the JL site.
