Will the New iPad Pro Really Have the M4 Chip?
While Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models have been expected to feature the M3 chip for over a year, recent reports have unexpectedly suggested that the new devices will instead feature the as-yet-unannounced M4 chip.
Last week,
Bloomberg's
Mark Gurman said that he now believes there is a "strong possibility" that the upcoming iPad Pro models will be
equipped with Apple's next-generation M4 chip, rather than the M3 chip that debuted in the
MacBook Pro and
iMac six months ago. He said a key new feature of the M4 chip will be an
upgraded Neural Engine that boosts performance for AI tasks, and he believes Apple will market the next iPad Pro as an AI-powered device.
Introducing the M4 chip in an iPad and only six months after the previous chip generation would be unprecedented moves. Yet this is not the first time that the new iPad Pro models have been rumored to feature the M4 chip. In March, the chip details of 16 new Apple devices were revealed by a source with a proven track record of sharing accurate information about Apple's plans.
The disclosed technical information contained four identifiers for an unreleased chip that relates to the upcoming 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro models display sizes. This sequence of identifiers suggested that the iPad Pro will contain the M4 chip, rather than the M3. With Gurman now supporting this possibility and the potential of an AI focus, it seems like an increasingly likely eventuality.
If Apple does introduce the M4 chip in the new iPad Pro, its Apple silicon roadmap would appear to be moving faster than expected. It is possible that TSMC's N3E production volume remains low, making it more suitable for a device like the iPad rather than the iPhone or Mac at this point in time.
Apple is expected to announce the new iPad Pro models at its "Let Loose" event on May 7. Do you think the new iPad Pro will contain the M4 chip and why? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Popular Stories
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker.
According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found.
Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future.
"I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
You'd expect things to be starting to wind down for the holidays by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet in the world of Apple news, with Apple just about ready to release iOS 26.2 and other operating system updates to the public.
There was also a flurry of news this week about Apple executive departures, some expected and some not so expected, while we also learned that Apple and...
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
