Is Apple Working on a 14-inch 2024 iPad Pro? A Dubious Rumor Says Yes

Last week, a supply chain rumor potentially spilled the beans on Apple’s entire iPad display roadmap, but now a new leaker is adding one that may have been left out: a 14.1-inch iPad Pro.

A larger iPad Pro isn’t a novel idea; rumors that Apple was at least exploring the idea go back to 2021 and come from sources no less reliable than Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. However, the usual sources have been eerily quiet about the notion over the past year or so, suggesting that if such a device was on the drawing board, Apple has at the very least shelved it for now.

Instead, a report last week from South Korea’s ET News provides us with a laundry list of iPad models that Apple has lined up for the next three years, beginning with the obvious — a pair of OLED-equipped iPads Pro next year — and culminating in 2027 in a 12.9-inch iPad Air with OLED.

This rumored 12.9-inch iPad Air would actually be the second of its kind, as other sources have suggested Apple is already working on a 12.9-inch LCD model that’s expected to land sometime next year. These reports, which are based on 12.9-inch LCD panels being sourced for a new iPad, initially had some pundits scratching their heads over the idea that Apple might revert the iPad Pro to an LCD screen; however, that display type is standard on the iPad Air, making it a much likelier candidate for the new 12.9-inch panels.

Now, just when we thought everything was laid out, leaker Majin Bu has thrown a spanner in the works with a claim from their sources that a 14.1-inch iPad Pro is also in the works as a third option that will join the 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes in the lineup.

As noted by AppleInsider, which first highlighted Majin Bu’s tweet, Apple was considering a 14-inch iPad Pro for 2023. This was corroborated by information from display analyst Ross Young last year, but according to Gurman, who initially reported the news, it would have been released instead of the 12.9-inch model, not in addition to it. In the end, Apple opted to go for the established size.

While that doesn’t rule out the possibility that Apple may still have a 14.1-inch iPad on the drawing board, it would be very unusual for the company to release it as a third tier. Hence, even if this latest leak is accurate, it’s likely that the lineup would consist of an 11-inch and 14.1-inch model, with the 12.9-inch riding off into the sunset. However, this latest leak also suggests Apple will stick with mini-LED for the largest model “to keep costs down.”

That might make some sense in light of the 12.9-inch iPad Air, but it’s also essential to take it with a very healthy dose of salt. Considering Apple’s move to standardize its iPhone sizes across pro and non-pro models in recent years, doing the same with the iPad Air and iPad Pro lineups makes much more sense.

Most of the other information that Majin Bu lays out matches up with other reports we’ve heard or things that are already a given. For example, while we haven’t heard too many conclusive reports, an M3 chip in the next iPad Pro is widely assumed to be the natural evolution of the tablet.

Apple’s plans to move to OLED screens are already well known. However, Majin Bu suggests an eyeball-searing brightness of up to 3,000 nits, which seems absurd on the face of it, considering that the only device that presently gets that bright is the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and that’s so it can be visible in bright sunlight during the outdoor adventures that wearable is specifically designed for. By contrast, the iPhone 15 lineup hits 2,000 nits, while Apple’s latest M3 MacBook Pro models only reach 600 nits.

Majin Bu has a hit-and-miss track record when it comes to leaks. They were right about the iPhone 15’s limited USB-C speeds and slightly right on Apple’s new faux leather cases but incorrect about color-matched iPhone 15 USB-C cables, likely mistaking cables being mass-produced for Apple’s new M3 iMac instead. However, other leaks have been way off, including a mid-2022 report claiming Apple would release a new Time Machine and AirPort routers by the end of the year.

Combine that with the fact that Majin Bu is hedging their bets on this latest report with the qualifier that “I’m not sure of the source so I can’t take this information too seriously,” it’s best that we follow suit and not put too much stake in it either.

Nevertheless, a larger iPad Pro remains an intriguing idea, and there’s ample evidence that Apple has considered it in the past, so we also can’t rule it out entirely.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]