Apple is holding an iPad event on 7th May, and the star of the show is rumoured to be the next iPad Pro. It’s said to be the first Apple tablet with an OLED screen, meaning sharper edges, deeper blacks and, yes, probably a higher price too.

So how much is the OLED iPad Pro likely to cost? What other features can we expect? And what kind of power is it expected to pack?

Here’s everything we know so far about the iPad Pro OLED model.

iPad Pro OLED: release date rumours

Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event takes place on Tuesday 7th May. Given that the teaser (above) includes a hand holding an Apple Pencil stylus, that’s rather a large hint that we’ll see new iPads unveiled at the event. And which was the first iPad to be compatible with the Apple Pencil? The iPad Pro.

Given that the 6th-generation iPad Pro was unveiled on 18th October 2022 and released just eight days later, chances are we’ll see the new model(s) launch before the middle of May.

Next week’s event is also said to unveil the 6th-generation iPad Air, though a new iPad Mini and standard iPad are less likely to make an appearance.

iPad Pro OLED: price prediction

OLED is a more advanced screen technology than the Mini LED used on the current iPad Pro, and carries a higher price point. Hence the OLED iPad Pro is expected to be more expensive than the current model, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.

Exactly how much more expensive is unclear, but the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro launched at £1249 / $1099 / AU$1899, and the 11-incher at £899 / $799 / AU$1,899. Apple managed to keep a lid on its iPhone prices in 2023, so hopefully we’ll only see a tiny price bump for the OLED iPad Pro.

iPad Pro OLED: screen hearsay

Obviously the OLED screen will be the biggest selling point of the new iPad Pro over the old model. The current 12.9-inch iPad Pro features a Mini LED screen, while the 11-inch model sports an IPS LCD. OLED screens offer deeper blacks, a higher sense of contrast and more accurate colours. That would be impressive enough in its own right, but Apple is reportedly pulling out the stops in terms of what an OLED screen can do…

According to display expert Ross Young, Apple’s tablet(s) will be the “first OLED tablets with LTPO, first OLED tablets with a tandem stack, brightest and longest life OLEDs in tablets, lightest and thinnest OLEDs tablets as well due to glass thinning and TFE.”

Let’s take these in turn. LTPO is low-temperature polycrystalline oxide, and allows Apple’s proprietary ProMotion tech to enable variable refresh rates of up to 120Hz. By dynamically changing the refresh rate depending on what’s on screen (higher for fast-moving content, lower for slow or static), it will help eliminate blur and use less energy, hence extending battery life.

A tandem stack makes the panel brighter and more durable, while the TFE layer allows the screen – and potentially the device itself – to be slimmer.

In other words, the iPad Pro OLED should be fantastically bright, slim, lightweight and boast a longer battery life.

Previous leaks suggested the iPad Pro could be getting bigger – increasing in size to 14 or maybe even 16 inches. But we don’t think that will happen – not yet anyway – as it would push up the price too much. It’s more likely that Apple will keep the 12.9- and 11-inch sizes, and upgrade them with OLED panels instead.

iPad Pro OLED: rumoured specs

OLED screen aside, perhaps the biggest rumour concerning the iPad Pro is the processor. While it was previously expected to feature Apple’s M3 processor, Mark Gurman says there’s a “strong possibility” it will be powered by the M4 and the accompanying neural engine, prompting him to call it “Apple’s first truly AI-powered device”.

This would make the device the first to feature Apple’s M4 chip. The current iPad Pro has an M2 processor.

As for the AI, little is known about what exact features this could enable, but Gurman speculates it could combine on-device features developed by Apple with built-in chatbots from the likes of Google or OpenAI (maker of ChatGPT). iOS 18 is though to go big on AI when it launches in the autumn, so this could be Apple opening the floodgates.

Gurman also reckons the Apple Pencil stylus will get an upgrade in the form of haptic feedback (tiny vibrations that let you know your press has registered on a touchscreen, for example). Again, he doesn’t mention any use cases, but it could let you ‘feel’ the texture of whatever virtual material you’re drawing on.

Apple is said to be considering haptic feedback for the iPhone 16‘s buttons, so instead of physical volume buttons you push, you would have virtual ones that feel like they have been pressed, thus reducing wear and tear.

Could the next iPad Pro support wireless charging? One source speaking to MacRumors thinks so. However, giving the iPad Pro support for the Magsafe standard would mean it having a glass back, which would be more susceptible to damage if dropped.

Rumours have also circulated that the iPad Pro OLED could have a whopping 4TB of storage (via TechRadar). This is a device for professionals, and pro-level videos, photos and graphics take up a lot of space, so more storage would make sense. The current iPad Pros top out at 2TB.

iPad Pro OLED: early verdict

We’ll most likely see the OLED iPad Pro launch at Apple’s 7th May event. Apple makes some of the sweetest displays on any mobile device, so the jump to OLED should give the iPad Pro a real boost against the competition, especially if it can offer all the display tech that’s been rumoured.

As ever, it all comes down to price. But given this is a premium device aimed at creative professionals, we imagine lots of people would rather part with the cash than compromise on their tablet.

We’ll update this page as soon as the details are official.

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