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For Apple fans, nothing sparks as much excitement as an unveiling event.
Now, the tech giant is preparing to host its first of the year and is expected to unveil at least four new products.
The event, called ‘Let Loose’, will be streamed online on Apple TV, Apple’s website and Apple’s YouTube channel today from 10am Eastern Time (3pm BST).
Apple has released a cryptic animated trailer for the event in which the Apple logo will be drawn in a variety of colors and styles, including one with a hand holding a stylus.
Apple CEO Tim Cook already he told his X followers to ‘write to us’, alluding to what the Cupertino company has in store.
Apple has released a cryptic animated trailer for the event in which the Apple logo will be drawn in a variety of colors and styles, including one with a hand holding a stylus (pictured).
Although the company has not confirmed what new products it will announce, rumors have been circulating furiously online.
Respected Apple insider Mark Gurman claims that Apple is announcing new iPads today, as well as a compatible Apple Pencil.
“Apple has the opportunity to usher in a new era for the iPad at its “Let Loose” launch event scheduled for Tuesday,” Gurman says in his latest newsletter.
‘The presentation, which is expected to last about 35 minutes, should set the product on a new path.
“The new iPads will arrive on Tuesday and Apple should do everything it can to make them true replacements for laptops.”
Apple will announce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models with OLED displays, it says, which provide better image quality than the LCD and MiniLED used in previous iPad models.
The head of Apple has told his X followers to “sign us up”, alluding to what the company has in store for today. The event will be streamed online on Apple TV and Apple’s website from 10am Eastern Time (3pm BST).
Apple has not released new iPads since 2022. Pictured is the sixth-generation iPad Pro released in October 2022.
OLED, which offers a richer range of colors and enables faster screen response times, has been installed in iPhones since 2017, but not iPads.
Because OLED panels don’t require a lighting device called a backlight, they can be incredibly thin and light, so these are likely to be the thinnest iPads yet.
The new iPad Pro and iPad Air models will be available in two screen sizes: 11 inches and 12.9 inches.
What’s more, the Pro model will get a new M4 chip, a component that will power yet-to-be-announced artificial intelligence (AI) features, Gurman says.
If he’s right, the two new devices will be the first new iPads since 2022 and will mark the longest wait for new iPads in the company’s history.
There will also be an Apple Pencil with a squeeze gesture for certain actions and potentially ‘haptic feedback’ for the first time, sending subtle vibrations to the user’s hand.
Lastly, Gurman hopes for a new Magic Keyboard (Apple’s line of wireless computer keyboards).
“The new aluminum Magic Keyboard is expected to be more durable and have a laptop-like aesthetic,” he says.
Apple Pencil is a line of wireless stylus accessories from Apple for use with compatible iPads. The photo shows the first and second generation Apple Pencils.
Apple CEO Tim Cook (pictured) also recently teased a big AI announcement, but it’s unclear whether it will come on May 7 or at WWDC in June.
These new devices will likely be on shelves within a month of being announced today, based on previous Apple product launches.
In terms of pricing, the addition of OLED displays will likely increase the cost above the latest iPad Pro and iPad models released in 2022.
The latest iPad Air was priced between £569 and £719 depending on storage and Wi-Fi, while the latest iPad Pro went from £899 to £1,429.
Although Apple is said to be working on several new smartphones, they are not expected to be revealed at today’s unveiling event.
The first, the iPhone 16, should be presented in early September and could include a new “Capture Button.”
The second new phone will supposedly be the iPhone SE 4, the latest in Apple’s ‘budget’ SE line, which is expected to launch in spring 2025.
Meanwhile, Apple is also reportedly working on its first foldable phone, copying Samsung, Huawei, Google, Motorola and many more.
Experts say Apple’s long-rumored competitor – Samsung’s Galaxy Z, Motorola’s Razr Plus and Google’s Pixel Fold – now has a working title: the iPhone Flip. Above, a rendering by YouTuber ConceptsiPhone, who has been experimenting with foldable iPhone designs for years.
Shortly after today’s event will be Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), June 10-14.
Although WWDC typically focuses on new software rather than hardware, the event may even include a big update on Apple’s recent work in AI, where it has lagged behind rivals like Microsoft and Google.
Apple boss Tim Cook has also teased a “huge” AI announcement coming “later this year”, possibly a product similar to ChatGPT.
Speaking on Apple’s quarterly earnings report in early February, he said: “Looking ahead, we will continue to invest in these and other technologies that will shape the future.”
‘That includes artificial intelligence, to which we continue to dedicate an enormous amount of time and effort.
“We are excited to share details of our ongoing work in that space later this year.”
