The new iPad Pro OLED and iPad Air are close: the latest rumors speak of an announcement by March

According to the latest rumors from Asia, Apple should soon present the new iPad Air and iPad Pro OLED models; a possible date would be set for March 26.
The Chinese leaker Instant Digital would have suggested availability for pre-order with shipments after March 29th.

There was initially talk of a 12.9-inch iPad Air, but leaker ShrimpApplePro recently suggested that the model might not clock in.
In its place a new iPad Air model (2024) with a 10.9 inch LCD screen.

A substantial update for the iPad Pro is also expected from Apple, with the introduction of the long-rumored ones OLED displayalong with other significant changes, such as the possible modification of the arrangement of the front camera and Face ID sensors to improve the user experience.

Agreeing and disagreeing opinions

The prospect of the launch date finds further confirmation from the Chinese site IT Home, which in turn indicated March 26 as the release date of the new iPads.

Also according to the latest rumors from Gurman of Bloomberg, the arrival of the new models is expected towards the last days of March, with an inclination towards a launch in April.
In his recent Power On newsletter, Gurman dispelled some uncertainty regarding the release of Apple's new tablets, especially regarding the next generation iPad Pro models.
His suggestion is that a version of iPadOS 17.4 dedicated to the new models it may not be ready until the end of March or perhaps Aprilslowing down the production process.
Once the operating system is untied, Apple will have to send it to factories for installation on new hardware, a process that could take a few more weeks.

With regard to iPad Air (2024)Ming-Chi Kuo, famous for his precise predictions, anticipated the 12.9-inch model, based on technical diagrams that emerged in January that confirm the new extra-large design.
However, ShrimpApplePro claimed that this information only pertained to the smaller model, refuting the analyst's thesis.

If the leaker's version is confirmed, Apple will unveil two iPad Pro models in 11- and 13-inch sizes along with just the 10.9-inch iPad Air 6.

The year of the iPad

The tablet market has contracted since the peak caused by the pandemic.
In the most recent fiscal quarter, iPad sales fell 10.2% compared to the previous year.
2023, characterized by the absence of new Apple tablets, could be seen as a strategy to revive consumer interest.

Apple's idea of ​​introducing an iPad Air with a larger screen makes sense for those looking a generously sized tablet without the high cost of the high-end Pro modelwhile remaining within the margins of the ecosystem.
Also considering the possible price increase of the iPad Pro with the implementation of OLED panels, this choice seems even more sensible.

The two new iPad Pro models are expected with a M3 chips and a slimmer design, a landscape-mode oriented front camera with redesigned module protrusion, and potentially MagSafe wireless charging.