Will the iPad be 12.9 inches bigger? Image: Apple
Apple’s current largest tablet is iPad Pro 12.9 inchbut a 16-inch model will fit Apple’s largest MacBook, MacBook Pro 16 inch with chip M1 Pro or M1 Max.
Citing a source familiar with the plans, Information report that the 16-inch iPad will blur the line between iPad and MacBook. Apple could release the 16-inch iPad in Q4 of 2023, although the report also notes that Apple may change its plans and not go ahead with the super-sized model.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman last year’s report that Apple has been working on the larger 12.9-inch Pro iPad. Gurman also said that, after using the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro feels cramped, making a 14-inch or 16-inch iPad an appealing prospect.
The latest report does not state whether Apple will position the 16-inch tablet as an iPad or as part of the iPad Pro lineup.
Supply chain analyst Ross Young last year reported that Apple could launch a 14.1-inch iPad (instead of the iPad Pro due to the use of regular LEDs instead of the more expensive miniLED). He predicts to launch in the first quarter of 2023, as 9to5Mac reported at the time.
As The Verge notesa larger iPad could help clear up some pricing confusion due to iPad 10th generation. At $449, the new entry-level iPad with Apple Magic Keyboard Folio ($249) and Apple Pencil ($99) is pretty close to the $999 MacBook Air M1. The higher price for the 2022 iPad may explain why Apple is still selling the 9th-generation iPad at $329.
Apple has blurred the line between iPad and MacBook with The multitasking feature of iPadOS 16 Stage Manager, which makes it easier for iPad users to switch apps and overlap windows on the screen, more like a desktop monitor. Stage Manager is also available for MacOS Ventura. This multitasking feature could be even more appealing on the larger iPad, possibly mirroring the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
