Apple has sent out invitations for its next special event titled "Let Loose," alongside a graphic depicting an Apple Pencil. This suggests that the event will be where the highly anticipated new iPad Pro and iPad Air models will make an appearance after being rumoured for some time and new model numbers appearing in recent software betas.
Expectations for new iPads have been at a high ever since there was no event in October 2023. In recent years, iPad events have been held in the autumn months. However, given the lack of an event last year, many people were wondering what Apple"s plans were for the device and when the eventual updates would come, given that the iPad Pro was last updated in October 2022 and the current iPad Air was released in March 2022.
The included image also appears to show an illustration of an Apple Pencil, which could be suggesting that the Pencil lineup will be getting a refresh. This would be appreciated, given the confusing nature of the current range (which Apple has had to provide a comparison table on its website). The Magic Keyboard might also see a refresh, considering that the existing model was released in 2020, giving it a long shelf life by Apple standards.
Finally, there are expected to be four iPad models announced at this event, which would be two new iPad Pro devices and two new iPad Air devices, including the first 12.9-inch iPad Air with a landscape-oriented front camera as seen in the 10th generation iPad, as well as an M2 chip.
Other updates to the iPad Pro are rumoured to be a thinner enclosure, thinner bezels, a matte screen option, the aforementioned landscape-orientated front camera, and potentially the inclusion of MagSafe wireless charging.
The event will be live-streamed by Apple at 07:00 AM PT (15:00 BST, 10:00 ET) on Apple.com.