The iPad Pro isn’t really known as a budget option for tablet buyers. But the latest report suggests we will soon look back on the last five years as the golden age of affordability.
A leaker going by the name “eyes1122” (via AppleInsider), who has a somewhat spotty track record, has released an info dump on the next generation iPad Pro, based on supply chain sources. There are various intriguing tidbits, such as the contrast and brightness of the new OLED displays being more than double what current models offer, and an apparent design change that makes them the thinnest and lightest tablets, maybe history. But the biggest bomb concerns the price.
In what the leaker describes (translated to English) as a “minimum price gap,” the starting point for the 11-inch iPad Pro is expected to increase to “around $1,500.” This is an astonishing 88% jump from the current entry-level offering at $799.
Likewise,eyes1122 believes the minimum price of the larger Pro will increase to between $1,800 and $2,000, meaning a jump of 64 to 82 percent.
The positive side of this particular issue is that we will get a lot more bang for our buck. The current minimum prices above are for 128GB of storage, but the leaker expects Apple to “increase capacity by default” like it did with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple currently charges $100 extra for 256GB of storage
And of course, the new iPad Pro models will be better than existing models in other ways. There will be new processors – likely M3 chips – and the aforementioned OLED displays. We think these displays will be a game-changer, but it’s questionable whether they’re worth $700 more.
While we certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see a price hike for OLED iPad Pro models, this rumor seems to go too far. When the 12.9-inch iPad Pro received a mini-LED display in 2021, Apple only raised the price by $100, so a jump of more than $500 seems excessive, even for Apple.
You can keep up with all the latest news and rumors with our new, regularly updated iPad Pro superguide.
iPad Pro prices (Apple Store, as of January 9, 2024)
11 inches
- 128 GB: $799 ($999 with cellular)
- 256 GB: $899 ($1,099 with cellular)
- 512 GB: $1,099 ($1,299 with cellular)
- 1TB: $1,499 ($1,699 with cellular)
- 2 TB: $1,899 ($2,099 with cellular)
12.9 inches
- 128 GB: $1,099 ($1,299 with cellular)
- 256 GB: $1,199 ($1,399 with cellular)
- 512 GB: $1,399 ($1,599 with cellular)
- 1TB: $1,799 ($1,999 with cellular)
- 2 TB: $2,199 ($2,399 with cellular)
