A revival of Apple’s iPad Pro will undo the success of the MacBook Pro

Updated April 28: The article was originally published on April 27.

Will the MacBook Pro lose out as Apple prepares to launch a new iPad model after an eighteen-month hiatus?

With the introduction of the M1 Apple silicon chip in 2020 and its subsequent integration into the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, Apple revolutionized not only its own laptop and desktop business, but also its competitors. The pressure was on with the release of the M2, and only now, with the M3 iteration approaching competition, are we seeing the potential of ARM-based rivals, led by Qulacomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite.

However, Apple is in the process of shifting public attention away from the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The year of the Mac is over, long live the iPad.

While announcing its next live event on Tuesday, May 7, Apple confirmed the launch of a new iPad and a new Apple Pencil via invitational artwork. The iPad range has not seen any new products since October 2022. Two versions of the iPad Air are expected to be launched, a 10.9-inch version and a 12.9-inch version.

There are also two upgrades for the iPad Pro, although the switch to an OLED display was accidentally leaked by Apple.

Update: Sunday, April 28th: ​​An important upgrade was released this weekend. Writing for the Bloomberg NewsletterMark Gurman reports on the Apple silicon that will be in the new iPad Pro tablets. They won’t be the M3 chips currently found in the consumer-focused MacBook Air and MacBook Pro; It is the next generation M4 chipset.

The M4 will have the usual feature differences seen in annual chip upgrades, but it will have one key feature not found in the M3: artificial intelligence. Apple uses AI in many applications and processes (especially image processing and predictive typing). However, it lags behind rival manufacturers that are providing silicon with specialized hardware to support the AI ​​revolution.

The M4 chipset allows Apple to bring its “big” devices into the AI ​​game alongside the “mobile” A18 chip that will debut next September with the iPhone 16 family. The iPad Pro, when announced in May, comes with an M4 chipset, making it Apple’s first AI-focused device, taking on the iPhone and Mac family.

Apple has always emphasized the role of the iPad family as an alternative to traditional computers. With a stylus, a touchscreen, and a keyboard, the iPad Pro meets the basic needs of customers who typically rely on the MacBook Air and Pro models. You are limited to apps that Apple deems safe to include in the iPad App Store These are generally simplified versions of the apps you find on macOS. Good enough for social media, casual use, and office tools, but don’t expect to be able to stretch the iPad platform the way you can stretch the Mac platform.

With the new iPads finally hitting the market, you can expect Apple’s PR team to focus on the devices over the next few months. The power of the iPad, the ability to do everything you need on the go, the power of the devices and apps it opens…

Apple hopes that pent-up demand for the new model will contribute to a successful sales period. It just has to reduce the MacBook’s commitment.

Read the latest iPad, iPhone and Apple Vision Pro headlines now in Forbes’ weekly Apple Digest…