If you were looking to save money on an iPad Pro with an OLED display, you can go ahead and invest in the M4 iPad Pro because the M5 iPad Pro might not have any new features to set it apart from its predecessor.
Details from the research firm, Meritz Securities suggest that upgrades for the upcoming professional-tier iPad may primarily come down to the M5 chip, with Apple expected to save bigger feature overhauls for subsequent generations of the tablet series.
Leaker @Jukanlosreve broke down the firm’s research note on X, which explains its observations of Apple’s current business timeline. The brand introduced its OLED display on the M4 iPad last year as a highlight feature, which reduced the weight and thickness of the tablet but subsequently increased the price. The coming M5 chip, based on the 3nm ‘N3P’ node is expected to give the tablet only a minimal improvement over the previous model. With other aspects, such as design expected to remain relatively the same, Apple may also have modest outlooks on its production of OLED displays for the iPad Pro.
Working with Samsung Display and LG Display to produce OLED panels for the tablet, the sources originally projected a need for over 9 million OLED panels to supply 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models combined. The manufacturers ended up shipping approximately 5.7 million units to Apple.
Wccftech noted that Apple may delay the launch of the M5 iPad Pro until after it announces the M5 MacBook Pro. If accurate the M5 iPad Pro may not see a launch until 2026. However, this could be a benefit as the Pro-level devices would be priced similarly and could easily cannibalize one another. Notably, Apple unveiled the tablet ahead of the laptop in 2024 to showcase the then-new technology.
Analysts have indicated that the M5 MacBook Pro may also be a lackluster upgrade until Apple introduces an OLED display to the Pro laptop line in future generations. However, other reports suggest that Apple may use the M5 line as an opportunity to bring in a complete software refresh across all its platforms, including macOS, iPadOS, and iOS that is practical and consistent in terms of look and function. The overhaul is expected to be inspired by the VisionOS software that powers the Vision Pro headset.