The 2022 iPads: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of USB-C
What we know so far and why you should care
As a teenager, I hate rumors.
True rumors embarrass you. Fake rumors crush you.
There is one type of rumor I like though: Apple leaks.
Across the internet, rumors are spreading faster than they did in my middle school: Apple, in the middle of the hype around the iPhone 14 series, appears to be releasing three new iPads in October.
Here’s why you should care.
The Rumors
First, let’s briefly summarize the rumors we’ve heard so far. If you’re already familiar with what’s expected, feel free to skip to the next section.
iPad (base-model)
Here’s what’s expected for the base-level iPad based on sources I found online:
A USB-C port instead of a Lightning port
Flat edges (like the iPad Pro)
Curved corner display (also like the iPad Pro)
A14 chip (found in 4th generation iPad Air and iPhone 12 series)
Increase in screen size from 10.2 inches to 10.5 or 10.9 inches
These are pretty significant design changes - 9to5Mac calls it the iPad’s biggest update in a decade.
iPad Pro
Apple is also expected to release two new iPad Pros - an 11” model with LCD and a 12.9” model with miniLED.
Here’s what’s expected for the next generation of iPad Pros:
Inclusion of MagSafe wireless charging, potentially by using glass to make an enlarged Apple logo on the back of the iPad
M2 chip (found in 2022 MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro)
Better battery life
Two 4-pin connectors on the top and bottom edges (there is currently one 3-pin connector)
Sources
Here are my sources for anyone interested:
Why This Matters
Note: Everything below this point is either mentioned in the above articles or my own guess. In the case of the latter, I have absolutely no evidence other than what I mentioned above and everything I say here will probably be proven wrong by October.
Accessories
The change from a single 3-pin connector to a dual 4-pin connector is interesting.
The dual connector setup could indicate new accessories for the iPad Pro. We might see an improved version of the Magic Keyboard, potentially with function row keys (which the current Magic Keyboard is missing).
My issue, though, is that Apple probably could’ve done the same with the current 3-pin connector.
That indicates one of two scenarios:
Apple is planning to release a revolutionary accessory (which might be related to the rumored addition of MagSafe) that utilizes the dual connectors.
Apple is being annoying and wants to make consumers hand over more money to buy a new Magic Keyboard for their new iPad
Either way, consumers most likely won’t be able to use current Magic Keyboards on future iPad Pros. That’s an extra 300-350 dollars we have to pay (plus any price increases due to the addition of new features).
Screen Size
The increase in screen size from 10.2 inches to 10.5-10.9 inches for the base-level iPad caught my eye - as the base iPads and iPad Minis get bigger, can we expect the iPad Pro to also get a bigger display?
There were reports a while ago about a 15-inch iPad Pro, but it isn’t expected to be released any time soon (definitely not at the October event).
If the rumors about a 10.9” display are true, that would mean that the base-level iPad is bigger than the 11” iPad Pro. If that’s the case, I wonder if Apple will keep the current sizes or opt to release larger iPad Pros to accommodate this shift.
USB-C
The full transition of the entire iPad lineup to USB-C pretty much confirms what we’ve been expecting: a USB-C iPhone series is coming soon.
A USB-C iPad Pro makes sense - after all, professional users are most likely to use USB-C accessories.
But when the base iPad receives USB-C, I think it’s pretty obvious that Apple is planning to release a USB-C iPhone.
It probably won’t be the iPhone 14 series, but the iPhone 15 will most likely have the feature, especially due to the EU’s new USB-C rules.
Battery Life
As always, improved battery life is much appreciated.
There is something I’m interested in though - the combination of the change in connectors and increase in battery life points to a new Magic Keyboard.
Some rumors have said that the increased battery life is due to power drain from the Magic Keyboard. If this was the case, Apple could have added extra battery life to the 2021 iPad Pro (which was released a year after the original Magic Keyboard was announced).
Apple’s choice in this timing indicates an accessory release. And their choice to change the physical body of the iPad means that it will be a pretty big announcement.
Final Thoughts
It’s been a while since I’ve done a post like this - my last post about rumors was posted just before WWDC.
If you did enjoy this article and have an idea/opinion you’d like to share, feel free to leave a comment.
Thanks!
Adi