Next iPad Pro could skip straight to M3 Pro chip

Apple’s next iPad Pro is rumored to not include the upcoming and unannounced M3 chip in favor of a more powerful M3 Pro version instead.

A new tip from known tech leaker Revegnus, has indicated that Apple might not be including the regular M3 chip inside its upcoming refresh of the iPad Pro. The 14.1-inch device will instead go straight to the more powerful M3 Pro, with “Many features from macOS… coming to iPadOS.”

The current slate of iPad Pros only includes M2 chips, rather than the M2 Pro, but it has been rumored that the greater power inside would require an onboard, active cooling solution, rather than the iPad’s current passive, fanless design.

Apple’s unannounced M3 chips are said to have a similar structure with an 8-core CPU, but the Pro versions have typically contained between 10 and 12 cores. Whether Apple includes the full M3 Pro chip or pulls something similar to what Nvidia or AMD does with its laptop variations on its hardware, has yet to be seen.

However, the additional power that Revegnus has talked about links in with their other tidbit about “many features” coming from macOS to iPadOS.

iPad M3 Pro rumored for 2024 launch

Apple has in recent years attempted to merge its three operating systems into one cohesive experience. However, in an attempt to still separate out the iPad from its laptops, a large number of features or apps have been restricted from the tablet. Despite the iPad now supporting mice, keyboards, and storage over USB-C, it is still restricted by the iOS operating system.

With the inclusion of M3 Pro, and some key software providers now making a concerted effort to port over its portfolio to iPadOS, Apple could be looking to further merge the overall user experience even further.

Revegnus states that these M3 Pro-powered iPads would not launch until sometime in 2024, giving the M2 editions another year to breathe before being phased out.