Keynote “Let Loose”: what new features will Apple present on May 7?

An Apple Event will take place on May 7, starting at four p.m. (Paris time). This keynote comes quite late this year, and could be an opportunity to discover half a dozen new products. Numerous rumors about them have already circulated, which allows us to draw up rather complete technical sheets of these future additions to the Apple firm's catalog.

Of course, let us remember that all of this information must, as is often the case, be considered with caution.

1 – The first 12.9-inch iPad Air

The main novelty of this keynote would be, for us,the 12.9-inch iPad Air. This would be the first tablet in this collection to have such a large diagonal. Some rumors also suggest that the screen technology chosen here would use mini-LED, but other informants later came to deny the case. We'll see who's right next month.

The 12.9-inch iPad Air should present itself as a goodbetter value for money than the iPad Pro of the same size, the latter, very expensive, being today the only one entitled to such an imposing format. As for mini-LED, it is a technology to improve contrast. Graphic designers or lovers of quality images should therefore appreciate this improvement.

2 – A new 10.9-inch iPad Air

At the same time, the “classic” iPad Air should also be renewed during the keynote. The diagonal size of this sixth generation should not change compared to the previous one, with potentially 10.9 inches on the clock. On the other hand, the layout of the FaceTime camera could vary. Thus, as on the large iPad Air, the sensor would be installed in landscape orientation, and no longer in portrait as before. Which could make our lives easier during video calls.

The two iPad Airs on the way would all be powered by theM2 chip. This is very well made and already equips certain iPad Pros. On the other hand, on the iPad Air, we could benefit from a GPU with only eight cores. This component provides good graphics performance.

The price of the 10.9-inch iPad Air has not been leaked yet, but we know that following the crisis, Apple lowered the price of its iPhones. Hopefully tablets follow suit this year.

3 – Two OLED iPad Pros

The iPad Pro M3swill probably also be presented during the conference. The new tablets should give pride of place to a screenOLEDnew, with a better quality display than the previous generation. This system is, however, more expensive than the mini-LED or LED of the iPad Pro M2, so future models may require us to pay more when purchasing.

With the OLED iPad Pros, Apple could also be at the origin of a new record. The company should therefore reveal the dimensions of the tablets either during the keynote or through the technical sheet published afterwards. However, these figures would be synonymous with a thinness never achieved until now, all iPads combined. As a bonus, wireless charging via MagSafe could also be included, even if analysts have not particularly rushed to mention this possibility, for the moment.

4 – Apple Pencil 3

AndThird generation Apple Pencilcould also be presented during the keynote on May 7. A new edition of the stylus with USB-C connectivity had already seen the light of day very recently, but without any further major improvements. The next version, however, would welcome for the first time a gesture ofpressionon the body of the accessory, allowing it to be controlled in another way.

The Apple Pencil could, as a bonus, be available not only in white but also innoir. Users would also benefit from a new kind ofleads, interchangeable and magnetic. Finally, be aware that the pointed stylus will undoubtedly be announced as compatible with the Apple Vision Pro. We could then use it on a real flat surface, to create virtual content. The mixed reality headset will get a second edition of its operating system, visionOS, during the Worldwide Developer Conference. It may also be during this event that the change will be confirmed.

5 – Will we see a new Magic Keyboard during the keynote?

Apple would also have planned to unveil a new Magic Keyboard during the keynote on May 7. This accessory would be designed with an aluminum chassis, part of which will probably be recycled in view of the efforts of Tim Cook's company to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Thetouchpad could also be biggerthan the previous Magic Keyboard, for greater movement when drawing.

This version could be reserved for iPad Pro M3s, but we know that iPad Airs have also been entitled to the Magic Keyboard for several quarters.

6 – Arrival of the Calculator app on iPad

Finally, note that recent leaks suggest that the Calculator app could arrive on iPad shortly. However, the associated announcement will perhaps also ask us to wait until WWDC, to find out for sure. The living room is, for its part,scheduled for June 10 to 14, with an opening keynote on the first day at 7 p.m. (Paris time).

The Calculator app is already available on iOS and macOS, where a major update is expected this year. But Apple had always refused to develop a tablet client, notably for design reasons, it seems.

7 – Announcement of the release date of the Apple Vision Pro

Apple Vision Pro release datefor France and the rest of the world could also be confirmed during the keynote on May 7.

You will probably have to wait several days between the deployment of pre-orders and the first deliveries.

Bonus: what you shouldn't see during the keynote

We have detailed in aprevious articlewhat we shouldn't see during this new Apple keynote. In summary:

Major updates to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS will instead be announced at the Worldwide Developer Conference. If new Macs are on the way for the summer, it is also during this event that we should discover them. MacBook Pro models with the same OLED technology as iPad Pros are therefore not as close as you might think.

Many other advantages for the iPad Pro have already been seen in patents, such as water resistance or the fingerprint sensor under the screen. But here too, these new developments seem quite distant. Just like the fourth generation iPhone SE, which although originally expected for spring 2024, was ultimately pushed back to the following year.

  • Two iPad Airs could arrive at the May 7 keynote, including a 12.9-inch model
  • OLED iPad Pros with M3 chip could also be announced at the conference
  • A third-generation Apple Pencil and a Magic Keyboard with a larger touchpad would also be in the pipeline