Apple announces 'Let Loose' event on May 7 with new iPads expected
Apple announced on Tuesday that it will hold a "Let Loose" event on May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific/10 a.m. Eastern.
The event is expected to unveil the new iPad Pro and Air models and possibly updated iPad accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil.
This event is coming only a month before WWDC 2024 on June 10, when the company will unveil its latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, and watchOS.
But this event will be all about the hardware, so here's what we expect to see at Apple's "Let Loose" event.
Apple's Let Loose event: What to expect
Apple's Let Loose event goes live on Tuesday, May 7 at 7AM PT / 10AM ET / 2PM GMT and can be watched on Apple's website, Apple TV, or YouTube. And since the company is no stranger to leaks, the industry has tons of information on what's going to be at the show.
New iPad and iPad Pro
The two heavily rumored iPad Pro models should be the stars of the show. The current iPad Pro features an M2, so we once expected the new models to be built with M3 chips inside. However, a new rumor from Mark Gurman suggests that the iPad Pro models will actually be built with an M4, beginning Apple's AI-focused future earlier than expected.
Beyond that, rumors suggest that the iPad Pro could finally feature an OLED panel. In a rare positive note for iPad Pro pricing, the speculation is that the base model will still start below $1,000.
We also anticipate two iPad Air models being shown off, likely featuring an M2 chip and finally moving from an LCD panel to mini-LED. However, we don't know much else about these tablets.
New Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil
A new Magic Keyboard is likely coming, with Mark Gurman reporting that it will feature a larger trackpad, one of our few complaints about the current Magic Keyboard (beyond the price).
The new Magic Keyboard is said to emulate the iconic deck of the MacBook, even featuring an aluminum body—hoping to emulate the laptop experience much more closely.
However, it won't emulate the MacBook entirely, with its cantilever support and hinge-based USB-C port remaining.
Thanks to a recent, not-so-subtle post from Apple CEO Tim Cook on X, we also expect the Apple Pencil to feature quite heavily. The marketing around the 'Let Loose' event focuses on drawing and art, and the Apple Pencil is clearly present in the core artwork.
We're not sure if this means a further USB-C refresh is coming to more Apple Pencil models or if we'll see something brand new, but we do know Apple Pencil support for visionOS is reportedly coming in the future according to MacRumors.
We've also come across several impending features to be added to the Apple Pencil in its latest release, including touch-based controls for swiping, tapping, and squeezing gesture inputs and the inclusion of haptic feedback for the first time.
If there is anything else announced at the event, it will be an actual surprise. But considering WWDC 2024 and "Let Loose" are so close together, we don't expect much more than what is already predicted.
