Apple’s new iPad Pro likely to be AI-driven device powered by M4 chip

Apple’s current 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models

Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman is reporting that there is a strong possibility that the chip in the new iPad Pro will be the M4, not the M3 and it will be Apple’s first major AI-driven device.

Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:

I believe Apple will position the tablet as its first truly AI-powered device — and that it will tout each new product from then on as an AI device. This, of course, is all in response to the AI craze that has swept the tech industry over the last couple years.

By introducing the new iPad Pro ahead of its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple could lay out its AI chip strategy without distraction. Then, at WWDC, it could focus on how the M4 chip and new iPad Pros will take advantage of the AI software and services coming as part of iPadOS 18 later this year. I fully expect Apple to position the A18 chip in the iPhone 16 line as built around AI as well.

To be fair, though, these new products aren’t engineered and developed entirely around AI. This is partly about marketing…

The company is holding a “Let Loose” event on May 7 to introduce the new iPad Pro, iPad Air, Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil.

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MacDailyNews Take: Yup.

It will take years and billions of dollars to catch up just to where GenAI leaders (OpenAI, Microsoft, Alphabet, etc.) are today.

So, the only solution is to partner with [OpenAI, Microsoft, Alphabet, etc.] for the real GenAI stuff while pretending (marketing) really hard that some on-device AI Apple has whipped up in a few months is “insanely great Apple innovation” that’s at the heart of Apple’s 2024’s AI announcements when it’s really just an adjunct. Apple will tout their homegrown on-device AI and act like it’s powering everything when, in reality, it’s Google (or whichever is licensed) that’s powering most of it. Watch Apple make a big show of its on-device AI at WWDC and run many ads touting it from June onwards.

Apple hopes to buy time for the data center buildouts and investments that will be required for them to someday own their own AI technology and not have to license it. – MacDailyNews, April 1, 2024

The potential for an iPhone 16 super cycle depends on how well Apple marketing sells its GenAI bandaid (licensing from Google, Baidu, etc.) as it works (for years, likely) to catch up with its own generative AI solution.MacDailyNews, April 11, 2024

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