It’s not really possible to “delay” a product that has never been announced, but it’s hard to see the latest report of iPad shipping dates as anything else. Originally expected in March, then sliding into April, the new iPad Pro and iPad Air are now expected to ship in early May, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
According to “people with knowledge of the matter,” Apple’s suppliers have ramped up production of the new iPad Pro and iPad Air with a target launch in May, held back from its original March/April launch date due to new software and more complicated manufacturing techniques. Apple doesn’t usually launch new products in May, with the most recent release coming in 2019 with the 7th generation iPod touch. More recently, it began shipping the new M1 iMac and iPad Pro in May 2021 after an April announcement.
The iPad Pro is said to be getting a new OLED display, the M3 processor, and compatibility with an updated Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil. The iPad Air, meanwhile, will allegedly get an upgrade to the M2 processor and be available in a new 12.9-inch size.
Sales of iPads have been flagging lately, and the lineup hasn’t had an update in a year and a half—a longer stretch than any time since the iPad was first introduced. A release in May would be uncommon, as it is within a month of WWDC in June, where the product launch could be given a bigger spotlight.