We’re one step closer to Apple’s launch of the upcoming M5 iPad Pro. According to DigiTimes (via MacRumors), Samsung Display and LG Display have officially begun mass production of the OLED panels for this generation of Apple’s high-end tablet.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously said Apple is aiming for an October release. With that in mind, the DigiTimes report fits in perfectly with his timeline.
Unfortunately, we’ve yet to see any rumors about major features for this generation. Other than the new M5 chip, which is expected to use a better manufacturing process than the current 3nm model, there are no major improvements expected for this generation. For example, one reports says Apple might flip its logo to landscape orientation for this iPad.
Besides that, it seems the new M5 iPad Pro will be like the recently-released M3 iPad Air: A spec upgrade and nothing else. After all, Apple just redesigned the iPad Pro with an ultra-thin chassis, a beautiful OLED display, and the company’s latest chip.
Other rumored upgrades for the iPad Pro, such as thinner bezels and improved panel, are expected to land in a future hardware update.
iPadOS 26 is the greatest M5 iPad Pro feature, but your iPad can run it too
That being said, Apple will heavily rely on iPadOS 26 to promote the M5 iPad Pro. However, pretty much any iPad compatible with this upcoming software update will unlock the many benefits of iPadOS 26.
The new windowing system, Mac-like menu bars, supercharged Files app, the new Preview app, and more are all available on a range of iPad models. What makes this more interesting is that Stage Manager once required a tablet with an M1 or newer chip. Now, even older iPad models can run several windows at the same time.
That said, users looking to acquire the latest and greatest hardware should appreciate the new M5 chip combined with the new software features of iPadOS 26.
