Apple's $3,000 iPad Gamble Stalls--But a Game-Changing iPad Pro Is Coming in 2027

Apple's AAPL next leap in tablets could be its most technically ambitious yet. The company is developing a vapor chamber cooling system for the iPad Pro, targeting release as early as 2027. The same technology, already in the iPhone 17 Pro, allows chips to sustain high performance without overheating a crucial edge as Apple's tablets take on heavier AI and media workloads. The current M5-powered iPad Pro already performs on par with the Mac Studio's M1 Ultra chip, blurring the line between tablet and desktop. Sources indicate that future models could pair the vapor chamber with Apple's upcoming M6 processor, built on Taiwan Semiconductor's TSM new 2-nanometer process, a move designed to further boost efficiency and performance while maintaining the iPad Pro's ultra-thin profile.

Apple is also quietly advancing its next big revenue play: advertising inside Apple Maps. The company plans to let restaurants and retailers pay for premium placement as early as next year, similar to App Store search ads. AI will likely drive targeting to ensure relevance, but it's a delicate balancing act. Some consumers already feel the ecosystem is becoming too commercial with promotional prompts for Apple Music, TV+, and AppleCare crowding premium devices that can cost up to $2,000. Still, the initiative could strengthen Apple's high-margin services business, a key growth driver as hardware sales plateau and the company leans more on ecosystem monetization.

Not everything in Apple's pipeline is running smoothly. The long-rumored 18-inch foldable iPad has reportedly been pushed back until at least 2029 after hitting snags related to weight, durability, and cost, with prototypes priced north of $3,000. The company has no hesitation shelving products that don't pass its internal test for scalability as seen with the cancellations of its car project and cheaper Vision headset. Yet Apple could gain insights from Huawei's $3,400 MateBook Fold, which already hit the market. For investors, the story now centers on two diverging fronts: a vapor-cooled iPad Pro that could redefine tablet performance, and a shift toward ads in Maps that might quietly reshape how Apple makes money long after the next hardware cycle.