In a surprising turn of events, it has been reported that Apple may skip the M3 chipset for its upcoming iPad Pro family and instead introduce a new M4 SoC that will support advanced AI features. This revelation has caused speculation among tech enthusiasts, as two pieces of evidence suggest that the M4 will be an entirely different silicon compared to its predecessor.

The first piece of evidence comes from the unique identifier of the M4. Recent reports have highlighted the designation of the upcoming iPad Pro models as iPad16,3, iPad16,4, iPad16,5, and iPad16,6. This is significant as previous iPads powered by the M2 chipset all featured the number '14' in their identifiers. Following this chronology, the iPad Pro models with the M3 would have been designated by the number '15,' yet they are not. This discrepancy strongly supports the notion that the introduction of the M4 will mark a fresh chipset release.

Moreover, information shared by an anonymous leaker on a private X account further strengthens this speculation. According to the leaker, the iPad Air will be powered by the 'T8112' identifier, which is associated with the M2 chipset. The M3, on the other hand, is identified by 'T8122,' a designation not linked to any upcoming iPad Pro models. Instead, these models are said to feature an unknown 'T8132' chip, presumably the M4.

Although unconfirmed, it is rumored that Apple may utilize TSMC's 3nm 'N3E' node for the mass production of the M4, as opposed to the previous 'N3B' architecture. If this is true, it would distinguish the M4 as a significantly different silicon from the M3, potentially offering a larger Neural Engine to handle the anticipated advanced AI-related functions.

However, given the proximity between the M3 and M4 launches, it is likely that both chipsets will share certain similarities, such as having four performance and four efficiency cores. As the official unveiling draws nearer, with Apple's 'Let Loose' event scheduled for May 7, eager enthusiasts will soon have the answers they seek.

Apple's decision to introduce the M4 SoC in its upcoming iPad Pro models suggests a significant leap forward in AI capabilities. If these reports hold true, users can expect enhanced AI functionalities and improved performance in their iPad Pro devices. As the tech community eagerly awaits the official announcement, all eyes will be on Apple as they seek to further solidify their position at the forefront of technological innovation.