Some M1 iPad Pro orders are 'preparing to ship' ahead of May 21 release

11-inch iPad Pro (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

Some M1 iPad Pro orders are getting ready to ship.
Only those who got their orders in quickly will receive their tablets on launch day.

Those who have super-quick fingers and managed to get M1 iPad Pro orders in before everyone else should be set to get their new tablet on release day, May 21. Some of those people are already beginning to see their iPad Pro preparing to ship.

First noted by MacRumors, both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro orders are getting ready to be packaged up for delivery – including those that have been customized with engraving.

Apple's M1-powered iPad Pro has proven hugely popular since pre-orders began with the 12.9-inch version particularly hot. Anyone ordering one today will be waiting a matter of months, not weeks, before their new toy lands on their doorstep. Things are less grim for those looking to get their hands on the 11-inch version, however.

Both new iPad Pro models come with an Apple M1 chip inside with Thunderbolt capabilities thrown in for the first time, too. That 12.9-inch iPad Pro does come with a fancy new Mini-LED screen, however. It isn't clear whether that's what is causing the shipping discrepancy.

Anyone who hasn't placed an order yet should probably check out our collection of the best iPad Pro deals available today. Especially before placing an order elsewhere.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.