According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the next iPad Pro could be significantly larger and will likely replace the MacBook.

Gurman's sources say that Apple designers and engineers are exploring the development of a larger iPad. However, these will not appear next year, as Apple is expected to focus on redesigning the current iPad Pro for 2022. In other words, if these larger iPads do materialize, they will not appear until 2023 at the earliest, according to Gurman's report.

The largest iPad (the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021) is virtually the same size as the smallest 13.3-inch MacBook screen. According to Garman, such a larger iPad may be "a couple of years away," but it will close the gap between tablets and MacBooks.

That would be especially true if Apple targets the 14- and 16-inch iPad displays that the rumored redesigned MacBook Pro is expected to feature.

A larger display also seems somewhat logical given all the work Apple has done to make the iPad a solid laptop replacement. The latest iPad Pro is powered by the same Apple M1 chip as the new MacBooks, and iPadOS 15 introduces welcome new features for multitasking.

iPadOS 15 offers a new multitasking menu that makes it easier to work with multiple applications simultaneously. There is also a new app shelf that shows all open windows of an app and lets you quickly switch between them. Touch and hold also allows notes and messages to appear in the center of the screen without leaving the current view.

However, Garman noted that the iPad Pro still has a ways to go from a software standpoint, noting that the iPadOS still lacks Mac apps and the flexible app windows that one gets when using macOS.

In addition, there are some important differences: the iPad is a tablet, and to use it as a laptop replacement, one must purchase a separate keyboard (and possibly a mouse). Similarly, the iPad has a touch screen, something the MacBook has long lacked.

Still, this is exciting news if you prefer the versatility of using the iPad for work. It's just too bad we have to wait a while for Apple to make it happen.