After Apple's Spring Loaded event last week, we learned a lot about the iPad Pro 2021. However, it is still unclear when this new tablet will actually ship.

We do know that pre-orders for the iPad Pro 2021 will open this Friday (April 30), with the 11-inch model starting at $799 and the 12.9-inch model selling for $1,099. However, Apple has not revealed when these models will hit store shelves, other than to say that it will likely be in late May.

Prominent Apple leakers believe they have a firm date for the iPad 2021's arrival. But forgive us if we are a bit skeptical about this particular piece of information.

The leak came from Jon Prosser, and even he seems a bit skeptical about the information he conveyed in a tweet: according to Prosser, the 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 will ship on May 22, with the 12.9-inch model arriving a day earlier, on May 21.

Apple does not take kindly to shifting model release dates based on availability. This was the case with the iPhone 12 launch last fall, when the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro shipped weeks before the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Delaying the launch was the result of supply chain issues due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Delaying the launch of a particular model by a week or two makes sense; delaying it by 24 hours does not. Even stranger, the May 22nd date that Prosser cites as the release date for the 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 falls on a Saturday. This date is odd because Apple typically releases products on Fridays.

"It's a bit odd," Prosser said in his tweeted rumor.

We're going to go out on a limb here and guess that if either of these two dates are accurate, it will likely be the Friday, May 21 date. This falls within Apple's guidance for a late May launch of the iPad Pro 2021 and reflects Apple's past practice regarding product releases. The following week, Friday, May 28, also falls within that guidance, but it is the beginning of a three-day holiday weekend in the U.S., not necessarily a good time to announce a new product. (6]

It is certainly understandable why iPad fans are eager to get their hands on the new Pro models: 11- and 12-inch. The 9-inch version of the iPad Pro 2021 is powered by Apple's M1 chip and offers 5G connectivity if you choose the cellular version of the tablet, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro features miniLED technology and offers bright Liquid Retina XDR, both versions of the front camera offers Center Stage tracking to keep you in the picture during video calls.