Apple Reportedly Readying Faster iPads

Working from home has been an enduring trend from the Covid-19 pandemic and technology giant Apple may be ready to capitalise on that further.

According to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday, the company is aiming to spruce up its current iPad Pro models, with better cameras and faster processors. Those models—11-inch and 12.9-inch—could be making their debut as soon as April, the report said.

A spokesperson from Apple could not immediately be reached for comment.

Newer features may include a Mini-LED screen and faster processors, comparable to the M1 chip powering the newest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini. The company launched that new line of Macs last November, marking the first time the Apple-designed M1 chips were used.

Critics raved about those new MacBooks, saying they outperformed pricier Macs powered by Intel chips.

The work/school-from-home trends emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic have proven lucrative for the company. Apple posted a stunning quarter in late January, with double-digit growth in all of its product categories, including strong iPad sales.

Shares of Apple have struggled alongside tech stocks this year, down around 6% as investors have favoured more value-focused plays, directly tied to an economic recovery. Apple shares gained 80% both last year and in 2019. The stock got a boost earlier this week when Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani told clients that the shares look cheap and lifted his price target to US$175 from US$163.

A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes.

The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products.

The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled.

GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals.

“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said.

The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation.

Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth.

According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail.

“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.”

The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential.

Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing.

“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.”

The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value.

With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages.

Apple Reportedly Readying Faster iPads

As the work-from-home trend continues around the world.

With US$40 million already committed, the Global Talent Fund is attracting investor attention with a strategy focused on building globally scalable consumer brands alongside high-profile talent.