Even though the iPad Pro is a more gorgeous tablet than before, the offer seems to be the same. Nonetheless, the Pencil Pro offers several useful new functions.
Apple now has four new iPads at once in 2024, following a whole year in which the company released none at all. I’ve had a chance to use the most recent iPad Pro and iPad Air devices firsthand. I spent a few hours in New York attending a series of meetings with Apple, where I was given an early look at their upcoming iPad models. After interacting with them, I have a newfound appreciation for their hardware. They also have a brand-new vibrating Pencil Pro accessory with a gyroscope.
I don’t think Apple’s new iPads are any closer to being your Mac, even though they’re gorgeous, opulent, and pricey. This is due to Apple’s desire for them not to be.
By all accounts, the iPad Pro is an excellent piece of technology. It’s highly probable that I would select it as my Mac in the future. However, it’s still an iPad, not a Mac. Furthermore, despite the fact that MacOS and iOS are becoming more similar each year, they remain very different. The Worldwide Developers Conference, where Apple is expected to unveil new iterations of all of its operating systems, including iPadOS, is just one month away. It’s possible that Apple may then disclose plans to further alter iPads and possibly combine them with Macs in their current configuration. I wouldn’t, however, count on it.
These new iPad models seem fantastic if you’ve been considering purchasing one for yourself and your demands involve graphic arts, drawing, or photo/video production. But you’ll pay for them. While the base-model iPad Air costs $599 (£599, AU$999) and has 128GB of storage, the iPad Pro, on the other hand, starts at $1,299 (£1,299, AU$2,199). Then there’s the sleek new Pencil Pro, which retails for $129 (£129, AU$219), the new Magic Keyboard, which only works with the Pro models, which costs $349 (£349, AU$579) and has an aluminum design, and any additional storage you might want to add. The storage capacity of the Pro versions starts at 256GB and increases to 2TB.
Pencil Pro features in-hand spinning and helpful haptic vibration.
Though it costs the same $129 as the original Pencil 2, the new Pencil Pro has a few extra features. It still has the same appearance. Now, when you squeeze the Pencil, pop-up menus with haptic vibrations and a slight click reaction appear on the iPad screen. Although it’s a charming little addition, I found the integrated gyroscope—which enables Pencil rotations while in use—to be the most useful feature. Now that the Pencil can rotate brush tools on the fly, using it seems more natural than using a real brush.
The 2022 iPad Pro included a feature called over-iPad-display hover, which allows the Pencil to preview brush tools ahead of time. You can then swivel the Pencil to modify the brush position before pushing down.
I’m happy that the Pencil Pro doesn’t cost any extra and I really like the added features. However, it does. To use it, you must purchase a brand-new iPad Pro or iPad Air, as the new Pencil is limited to charging and connecting with these models. That seems excessive for a few additional Pencil features.
iPad Pro: Thin, fancy, heck of a screen
From a distance, the new iPad Pro model resembles the iPad Air and even earlier iPad Pro versions. It’s a large screen with metal edges, but to be honest, the displays on all iPads are good. A closer look reveals a few variations. These Pro variants are now considerably slimmer than before thanks to Apple. You might wonder, why? In principle, it’s not really necessary, but you might feel differently if you live with a Magic Keyboard attached.
The new Pro appears to be well-suited to the Magic Keyboard on-iPad configuration, as the combined thinnest and lightest package now consists of the iPad Pro plus the new aluminum internal keyboard shell. How light and thin? It appeared like it would fit a little better in a backpack, but my demos were brief.
The M4 CPUs included inside the new Pros are a whole new design that Apple unveiled barely six months after the M3’s Halloween launch. From its cores and GPUs to its 3 nanometer design, the M4 seems to be very much in line with the M3. According to Apple, the M4 sports a new design that works with the improved OLED display and a superior thermal design for thin devices like this iPad. It’s unclear how much faster it is because Apple only made comparisons between the M2 and the M3, not the M3. But we’ll find out soon enough.
The new display has a beautiful appearance. For iPads, Apple has now shifted to OLED screens, something that firms like Samsung did a long time ago for tablets. These are much better, according to Apple, which calls them Ultra Retina XDR displays. Tandem OLED technology combines two OLED panels simultaneously to improve brightness for HDR (up to 1,600 nits for HDR, and 1,000 nits for regular use). Additionally, there is an elegant matte finish option (nano texture glass) that is comparable to Apple’s premium Studio Display and made the panels I saw pop with significantly less glare.
Do you require them? Although they appear fantastic, Apple’s other iPad models already have excellent displays. For those who require a specific state-of-the-art quality for their film or graphic job, well, let’s just say… In any event, these panels appear to be Apple’s new Pro device display templates for all upcoming products.
iPad Air: The iPad Pro of 2022, but at a lower price
Since the iPad Airs are a midrange option for FancyPad customers, I have a soft spot for them. With an M2 chip, the 11-inch Air costs $599 (£599, AU$999) and looks like the best option. Unlike the 2022 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which starts at $799 (£799, AU$1,299), the new 13-inch larger-screened iPad Air model from Apple lacks Mini LED, and it also lacks quicker refresh rates (ProMotion). There is a side Touch ID button on the Airs instead of face ID or lidar sensors on the rear, which some users may find more convenient.
Though thicker than the Pros, the Airs seem Totally Fine and are less expensive. They are also compatible with the latest Pencil Pro. I’ve seen these iPads before, so I don’t really have anything to say about them. Is the price of the 2022 iPad Pros cheaper? That is the sole query. If so, choose those over these Airs as they are nearly identical but marginally superior.
Finally, the correct location for the cameras
Similar to the 10th generation iPad, all of these iPads have shifted their front cameras to the landscape edge. It’s time for this action. This means that video conversations are now properly centered in keyboard-connected modes (after all, who uses an iPad for video chat in portrait mode?). They feel even more like Zoom machines as a result.
