In an expected move, Apple has launched its new iPad Pro lineup that runs on its fresh M4 chip and carries special OLED panels, making it the first tablet device from the company to get such displays. A refreshed iPad Air lineup has also been brought out by the Cupertino giant.
Apple M4
The new iPad Pro models are the first to get the Apple M4 chip, which will serve improvements for AI-related tasks in iPadOS. Hailing it as an “outrageously powerful chip for AI,” the company has revealed that it features, Apple’s fastest Neural Engine yet, capable of 38 trillion operators per second.
The M4 is built using the second-gen 3nm technology and carries a 10-core CPU that helps it achieve 50 percent more power than the M2 chip that’s found on previous-gen iPads. There’s a 10-core GPU onboard as well, which supports dynamic caching, mesh shading, and ray tracing.
iPad Pro (2024)
The newest iPad Pro models ship with OLED panels that are powered by Apple’s tandem OLED technology, which renders 1000 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR content, and 1600 nits peak for HDR.
Naturally, this tablet runs on the Apple M4 chip and is offered in 11-inch and 13-inch models. Apart from being the fastest, most advanced iPad ever, it’s also the thinnest. At 5.3mm (11-inch version) and 5.1mm (13-inch version), it’s the thinnest Apple product yet.
On its rear, the new iPad Pro carries a 12MP camera with Smart HDR support and a new adaptive True Tone flash. This flash technology uses AI to automatically identify documents right in the Camera app, so it can provide perfect scans by removing any shadows.
On its front, the iPad Pro carries a 12MP TrueDepth camera that has moved to a landscape location to make the most of Apple’s Centre Stage feature.
A new Magic Keyboard has made its way into the ecosystem as well, allowing buyers to use their iPads as MacBooks, complete with a function row for access to features like screen brightness and volume controls. Its trackpad offers haptic feedback to further mimic a MacBook.
Silver and space black are the two colours it will be sold in, while the storage models will now begin at 256GB and go on to 2TB. The 11-inch model will be accessible at a starting price of $999, while the 13-inch version will start at $1,299.
iPad Air (2024)
The iPad Air too gets a 13-inch option, apart from an 11-inch one. Its operations, however, will be handled by the much humbler yet amply powerful M2 chip.
Its 12MP ultra-wide camera is now located along the landscape edge, allowing it to harness the Centre Stage feature. As for its rear camera, it’s a 12MP unit that supports both 4K video and 240fps slo-mo clips.
The new iPad Air will be made available in its 11-inch form at $599, whereas its 13-inch version will be sold starting at $799. The base storage for each variant will be 128GB, while 512GB and 1TB options will indeed be available.
Apple Pencil Pro
The iPad Pro and iPad Air work best with the new Apple Pencil Pro. It now supports haptic feedback and features a new squeezing gesture that can be used to open up a menu.
There’s Find My integration too, allowing users to search for the device in case it gets displaced. This new accessory costs $129.
Availability
The new iPad Pro and Air models from Apple, including their accessories, are available for pre-order right now and will be released on May 13.