Apple has unveiled two brand-new iPad Pro models — the first refresh of the flagship tablet range in two years — with a faster M4 system-on-a-chip, thinner design, OLED display, and an upgraded Apple Pencil Pro stylus. It was announced alongside a refreshed iPad Air range for 2024.
iPad Pro is still available in the same 11-inch and 13-inch screen sizes, but Apple is using a high-quality OLED display for the first time. OLED, which is already found on the iPhone and Apple Watch, offers more vibrant colours and deeper shades of black. Because of the way OLED panels illuminate each pixel, Dark Mode and other interfaces that predominantly use black elements will use less battery life too.
The new iPad Pro model is so ludicrously thin, the new Apple Pencil Pro overhangs the tablet when magnetically attached to charge
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Apple says it's using a new technology called "tandem OLED" to boost the brightness — one of the weaknesses of this display technology compared to the Mini LED that it replaced on the previous, sixth-generation iPad Pro — up to 1,000-nits of peak full-screen brightness.
This new screen, which Apple has branded as "Ultra Retina XDR", can max out at 1,600-nits in brightness when watching HDR content. That's about what you'd expect from a top-of-the-line Samsung TV too and should mean the tablet screen remains easily visible when using it outdoors.
If you really want to eliminate glare, Apple is offering the same nano-texture coating available on its external display that it says will maintain the same image quality and contrast while scattering ambient light for reduced reflections when working in direct light.
Powering the iPad Pro range is Apple’s new, custom-designed, top-of-the-range M4 chip, which the company says mean the new devices are 50% faster than the previous generation and ten-times faster than the original iPad Pro model. For comparison, Apple launched new MacBook Air laptops earlier this year powered by an earlier version of its M-series processor — meaning its tablet is now treated to faster silicon than its Macs.
During the launch event, Apple specifically drew attention to chipset's neural engine, which can chew through 38 trillion operations each second — making it the powerful AI computer sold, according to the US firm.
Despite equipping the iPad Pro with a fancy new OLED display and speedier M4 chipset, Apple has still managed to shave a few millimetres from the thickness of the tablet. The 13-inch model now measures just 5.1 millimetres thick, earning it the accolade of the thinnest device to ever leave Apple's R&D department, the Californian company tells us. Yes, it's even more svelte than the iPod Nano. The 11-inch model has also lost a little thickness, now measuring 5.3 millimetres, compared with 5.9mm on the previous generation of the top-end tablet.
Apple says the new iPad Pro remains "just as strong as the previous generation," despite the trim new design.
The rear-facing 12-megapixel camera has been upgraded so that it's better at document scanning. Apple has moved the front-facing Face ID camera so that it is now dead-centre when using the iPad Pro in the landscape position, so it won't look like you're gazing off to the side during video calls.
Apple has equipped its Centre Stage feature, which intelligently frames you (and anyone else on the call) so you're always in the ideal position even as you move around during video calls.
The M4-powered iPad Pro is compatible with a rebooted Pencil Pro accessory, that includes a squeeze gesture and Find My location tracking. There's also a gyroscope, which allows you to roll the brush when drawing on-screen to change the orientation of a shaped pen and brush tool, just like pen and paper. Haptic Feedback is also built-in to offer a new tactile response when you squeeze or use the double-tap function.
iPad Pro still ships in the same Silver and Space Black. Prices for the 11-inch iPad Pro start from £999 for the Wi-Fi-only model or £1,199 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The 13-inch iPad Pro starts from £1,299 for the Wi-Fi model, and £1,499 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
Both are available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage configurations.
Preorders are available now, with the new iPad Pro available to pick-up in-store from Wednesday May 15, 2024.
The svelte new iPad Pro design uses 100% recycled aluminium in the enclosure
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Speaking about the announcement, Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus said: "iPad Pro empowers a broad set of pros and is perfect for anyone who wants the ultimate iPad experience — with its combination of the world’s best displays, extraordinary performance of our latest M-series chips, and advanced accessories — all in a portable design.
"Today, we’re taking it even further with the new, stunningly thin and light iPad Pro, our biggest update ever to iPad Pro.
"With the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display, the next-level performance of M4, incredible AI capabilities, and support for the all-new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, there’s no device like the new iPad Pro."
