Apple Announces M2 iPad Pros and Redesigned 10.9″ iPad
Apple has just announced new iPad Pro models powered by an M2 chip, as well as a redesigned 10.9-inch iPad with an all-screen design. These new iPad models will be available starting October 26, and they will all ship with iPadOS 16.
The new iPad Pro uses the same M2 chip that we’ve previously seen in the latest 13.3 MacBook Pro and redesigned MacBook Air, and it also introduces a new Apple Pencil hover experience. However, the redesigned entry-level iPad seems to be the most exciting update today, and it’s also the first iPad to come with a landscape camera.
New M2 iPad Pro models
With its 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the M2 chip on the new iPad Pro models brings up to 15% faster CPU performance and up to 35% faster GPU compared to the M1 models. The next-gen iPads also support up to 16GB of unified memory with 100GB/s of bandwidth, which is 50% more than M1. models.
“The power of M2 also extends to the new media engine and the image signal processor, which combined with the advanced cameras, enable users to capture ProRes video for the first time and transcode ProRes footage up to 3x faster. This means content creators can capture, edit, and publish cinema-grade video from a single device out in the field,” the company said in a press release.
The new M2 iPad Pro is also the first Apple device to support Wi-Fi 6E, which allows download speeds of up to 2.4Gbps. The Apple Pencil experience has also been improved to detect the pencil up to 12 mm above the display, which lets users to see a preview of their mark before the Apple Pencil touches the screen.
“This also allows users to sketch and illustrate with even greater precision, and makes everything users do with Apple Pencil even more effortless. For example, with Scribble, text fields automatically expand when the pencil gets near the screen, and handwriting converts to text even faster,” the company explained.
The new 11-inch iPad Pro will start at $799 for the Wi-Fi model and $999 for the Cellular model. The 12.9-inch version Wi-Fi version will start at $1,099 and the cellular version will also cost $200 more. All models are available starting today and they will start shipping on October 26.
Redesigned 10.9-inch iPad
Apple’s entry-level iPad now uses the same all-screen design with flat edges as the iPad Air and iPad Pro. It also uses a USB-C port for charging and accessories, which means that all iPads have finally ditched Apple’s proprietary Lightning port. It’s also compatible with Apple’s new Magic Keyboard Folio keyboard which comes with a built-in trackpad.
This new 10.9” iPad has a 2360×1640 screen with True Tone support. It’s powered by an A14 Bionic chip previously seen on the iPhone 12 released in 2020. There’s a new ultra-wide 12MP front camera that’s located along the landscape edge, which is a first for an iPad. The Touch ID sensor has also been moved to the top button of this new iPad.
Other highlights on this new iPad include Wi-Fi 6 support, dual microphones, new landscape stereo speakers, and an upgraded 12MP wide back camera. However, this new iPad still only supports the 1st gen Apple Pencil, and a new USB-C to Apple Pencil is adapter is required for pairing and charging (the adapter is now included with the Apple Pencil).
This redesigned 10.9” iPad is available in four colors (blue, pink, yellow, and silver), and it starts at $449 for the Wi-Fi model and $599 for the Cellular model. You can pre-order it starting today, and it will also start shipping on October 26 alongside the new M2 iPad Pro.