Apple announces new M2-powered iPad Pro and completely redesigned 10.9″ iPad: Digital Photography Review

Apple has announced new iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad models. The iPad Pro is highlighted by the inclusion of Apple’s M2 chip, which was announced this summer, and features in Apple’s redesigned MacBook Air and updated 13″ MacBook Pro models. The new 10.9-inch iPad is completely redesigned, sports an A14 Bionic chip, and comes in four vibrant colors.

M2-powered iPad Pro looks the same but is faster, more powerful, more connected and has a new Apple Pencil feature

Looking first at the next-generation iPad Pro, it shares its design with the prior model, including the same look and dimensions. The sixth-generation iPad Pro is available in the same sizes as before, 11″ and 12.9″, with the larger size using Mini LED technology to deliver improved black levels, higher contrast and better HDR performance. Both sizes support Apple ProMotion for display refresh rates up to 120Hz.

iPad Pro with M2

While the screens are unchanged, the new models support a new hover experience for the Apple Pencil. The Apple Pencil is now detected up to 12mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their mark before the pencil touches the screen. The hover feature allows for better drawing and illustration. Further, with Scribble, text fields expand when the pencil gets near the screen and handwriting converts to text faster than before. Third-party apps also support hover.

The M2 chip features an 8-core CPU, which is up to 15% faster than the M1 and includes a 10-core GPU that promises up to 35% faster graphics performance. The 16-core Neural Engine processes 15.8 trillion operations per second, which is 40% more than the M1 chip. The M2 chip also includes 100GB/s of unified memory bandwidth – 50% more than the M1 – and can support 16GB of unified memory, which should improve multitasking performance. Alongside iPadOS 16, Apple hopes to make the latest iPad Pro its most capable workhorse tablet yet.

The new iPad Pro supports Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and more 5G networks. Otherwise, not much else has changed. The tablet sports the same design and same cameras as its predecessors. The new iPad Pro is now available for preorder ahead of an October 26 release date. The iPad Pro comes in silver and space gray, starting at $799 for the 11″ model and $1,099 for the 12.9″ version. The iPad Pro is available as Wi-Fi only or with Wi-Fi + Cellular in storage capacities ranging from 128GB to 2TB. The iPad Pro is compatible with Apple’s existing Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, and Smart Folio accessories.

New iPad is completely redesigned and starts at $449

While the new iPad Pro looks like last year’s models, the new 10th-generation iPad looks all-new. It’s completely redesigned and features a large 10.9″ Liquid Retina display. The display has 2360×1640 resolution, 500 nits of brightness and supports True Tone.

It has flatter edges than its predecessor and looks sleeker. The webcam has also been moved to the wider bezel, meaning that you can use the webcam in landscape mode. This is a first for iPad. The webcam is 12MP and the iPad has an upgraded 12MP rear camera that supports 4K video. The front-facing camera has a 122-degree field of view and supports Center Stage.

The new iPad has also switched to USB-C. Alongside the move to USB-C, arguably a good move, Apple has removed the headphone jack, which is much less good. The home button is also gone, although that’s not surprising given Apple’s general move away from home buttons and toward narrower bezels. The iPad doesn’t use FaceID but has Touch ID on the power button, much like the newest iPad Air and iPad Mini tablets.

The new iPad doesn’t use an M-series chip but instead uses an A14 Bionic chip. It’s the successor to the A13 used in the ninth-generation iPad. Apple says the new iPad is three times better than the seventh-gen iPad. Further, the latest iPad model features all-day battery life.

Apple’s new iPad supports Apple’s first-generation Apple Pencil and a new Magic Keyboard Folio ($249). The Magic Keyboard Folio has a built-in trackpad and utilizes a two-piece design. The first-gen Apple Pencil support is fascinating because that charges via Lightning, which the new iPad lacks. Therefore, you must use an adapter to connect the Apple Pencil to the iPad.

The new iPad supports a new Magic Keyboard Folio

‘We’re so excited to bring the completely redesigned iPad to our most advanced iPad lineup ever,’ said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. ‘With a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, powerful A14 Bionic chip, a first-ever landscape front camera, fast wireless connectivity, USB-C, and support for incredible accessories like the new Magic Keyboard Folio, the new iPad delivers more value, more versatility — and is simply more fun.’

The redesigned iPad is available to order now and will be available on October 26. The iPad comes in blue, pink, yellow and silver and is available as Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + Cellular. There are two storage configurations, 64GB and 256GB. The iPad starts at $449. The first-gen Apple Pencil will now ship with the required adapter and is $99. The adapter is also available separately for $9. The iPad (9th generation) remains in the lineup, starting at $329.