It’s an unusual time to launch a new technology product, but Apple’s plans for the new iPad Pro are not entirely a secret. Overnight, Apple unveiled and announced the all-in-one, ultra-high-end tablet, and it’s a computer that’s only been tested in Apple – talk. Apple has not shied away from its intentions, announcing that it is the “next big thing” in the world of tablet computers, the next generation of the iPad.
It is said that Apple’s next iPad Air will look like the previous Air tablet, but will use a USB-C port. It will ship with a 4.5-inch iPad Pro, and its new a12Z Bionic chip will also find its way into the next generation of the iPad.
A report from today’s MacOtakara blog has considerably updated our thoughts on what the next Apple iPad Air will look like, based on sources in the supply chain. The blog reminds us that it was previously said that Apple would be working on two iPads in the coming months.
Apple has spent the last 10 years trying to convince everyone that it is the future, and this week’s iPad Pro and Surface Pro look even more similar. The iPad rejected the idea of a keyboard, a trackpad, or even a stylus and has turned into the Surface in recent years. Apple has mocked Microsoft for taking exactly that approach with Surface, but it has not yet relented.
This careful, considered approach explains why it has taken Apple so long to provide the pads with cursor support. Now that they’re getting cursor and mouse support this week, Apple is finally admitting that Microsoft is right on the tablet.
Tim Cook has already discussed the convergence of PC and tablet, but he was also clear that Apple would not converge between MacBook Air and iPad.
Instead, the message for the iPad now is that it can adapt to be more like a laptop or just a tablet. There’s an entry-level iPad that does the basic tablet thing great, and there’s even an iPad Air 2 with a more powerful operating system. In combination with keyboard accessories, however, it comes into its own as a full-fledged laptop for people who don’t have to deal with a more – powerful operating system.
Apple’s laptop ($658) gets a 64GB model with a keyboard and case that sticks with the price tag of the iPad Pro of $1,499.
Apple’s plans for the new iPad Pro have not been entirely secret, but it is an unusual time to launch a new technology product. Overnight, Apple unveiled and announced a brand new version of the iPad, iPhone 7 Plus, and MacBook Pro, all of which cost at least $300 more.
Apple has never held back from its intentions, proclaiming that computers are the only thing Apple talks about. The new iPad Pro is Apple’s answer to Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4, the iPad Air 2, and the MacBook Pro.
The 7th generation iPad looks feels and has the same size and shape as the iPad Air 2 and MacBook Pro. The new iPad Pro ships with Apple’s new A12Z Bionic chip, which you’ll find in the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 Plus.
This model supports up to 8GB of RAM, compared to 4GB for the iPad Air 2 and 3.5GB for the MacBook Pro.
The other headline-grabbing feature is Apple’s new Magic Keyboard, which won’t actually ship until May this year. The Smart Keyboard can be used to communicate with the iPad, which means that the keyboard does not need its own battery and you do not need to use Bluetooth to make it work. Magic keyboard, but it adds a trackpad to the iPad family so it will work as a standalone tablet.
Apple has positioned the iPad Pro as a premium tablet – and that’s right. Apple is positioning the tablet as the next generation of its iPad family with the new iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4 as well as Apple’s new MacBook Pro.
The 11-inch iPad Pro will cost $1,499 for the iPad Air 2 and $2,999 for iPad Mini 4, and it will cost $3,599 for Apple’s new MacBook Pro, $5,000 for MacBook Air 3 and the $6,500 for Mac Pro.
The LTE option adds $250 to the purchase price of the iPad Pro, and while there will be no Magic Keyboard to pair with until May, the pair will debut with the new iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4. Apple’s first iPad Pro debuted last week at the Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco.
This marks a big shift for the iPad, and it comes as iPad sales have declined to the point where Apple instead makes more money with Macs. The larger iPad now supports a keyboard and stylus, but Apple insists on its Touch – first vision for the iPad despite the hardware additions
