After some obvious rumours, Apple finally announced the iPad Pro at Hey Siri event that was held in California yesterday, where the company also announced the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 6s Plus, the Apple TV (4th Gen.), and the iPad Mini 4.
The Apple iPad Pro is a large-screen variant of the original iPad with a 12.9-inch Retina display, but it also comes with a variety of hardware and software addition that makes it easier to use for professional, creative, and entertainment purposes. It comes with additional accessories including a QWERTY keyboard cover and an "Apple Pencil".
The 12.9-inch Retina display uses an LED-backlit LCD display with a resolution of 2048 x 2732 pixels and a pixel density of 264 ppi. It is protected using a giant screen-resistant glass that is also coated with oleophobic material and anti-reflective coating. The display works with Apple Pencil, a capacitive stylus, for precise inputs that also calculates force and tilt. The iPad Pro has four speakers setup in stereo mode and a dual-microphone setup for immersive audio quality.
Apple iPad Pro Specifications
- 12.9-inch Retina HD LED-backlit IPS LCD display, 2048 x 2732 pixels (264 ppi), scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic and anti-reflective coating
- Apple Pencil and Keyboard Cover
- Apple iOS 9 operating system
- Apple A9X processor, 64-bit CPU, embedded M9 co-processor, 4GB RAM, and 32/128GB internal storage
- 8MP iSight primary camera, BIS sensor, autofocus, ƒ/2.4 aperture, HDR, and Panorama
- 1080p video recording (30fps) , time-lapse video recording, and 720p HD slow-motion video recording (120fps)
- 1.2MP FaceTime HD secondary camera, BIS sensor, and 720p video recording
- 4G LTE (in cellular variant), Nano-SIM card slot, dual-band Wi-Fi ac/b/g/n with HT80 and MIMO, AirPlay with AirPlay Mirroring, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, and Lightning Port
- Accelerometer, ambient-light sensor, barometer, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and three-axis gyroscope
- 4 speakers; stereo setup; dual-microphone setup
- 38.5-watt-hour non-removable battery; 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9 mm; 713 g (Wi-Fi) / 723 g (LTE)
This massive tablet runs iOS 9 and is equipped with a powerful Apple A9X processor that has a 64-bit CPU. According to Apple, this provides 2.5x the CPU power and 5x the GPU power when compared to the Apple A7 processor that was used in the Apple iPad Air. Apple hasn't shed light on the RAM capacity, but Adobe reported that the iPad Pro has 4GB RAM. This tablet will be offered in two storage variants; 32GB and 128GB.
There's dual-band Wi-Fiac/b/g/n connectivity with MIMO in the offering, and the cellular variant with Nano-SIM card slot also features 4G LTE connectivity. Other connectivity options include AirPlay, AirPlay Mirroring, GPS, and a reversible Lightning Port. There are a bunch of sensors including Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, ambient-light sensor, barometer, and a three-axis gyroscope. It comes with a 38.5-whatt-hour battery, which Apple claims that can last upto 10 hours of Wi-Fi web browsing, video playback, or audio playback.
Apple's iOS 9 brings support for true side-by-side multitasking, and apps can be opened in 50:50 or 70:30 split screen ratio. Apple showcased a bunch of creativity and professional apps including Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop on stage during the announcement of the Apple iPad Pro. This tablet will be sold in three colours; Silver, Champagne Gold, and Space Grey, alongside Apple iPad mini 2, Apple iPad Mini 4, Apple iPad Air, and Apple iPad Air 2. The 32GB storage variant of the Apple iPad Pro will come with a price tag of $799. The 128GB variant with Wi-Fi only connectivity is priced at $949, while the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant is priced at $1,079. All these variants will be available starting November.
