Apple today launched the latest iPad and iPad Pro, which both feature brand new chips – the A14 Bionic and M2 respectively. As ever, the iPad Pro is packed full of advanced tech for advanced users, while the colorful iPad is designed for everyday use.
We'll cover all the key specs and features below, but here are the key updates:
● iPad Pro – features ProRes video capture, superfast Wi-Fi 6E, and powerful features in iPadOS 16, along with a four-speaker audio system. On the back, there are 12MP Wide and 10MP Ultra Wide cameras, plus a 12MP TrueDepth camera system with Ultra Wide on the front. It comes in a choice of two colors, and a screen size of 11 inches or 12.9 inches.
● iPad - Features a 12MP front camera and 12MP rear camera, and its front camera is now located along the landscape edge of the iPad for the first time, for a better video calling experience. Gets new A14 Bionic chip. The 10.9in tablet comes in four fun colors.
iPad Pro with powerful M2 chip
The line-up underlines the importance of these together to Apple in upselling and cross-selling. Apple Pencil hover is a neat and novel new feature. Key for all kinds of creative work and for users to have a more engaging and intuitive experience with the iPad.
Paolo Pescatore, Tech, Media Analyst
Coming in the same two sizes as last year, the new M2 chip running the show offers ProRes video capture for the first time and transcode ProRes footage up to 3x faster. Apple says that "This means content creators can capture, edit, and publish cinema-grade video from a single device out in the field."
● Wondering about ProRes vs ProRAW - What's the difference?
The M2 chip promises to deliver enhanced performance for a range of apps, especially those for photographers – including DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Photoshop (see image below).
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The standout upgrade for this new iPad is the "Apple Pencil hover experience" which can detect the pencil up to 12mm above the display, essentially allowing users to see a preview of their mark before they actually make it. We'd have to see how this works in real life, but it could be a game-changer for editing photos, or designing artwork using the aforementioned Adobe Photoshop for iPad.
iPad Pro pricing and availability
The 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro are available to order now and will be in stores from Wednesday, October 26. They'll come in silver and space gray finishes with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options.
The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799/£899/AU$1,399 for the Wi-Fi model and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099/£1,249/AU$1,899 for the Wi-Fi model.
iPad 10th generation with A14 Bionic chip
Pricing and timing are critical to the success of these new Apple products. Keeping the US$-based prices the same based upon previous models is smart as users will perceive to be getting more value with the new features.
Paolo Pescatore, Tech, Media Analyst
The latest iPad is billed as "the all‑new colorful iPad for the things you do every day." It comes in four bold colors, but thankfully the redesigns go further than that. The new iPad features an all‑screen design, with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and 2360x1640 resolution.
In terms of cameras, there's an ultrawide 12MP front camera with a 122-degree field of view (on the landscape side for more sensible video calling), and an updated 12MP back camera that can record up to 4K or 240fps slow-motion video.
Inside there's WiFi 6, and 5G is optional, but what's most exciting is the Apple A14 Bionic chip, which not only makes the iPad faster but more efficient for longer battery life. The A14 Bionic also means enough performance to edit high-resolution video.
The iPad works with Apple Pencil and a new purpose-made Magic Keyboard. Plus, there's a USB-C port to make the iPad compatible with a wider range of accessories. We've already written about the benefits of iOS 16 for iPhone, and the iPad runs iPadOS 16 straight out of the box.
iPad pricing and availability
The new iPad is available to order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Wednesday, October 26.
Wi-Fi models of the new iPad are available at a starting price of $429/£499/AU$749, and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at $599/£679/AU$999. The new iPad comes in 64GB and 256GB configurations, and blue, pink, yellow, and silver colors.
Check out our iPad generations guide to see where both of these iPad models will fit with the rest of the Apple lineup.
