Apple Unveils New iPad Lineup

Apple presented new iPad devices at its Let Loose event. The new lineup includes a 13-inch iPad Air and its M4 chip in the company’s latest iPad Pro.

It is a much-needed refresh for Apple’s signature devices following the last update 18 months ago. Apple CEO Tim Cook hyped the company’s new iPad line by stating during the online event it was the biggest day for the devices since they were first introduced.

The tech giant’s executives stated the M4 chip improves performance for AI-related tasks in iPadOS due to a new neural engine (NPU) that can perform 38 trillion operations per second and is 60 times faster than its first NPU. The M4 is built on a second-generation 3nm process. Its ten-core CPU is configured with four performance cores and six efficiency cores, making the CPU performance 50% faster than the M2 chip used in the previous iPad Pro.

The new iPad Pro uses two OLED panels and combines the light from both. The tandem OLED panels enable the display to reach 1,000 nits of peak brightness and 1,600 nits for HDR content. The 13-inch model measures 5.1 millimeters thick. The devices weigh 0.98- and 1.28 pounds, respectively, for the 11-inch and 13-inch tablets. The smaller device starts at $999 for the Wi-Fi model while the 13-inch starts at $1,199 for the Wi-Fi and cellular-enabled tablet. Both are available for pre-order ahead of shipping next week.

For the first time, Apple added a 13-inch tablet to its iPad Air lineup. Both the 11-inch and 13-inch tablets have Apple’s M2 chip and will be available in blue, purple, starlight, and space grey colors. Its front-facing camera is also located on the long edge of the device. The wide 12MP camera on the rear supports 4K video capture at up to 240 fps. The 11-inch Air still starts at $599, while the 13-inch starts at $799, with both available for pre-order today. For an additional $250, cellular models are available for both tablets.

The company’s new Apple Pencil Pro features rotation detection via a new gyroscope embedded in the device that provides rotational input on iPad apps. It also comes equipped with a sensor in the barrel of the pencil to enable new interactions such as squeezing the device to bring up a new tool palette or rolling to change the orientation of a shaped pen or brush. The pencil costs $129 and is compatible with the new Air and Pro devices.

There’s also a new Magic keyboard that’s thinner and lighter than the previous version. Like a MacBook keyboard, it now includes a function row with screen brightness, media, and volume controls. It also features a new, larger trackpad with haptic feedback. The new keyboard costs $299 for the 11-inch and $349 for the 13-inch iPad Pro models.