At the virtual ‘Let Loose’ event, Apple on Tuesday announced new iPad and iPad Pro models, making a comeback in the tablet market, along with announcing a new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard.
These announcements were made amid the downfall in iPad sales in the past few quarters due to a lack of new versions of the device.
Fierce competition is ongoing among Silicon Valley giants as several are striving to integrate Artificial Intelligence into their products in order to assert dominance over the dynamic new-age tech. However, the specific AI functionalities enabled by the new chips may not be fully revealed until Apple’s developer conference, where the company typically showcases new capabilities for Siri, its voice assistant, along with enhancements for its other operating systems.
Reuters reported that it is usually in May when Apple unveils new iPad models, coinciding with the period when educational institutions make purchasing choices for the upcoming academic year. However, the company has begun to position its higher-end models, particularly the iPad Pro lineup, as tools tailored for creative and business professionals in recent years.
Along with new announcements, Apple also slashed the price of the 10th-generation iPad reducing it to $349.
What are the products and what are their prices?
iPad Pro
Features: Apple announced that the iPad Pro, its premium model, will feature enhanced displays. Equipped with an M4 chip with a bigger “neural engine”, this chip component is tailored for AI tasks like text and image generation. While Apple has included a neural engine in its chips since 2017, competitors like Intel have started highlighting their own technologies for personal computers. It comes in two colours, silver and black.
As per reports, the device would have a single 12 MP camera along with a front landscape camera. It features OLED technology.
The iPad Pro will start at 256 gigabytes of storage and will go upto 2 terabytes.
Cost: It will be priced starting at $999 for the 11-inch model, up from the current $799, and $1,299 for the 13-inch model.
iPad Air
Features: Along with this, Apple also unveiled new versions of its mid-priced iPad Air. These models are powered by Apple’s M2 chip, which was first introduced in Apple’s MacBooks in 2022.
It retains the familiar design of its predecessor but now offers a larger screen-size variant, Bloomberg reported. It also features a landscape camera, which is much requested by the users.
The updated iPad Air will feature the M2 chip in both the 11-inch model and the new 13-inch version, which is Apple’s cheapest tablet with almost a laptop-sized screen.
However, the upgrade in the chip will lead to an improvement over the M1 chip introduced in 2022 and result in a 50 per cent increase in performance, as claimed by Apple.
It will come in blue, starlight, silver and space grey colours. The storage is set to begin at 128 gigabytes and goes up to 1 terabyte.
Cost: The larger 13-inch screen size will be available at $799, while the previously existing 11-inch size will continue to be offered at $599.
Apple Pencil:
Features: The new Apple Pencil, which is compatible with the iPad Air, offers improved precision and responsiveness, making it ideal for note-taking, drawing, and other creative tasks.
It is likely to have pixel-perfect precision and low latency and will be tilt and pressure-sensitive. It is designed to magnetically attach to the iPad and features an in-built double tap technology.
Cost: It is priced at $129.
Magic Keyboard:
Features: The new Magic Keyboard for iPad is designed to enhance productivity with its built-in trackpad and keyboard functionality.
Manufactured using aluminium, the keyboard will offer improved durability while giving the iPad a more laptop-like appearance. The built-in trackpad will provide precise cursor control, while the keyboard will ensure a comfortable typing experience, making it a versatile accessory for various tasks.
Cost: It is priced at $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 13-inch model,