At its anticipated event today, Apple introduced new versions of the iPad Air, including an ultra-thin 13-inch model, a redesigned iPad Pro, and a new, more advanced Apple Pencil. Here’s what you need to know.
Apple iPad Air Now Comes in a 13-inch Version
There are two new Apple iPad Air models: a new 11-inch model and, for the first time, a larger 13-inch version, both of which come powered by the M2 chip that affords faster and more powerful performance, including the ability to run AI features. They feature an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU and are nearly 50% faster than the previous iPad Air with M1, says Apple, and three times as fast as the iPad Air with the A14 Bionic chip.
This makes them ideal for AI tasks and features, like Visual Look Up, Subject Lift, or Live Text. With apps, you can also do things like use the Auto Enhance tool in Photomator that improves photos with a single click using AI models, or analyze athletic performance with Onform and its motion tracking capabilities. iPad Air also supports cloud-based solutions, enabling you to run advanced productivity and creative apps that tap into AI, like Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Adobe Firefly.
They come with a front-facing ultra-wide 12MP camera with Center Stage that’s now located along the landscape edge of the tablet, making it ideal for video calls, says Apple. They also support 4K video and 240 fps slo-mo, complemented by dual microphones, landscape stereo speakers with Spatial Audio, and double the bass in the 13-inch model.
They also boast faster Wi-Fi and, for cellular models, faster 5G connectivity. The all-day battery life is complemented by a Liquid Retina display and support for the new Apple Pencil Pro (more on that below) as well as the existing Apple Pencil USB-C model. They also work with the new Magic Keyboard that employs a floating design, built-in trackpad, and backlit keyboard.
Available in new blue and purple finishes along with the existing starlight and space gray, the 11-inch iPad Air starts at $799 in Canada and the 13-inch model at $1,099. Both will be available starting May 15 though they are available for order now.
Apple iPad Pro With M4 Chip is the Thinnest Apple Product to Date
Apple is skipping the M3 processor and going right to the M4 with the new Apple iPad Pro, which also boasts an ultra-thin and lightweight design (the thinnest Apple product ever, Ultra Retina XDR display, and powerful AI capabilities.
Available in silver and space black, the new iPad Pro comes in an 11-inch model that’s just 5.3mm thin and weighs less than a pound and larger 13-inch size that’s 5.1mm thin and weights 1.28 lbs. The display is called a tandem OLED, which includes two OLED panels combined to provide the best brightness and colour. The new iPad Pro supports 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR content, and 1,600 nits peak for HDR. For pro users working in high-end, colour-managed workflows or challenging lighting conditions, a new nano-texture glass option comes to iPad Pro for the first time. Nano-texture glass is precisely etched at a nanometer scale, maintaining image quality and contrast while scattering ambient light for reduced glare.
The new CPU offers up to four performance cores and now six efficiency cores, with next-generation machine learning (ML) accelerators to deliver up to 1.5x faster CPU performance over M2 in the previous-generation iPad Pro. M4 builds on the GPU architecture of M3: the 10-core GPU includes powerful features like Dynamic Caching, and hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, which come to iPad for the first time. Coupled with higher unified memory bandwidth, pro rendering apps like Octane will see up to four times faster performance than M2. Compared to M2, M4 can deliver the same performance using just half the power and compared to the latest PC chip in a thin and light laptop, M4 can deliver the same performance using just a quarter of the power. A new advanced Media Engine includes support for AV1 decode, providing more power-efficient playback of high-resolution video experiences from streaming services.
The new iPad Pro with M4 features Apple’s most powerful Neural Engine to date, capable of 38 trillion operations per second, which is 60 times faster than Apple’s first Neural Engine in the A11 Bionic chip. Combined with next-generation ML accelerators in the CPU, a high-performance GPU, more memory bandwidth, and intelligent features and powerful developer frameworks in iPadOS, the Neural Engine makes the new iPad Pro a powerful device for AI. With iPad Pro with M4, you can perform AI-enabled tasks faster, like easily isolate a subject from its background in 4K video with a tap with Scene Removal Mask in Final Cut Pro.
iPadOS also has advanced frameworks like Core ML that make it easy for developers to tap into the Neural Engine to deliver AI features locally, including running powerful diffusion and generative AI models. iPad Pro also supports cloud-based solutions, enabling users to run powerful productivity and creative apps that tap into the power of AI, such as Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Adobe Firefly.
The updated camera system on the new iPad Pro is complemented by four studio-quality mics. The 12MP back camera captures Smart HDR images and video with better colour, improved textures, and detail in low light. It also now features a new adaptive True Tone flash that makes document scanning on the new iPad Pro better. Using AI, the new iPad Pro automatically identifies documents right in the Camera app, and if a shadow is in the way, it instantly takes multiple photos with the new adaptive flash, stitching the scan together for a dramatically better scan.
On the front, the TrueDepth camera system moves to the landscape location on the new iPad Pro. The ultra-wide 12MP camera with Center Stage affords an improved video conferencing experience in landscape orientation, especially when iPad is attached to a Magic Keyboard or Smart Folio.
iPad Pro includes a high-performance USB-C connector with support for Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4, delivering fast wired connectivity of up to 40Gb/s. Thunderbolt supports high-performance accessories, including external displays like the Pro Display XDR at its full 6K resolution, and external storage, all connected using high-performance cables and docks. iPad Pro supports Wi-Fi 6E for super-fast Wi-Fi connections for pro workflows on the go. There are, as with the previous generation, Wi-Fi + Cellular models with 5G as well.
The new iPad Pro with M4 is available for order now and will be in Apple stores starting May 15. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,399 for the Wi-Fi model, and the 13-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,799 (U.S.) for the Wi-Fi model. Both come in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations.
Apple Pencil Pro Offers A Custom Haptic Engine, Squeeze Sensors
Compatible with both the new iPad Air and iPad Pro, the new Apple Pencil Pro has a new sensor in the barrel that can sense your squeeze, bringing up a tool palette to quickly switch tools, line weights, and colours. A custom haptic engine delivers a light tap that provides confirmation when you squeeze, use double-tap, or snap to a Smart Shape for a more intuitive experience.
A gyroscope allows you to roll Apple Pencil Pro for precise control of the tool you’re using. Rotating the barrel changes the orientation of shaped pen and brush tools, just like pen and paper. With Apple Pencil hover, you can visualize the exact orientation of a tool before making a mark.
Apple Pencil Pro also brings support for Find My to Apple Pencil for the first time, helping you locate Apple Pencil Pro if misplaced. It pairs, charges, and is stored on the side of iPad Air through a new magnetic interface. It is available for $169.
Magic Keyboard and Smart Folio Are Perfect Accessories
Ideal accessories for the iPad Air and iPad Pro include the thinner and lighter Magic Keyboard that features a floating design and now includes a function row for access to features like screen brightness and volume controls. It also has an aluminum palm rest and larger trackpad that’s more responsive with haptic feedback, so the experience feels like using a MacBook.
The new Magic Keyboard attaches magnetically, and the Smart Connector immediately connects power and data without the need for Bluetooth. The machined aluminum hinge also includes a USB-C connector for charging.
The new Magic Keyboard comes in black with a space black aluminum palm rest, and white with a silver aluminum palm rest. It is available for $399 for the 11-inch model and $449 for the 13-inch.
The new Smart Folio for iPad Pro or iPad Air ($99, $125), meanwhile, attaches magnetically and now supports multiple viewing angles for greater flexibility. Available in black, white, and denim, it complements the colors of the new iPad Pro. It comes in black, white, and denim.