Get pumped and ready to order, iPad Pro has been announced
When we first mentioned the anticipated announcement of new iPads at Apple’s September 2015 Event, we were hoping to see both an iPad Pro and a fourth-generation iPad mini. There was talk that the iPad Pro could be, in a sense, a MacBook replacement with a 12.9-inch screen, Force Touch technology, larger stereo speakers, broader Bluetooth keyboard support, and other features pushing it to be just that. In addition, packaging of the iPad Pro was rumored to include a stylus and the usual Smart Cover.
But, did Apple announce what we were hoping? As Tim Cook put it during today’s event, “today we have the biggest news in iPad since the iPad.”
The iPad Pro details
Display and size
With the biggest iOS device screen thus far, iPad Pro will have a 12.9-inch display holding 2,732 by 2,048 pixels, 5.6 million pixels total. It will contain a 64-bit A9X chip with double the bandwidth, flash storage, and graphics performance. The iPad Pro will be 6.9 mm thin and weigh just 1.57 pounds. It will have built-in Touch ID and an awesome 10-hour battery.
Speakers
The iPad Pro will house a four-speaker audio system with auto-balance depending on how you hold your device. The audio will provide three times the sound of the iPad Air 2.
Accessories
New accessories announced specifically for the iPad Pro are pretty exciting as well. The Smart Keyboard, made of Apple woven fabric, will connect easily using Apple’s Smart Connector consisting of three circles on the side of the tablet. In addition, the Apple Pencil stylus will allow for precision drawing and writing and connect directly to the iPad Pro for charging with a lightning connector.
Pricing and colors
The iPad Pro will be available in silver, gold, and space gray. The Apple Pencil will be priced at $99 with the Smart Keyboard at $169. Pricing for the iPad Pro will be:
- $799 for 32 GB, Wi-Fi
- $949 for 128 GB, Wi-Fi
- $1,079 for 128 GB, Wi-Fi plus cellular
The iPad Pro will be available in November. The iPad mini 4 was also announced during today’s event (barely) with the same power as the iPad Air 2, but in a smaller package. You can see the updated pricing for all iPad versions below.
Overall thoughts
This is terrific news for both business and personal iPad users. The rumors we heard were true about the size, battery, and features, which is a relief. Slide-over, Picture in Picture, and split view will all be there for multi-tasking, making work and play more efficient. I can only hope that I can save the money for the iPad Pro when they begin shipping in November.
What are your thoughts? Are you jumping on the band wagon for the iPad Pro?
