Apple has announced the sixth-generation iPad Pros powered by the M2 chip. The announcement comes after months of speculations that the company could launch a new iPad Pro this year. Apple has also been pushing to make iPads more versatile and help them efficiently multitask. Towards that end, the company this year announced iPadOS 16 with a new feature called Stage Manager, which offers several multitasking options, including resizable windows, a center app, intuitive app arrangement to focus on the current apps, overlapping windows of different sizes in a single view, the ability to create app groups and more.
It is worth noting that apart from the latest iPad Pros, Apple is also said to be working on another iPad with a massive screen, possibly with even more multitasking features. In June, tipster Ross Young claimed that Apple is working on a 14.1-inch iPad Pro that the company could market as an alternative to traditional laptops. Young also said the device could be due for an early 2023 release. The claim is in line with an earlier report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who also predicted a similar timeline for the release of the large-screen iPad Pro. Not much is known about that device, but according to Young, it will have mini LEDs and ProMotion technology.
The latest iPads come with the M2 chip initially seen in the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro launched earlier this year. As explained by Apple in its press release, the new models will be available in two screen sizes - 12.9-inch and 11-inch. The former comes with Mini LED display technology that offers greater contrast, thanks to darker blacks, while the smaller variant gives the new technology a miss. Both, however, support Apple's 'ProMotion' 120Hz refresh rates.
New iPad Pro Features
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Another feature common to both iPads is a new 'Hover' option that allows the tablets to detect the Apple Pencil when positioned slightly above the screen. This enables users to see a preview of their mark before they draw something on-screen. According to Apple, the new feature "allows users to sketch and illustrate with even greater precision, and makes everything users do with Apple Pencil even more effortless."
The new iPad Pros also support Wi-Fi 6E, while the cellular models support more 5G networks. In addition, they are offered with up to 16GB of RAM for the 1TB and 2TB models, while the 128GB, 256GB and 512GB variants ship with 12GB of RAM. The new iPad Pros are available in space gray and silver finishes. Preorders open today, with the devices set to be available in retail stores from Oct. 26th. Pricing starts at $799 for the 11-inch model and $1,099 for the 12.9-inch variant.
Source: Apple