At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2017 on Monday, Apple officially updated its iPad Pro tablet lineup with a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro and an overhauled 12.9-inch iPad Pro. In addition to exciting new features incorporated into the latest flagship devices, the upcoming iOS 11 – with Apple calling it "the largest iOS release for iPad ever" – will also add new updates to the tablets, making them feel more professional.
The new 10.5-inch iPad Pro features a 20 percent larger display than its 9.7-inch predecessor. Apple apparently made it possible by reducing the device's borders by 40 percent. Weighing just 1 pound (about half a kilogram), the device also comes with "ProMotion" technology and other enhancements to the screen, resulting in smoother scrolling and more responsiveness content.
The extra space on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro allows the display of a full size onscreen keyboard, as well as support for a full-size Smart Keyboard layout, something that Apple is expected to offer in 30 more languages.
Incorporating all of the capabilities of the 10.5-inch model, the 12.9-inch Pro is getting an upgrade too. Both models come with new displays, featuring True tone white balancing, P3 wide colour gamut, ultralow reflectivity, HDR video support and 600 nits of brightness, which is claimed to be 50 percent brighter than earlier models.
According to Apple, the new iPads will offer the same 10 hours of battery life while the new A10X six-core Fusion CPU will offer more than 40 percent faster graphics performance. When it comes to cameras, both the devices feature a 12-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization, and a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera on the front.
"These are by far the most powerful iPads we've ever created with the world's most advanced displays featuring ProMotion, the powerful new A10X Fusion chip and the advanced camera system of iPhone 7," Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Product Marketing, said in a statement. "Together with iOS 11 these new iPad Pro models will radically change what users can do with iPad."
So how will the new iPad Pro models offer a different user experience together with the iOS 11 coming this fall? Apple is banking on six new updates for the duo as part of the upcoming iOS 11 which are expected to hone the devices' potential as professional devices.
Files app
The all new Files app makes managing files easier on the new iPads. The app, which can tie into other cloud services, keeps everything in one place, whether files are stored locally, in iCloud Drive or across other providers like Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive.
Customizable Dock
The new customizable Dock allows users to stick as many apps as they want, and provides quick access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen. Users can also easily switch between apps, or simply drag an application out in split-screen.
Improved multitasking
Multitasking on the iPad has been significantly improved with the addition of a redesigned app switcher to show multiple apps at the same time. The new feature makes it easier for users to move between apps or pairs of active apps.
Deeper integration of Apple Pencil
Since the Apple Pencil is more deeply integrated into iOS 11, users now can simply tap the Pencil on the lock screen to open up the iPad to the Notes app. If you have any handwritten text or characters in Notes, it's now possible to search for them through machine learning that analyzes your written text. The Pencil now also allows you to sign documents, annotate PDFs or draw on screenshots.
Multi-touch drag and drop
This new feature is available across the system, allowing users to move text, photos and files from one app to another, anywhere on the screen.
New document scanner in Notes
There is also a new document scanner in Notes app, which allows users to easily scan documents and removes shadows. It also uses powerful image filters to enhance readability.
Pricing and availability
The new iPad Pro models are now available to order from apple.com and will start delivering to customers next week. Apple has doubled the storage across the board, with both tablets starting at 64 GB, and ranging through 256 and 512 GB configurations.
The 10.5-inch iPad Pro comes in silver, space gray, gold and rose gold, and starts at $649 (about Rs. 41,766) for the 64GB with Wi-Fi model and $779 (about Rs. 50,132) for the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is available in silver, space gray and gold, and starts at $799 (about Rs. 51,419) for the 64GB Wi-Fi model and $929 (about Rs. 59,785) for the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
"Both models will also be available next week in Apple Stores, through select carriers and Apple Authorized Resellers (prices may vary) in the US and 37 additional countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. India, Turkey, UAE and other countries and regions will follow later this month. Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and other countries and territories will follow in July," according to Apple.
