Updated iPad Line: Apple Presented New Tablet Models
On Tuesday, May 7, Apple introduced an updated line of iPad tablets. The company has not released new iPad Air and Pro models since October 2022, which negatively affected the popularity of these devices, which lost their competitive advantage over laptops. Apple promises that the new iPad models will be in demand for both everyday tasks and professional purposes.
Updated iPad Air: Powerful M2 Chip and New Size
Apple introduced two versions of the updated iPad Air: a standard one with an 11-inch screen and an enlarged one with a 13-inch screen. The main improvement is the more powerful M2 chip, which the company says increases tablet performance by 50%. In addition, Apple has doubled the memory capacity: from 128 GB to 1 TB. Prices for the 11-inch iPad Air model start at $599, and the 13-inch model starts at $799.
iPad Pro: New M4 Chip and Slim Design
The main novelty of the presentation was the iPad Pro with a new 10-core M4 chip, which was built using second-generation 3-nanometer technology. This chip can deliver twice the performance or half the power consumption of the previous generation. The new iPad Pro is thinner and lighter than previous models, and has a display that uses two OLED panels. The iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch version and $1,299 for the 13-inch model.
New Accessories and Updated Software for iPad
Apple also introduced a number of new accessories and software updates. The trackpad and Magic Keyboard case is made from a more durable aluminum material, giving iPad a laptop-like feel. Its price is $299 for the standard version and $349 for the extended version. The Apple Pencil Pro has new gestures that should make it easier for artists to work. The price for the new accessory is $129. Apple also updated Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro software, and launched the Final Cut Camera app for iPad.
The new devices should help Apple recover tablet sales. He also notes that the most interesting event of the presentation was the announcement of the new M4 chip, which can provide 38 trillion operations per second. This is an impressive figure, but the competition in the market is high, and Apple will have to prove its advantages in real conditions.