Apple’s thinnest iPad has M4 chip, OLED technology, Magic Keyboard and more

The new device comes in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches; the latter has an expansive screen space for creative tasks, like sketching, colouring editing 4K videos or even making music. The 13-inch Apple ipad Pro measures 5.1 mm, which is thinner than the iPod Nano by 11mm and thinner than its predecessor by 8mm. The iPad Pro 11-inch version measures 5.3 mm. Another long-awaited change is the camera’s position from portrait edge to landscape edge, making it ideal for video calls.

On Tuesday, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, said that today is “the biggest day for the iPad” as the American tech giant announced its new iPad Pro range — the thinnest Apple device ever made.

The launch took place in London’s historic Battersea Power Station building, which is also the company’s UK headquarters, and millions of people across the globe were able to livestream the special event on YouTube. A select few global media and content creators received invitations for the occasion, which was an interesting break from the company’s events that typically happen at its California headquarters in Cupertino.

The new device comes in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches; the latter has an expansive screen space for creative tasks, like sketching, colouring editing 4K videos or making music. The 13-inch ipad Pro measures 5.1 mm, which is thinner than the iPod Nano by 11mm and thinner than its predecessor by 8mm. The iPad Pro 11-inch version measures 5.3 mm. Another long-awaited change is the camera’s position from portrait edge to landscape edge, making it ideal for video calls.

It also features a major leap in performance. While we were expecting an upgrade from M2 chip to M3 chip, the manufacturer packed a punch with M4 chip , making its CPU performance 1.5 times faster and more powerful than its predecessor. To put it simply, this chip can deliver the same performance as a PC with the same chip, using quarter the power. 

The device comes with what Apple describes as the world’s most-advanced display, bringing the OLED technology to the Ultra Retina XDR format. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a significant talking point here and, for me, the device’s scan feature stands out — the range uses AI while scanning and can eliminate shadow from the scan, with an adaptive flash, when required. During video edits, AI plays an important part — for instance, I was able to isolate a subject from its background, while simultaneously editing a video using Final Cut Pro’s Scene Removal feature. 

Two ancillary devices that see a significant upgrade are the Magic Keyboard with its sturdy aluminium finish, a larger trackpad and an added function key above the QWERTY — and the Apple Pencil Pro — its new ‘squeeze’ feature to change different functions as well as haptic responses for a more interactive writing, sketching or design experience — are definitely worth the upgrade.

John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering at Apple, highlights the device’s “breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display, next-level performance of M4, incredible AI capabilities, and support for the all-new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard.”