Apple has just unveiled theiPad Air (2024)which inherits a new 12.9-inch version, and theiPad Pro (2024)powered by an all-new M4 processor.
The iPad range will have taken a long break. Since the launches of the iPad Pro M2 and the iPad (10th generation) in 2022, Apple has not seen fit to update its various touchscreen tablets. After a blank year in 2023, marked in particular by the presentation of the Apple Vision Pro, the augmented reality headset supposed to represent the future of the brand for the next decade, Tim Cook and his teams finally agreed to a partial refresh of the iPad range. The American manufacturer has just announced, from its headquarters in Cupertino, the launch of new versions of the iPad Air and the iPad Pro.
iPad Air: Bigger, Faster and AI Ready
The iPad Air will not upset owners of previous iterations of the touchscreen tablet. The design does not really change, apart from the placement of the front camera, which passes (well, some would say) on the right edge of the device. Thus, the user will be perfectly centered during a video call made with the tablet placed in landscape mode, and even more so with the Centered Frame functionality. We can also note the appearance of new Blue, Mauve, Starlight and Gray colors.
The real novelty of the iPad Air 2024 is the introduction of a new screen size. In addition to the 11-inch version, Apple is offering a 13-inch iPad Air this year for anyone wanting a larger screen, without going through the very expensive iPad Pro. The display is thus 30% larger than the 11-inch model. Both devices still benefit from an LED screen.
Inside, Apple is making a significant technical update with the use of the M2 processor, which replaces the M1 processor in the 2022 version. According to the manufacturer, the iPad Air 2024 is 50% more powerful than the old model. , with a 25% more powerful CPU, and a 15% more efficient GPU. Apple also announces improvements in terms of artificial intelligence with 40% more performance.
It also offers Wi-Fi 6E connectivity for faster speeds and a more stable connection on compatible boxes and routers. A 5G version will also be available. It is finally compatible with the current Apple Pencil 2.
iPad Pro: support for the new M4 processor and OLED screen
The flagship of the iPad range benefits from a more substantial update. Apple still offers two models, 11 and 13 inches. However, screen technology is evolving this year. After the mini LED which had been criticized, notably in our columns for a slight effect blooming, it is an OLED panel which equips these two tablets. The iPad Pro incorporates two OLED panels, a technology called Tandem OLED. The brightness offered by the iPad Pros is 1,000 nits, with a peak light at 1,600 nits, and the screens support Dolby Vision and HDR. A nano textured version will be available as an option to reduce glare effects on the screen, like the Studio Display XDR monitor offered to Mac users.
The new iPad Pros are also much thinner than their predecessors, thanks to integration with OLED panels. The 11-inch version is 5.3 mm thick compared to 5.9 mm for the previous version. The 12.9-inch model does even better with 5.1 mm, compared to 6.4 mm of the tablet released in 2022. According to Apple, these are the thinnest devices it has. The 11-inch model weighs 500 grams and the 13-inch version loses 100 grams, for a final weight of XX grams. They are offered in two colors Silver and Space Black.
The 2024 vintage iPad Pro introduces the brand new Apple M4 processor, engraved at 3 nm. This chip, 50% more powerful than the previous M2 chip, offers increased performance, especially for professional software such as graphics creation or video editing applications.
Still according to Apple, the iPad Pro M4 is up to four times more powerful than the iPad Pro M2. The M4 processor integrates four full-power cores and six low-power cores, and can also deliver performance equivalent to the M2 processor, while using half the power.
Apple also briefly mentioned the hot topic of artificial intelligence, indicating that the M4 processor is perfectly suited for all these tasks, particularly with the introduction of a Neural Engine capable of executing more than 38,000 billion operations at a time. the second, and 60 times more powerful than the A11 Bionic chip released, it is true several years ago with the iPhone X.
The rear camera has also been revised, with the integration of a 12-megapixel main sensor, accompanied by four microphones and the LiDAR sensor. Apple adds artificial intelligence to document scanning to automatically eliminate shadows by taking different photos at different exposure levels.
The 12-megapixel front camera, which is also used for Face ID, is also moved to the right edge of the tablet for video calls.
Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil: new accessories for the iPad Pro
The iPad Pro 2024 comes with a new version of the Magic Keyboard, the keyboard case offered with the tablet. Apple is swapping the soft version for a new aluminum model with a larger trackpad, which transforms the iPad Pro into a imitation touchscreen MacBook, a computer that many fans of the brand still want.
Apple has finally presented the Apple Pencil Pro, a brand new stylus designed specifically for this tablet. The Apple Pencil Pro incorporates a haptic feedback system, with pressure sensors allowing access to several features without lifting your hand, such as adding quick shapes or stickers. A small options selector appears on the screen when pressed.
The Apple Pencil Pro also benefits from interchangeable and magnetic leads, to draw more precisely, and can be found in the Locate application if it is lost, like an iPhone or an AirTag.
The Apple Pencil Pro is compatible with the iPad Pro, but also the iPad Air 2024.
iPad Air and iPad Pro: prices and availability
The iPad Air will be available for pre-order this Tuesday, May 7, for a release scheduled two weeks later, on Wednesday, May 15.
- iPad Air 10.9 inches: €719 (128 GB), €849 (256 GB), €1,099 (512 GB), €1,349 (1 TB)
- iPad Air 12.9 inches: €969 (128 GB), €1,099 (256 GB), €1,349 (512 GB), €1,599 (1 TB)
The iPad Pro will also be available for pre-order today, Tuesday, May 7, for an official release on May 15.
- iPad Pro 11 inches: €1,219 (256 GB), €1,469 (512 GB), €1,949 (1 TB), €2,429 (2 TB)
- iPad Pro 12.9 inches: €1,569 (256 GB), €1,819 (512 GB), €2,299 (1 TB), €2,779 (2 TB)
The new accessories are already available to order, and will be delivered in the coming days, right on time for the release of the new iPads.
- Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro: €349
- Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 12.9 inches: €399
- Apple Pencil Pro: €149
Source: Apple
Grand master of robot vacuum cleaners and home automation who lives in a “house of the future”. I also like talking about films and series on the internet. Eternal padawan, curious about everything related to new technologies.
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