The iPad Pro now runs on the same M1 processor as recent Macs. This gives the high-end tablets a significant speed boost: the CPU is 50 percent faster than last year’s iPad Pro, according to Apple, with 40 percent faster graphics. The other big change is specific to the larger 12.9-inch model, which now uses Mini-LED technology on the LCD screen for backlighting. Apple calls this Liquid Retina XDR because it tries to match the quality of its expensive Pro Display XDR monitor (read: better contrast, colors and brightness).
Be sure to read our full rundown of the new iPad Pro features.
The USB-C port on both iPad Pro models now supports Thunderbolt, so you can connect your iPad to multiple monitors or storage devices, and that connector port has much faster data transfer speeds. There’s also the option to add 5G connectivity to your iPad Pro, so you can get super fast internet in the park, on the Uber, and on the ferry. Oddly, Apple took a page from Facebook’s Portal: the new iPad Pro’s selfie camera has such a wide field of view that it can zoom in and follow you during video calls, so you never leave the frame.
The 11-inch notebook starts at $ 799, and the 12.9-inch model starts at $ 1099. Preorders begin April 30 and the tablets will ship in May.
Apple TV 4K
The new remote control provides a number of new gestures.
Photo: AppleThe Apple TV 4K is getting some pretty exciting upgrades, most of which rely heavily on the added speed of the latest A12 Bionic chip now in the device. The new silicon enables high frame rate HDR – perfect for sports fans and those recording 5K at 60 frames per second on the iPhone 12 Pro.
The little box that plugs into your TV looks the same as before, but now comes with a 100 percent recycled aluminum remote that has been completely redesigned. A clickable, touch-sensitive pad sits in the center of the silver clicker, with all-new power and mute buttons and an iPhone mirroring Siri button on the side.
The most exciting feature of the new Apple TV 4K for cinephiles is a dedicated color calibration tool that links your iPhone to the TV 4K, allowing it to use your camera to ensure that your TV is perfectly calibrated for what is on the screen, eliminating many of the complicated menus on modern TVs. Time will tell how well this works, but it’s like the EZCal app (available for iPhone and Galaxy phones) that Samsung announced at CES in January.