Apple unveils new iPad Pro with powerful AI capabilities

The new iPad Pro is available in two sizes, 11-inch, and 13-inch, and comes in two finishes: silver and space black.

Design and display innovation

The latest iPad Pro showcases a remarkably thin design, with the 11-inch model measuring just 5.3mm in thickness, and the 13-inch model even slimmer at 5.1mm. Despite their lightweight build, these models maintain the strength found in previous iterations. The 11-inch version weighs under a pound, with the 13-inch model being nearly a quarter pound lighter than its predecessor, which enhances its portability for professional users.

A significant feature of the new iPad Pro is the Ultra Retina XDR display, which uses state-of-the-art tandem OLED technology to achieve exceptional brightness and sharpness. This technology combines two OLED panels to enhance full-screen brightness, delivering up to 1,000 nits for standard dynamic range (SDR) content and 1,600 nits at peak for high dynamic range (HDR) content. This makes the iPad Pro's display the most advanced on the market.

Performance at its core

At the heart of the new iPad Pro is the M4 chip, marking the next generation of Apple's silicon technology. Built on second-generation 3-nanometer technology, the M4 chip is highly power-efficient, which is crucial for the thin design of the new iPad. It features up to ten performance cores and introduces next-generation machine learning accelerators. This allows for a CPU performance that is 1.5x faster than that of the M2 chip.

The M4 chip also enhances the GPU capabilities, supporting dynamic caching, mesh shading, and ray tracing – technologies new to the iPad, which boost performance in professional rendering applications.

The new iPad features Apple’s most powerful Neural Engine ever, capable of 38 trillion operations per second, which is 60x faster than Apple’s first Neural Engine in the A11 Bionic chip. Combined with next-generation ML accelerators in the CPU, a high-performance GPU, more memory bandwidth, and intelligent features and powerful developer frameworks in iPadOS, the Neural Engine makes the new iPad Pro a powerful device for AI. With iPad Pro with M4, users can perform AI-enabled tasks even faster, like easily isolate a subject from its background in 4K video with just a tap with Scene Removal Mask in Final Cut Pro.

iPadOS also has advanced frameworks like Core ML that make it easy for developers to tap into the Neural Engine to deliver AI features locally, including running powerful diffusion and generative AI models, with great performance on device. iPad Pro also supports Cloud-based solutions, enabling users to run powerful productivity and creative apps that tap into the power of AI, such as Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Adobe Firefly.

Enhanced connectivity and accessories

The new iPad Pro comes with a high-performance USB-C connector supporting Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4, facilitating fast connectivity essential for professional workflows. Additionally, it supports Wi-Fi 6E and offers cellular models with 5G connectivity, ensuring efficient and versatile connectivity options for users on the go.

Accompanying the iPad Pro are the Apple Pencil Pro and a new Magic Keyboard. The Apple Pencil Pro introduces advanced interactions such as tool switching via a simple squeeze of the barrel, enhanced by a new haptic feedback mechanism. The redesigned Magic Keyboard, lighter and thinner than before, includes a functional row, a larger trackpad, and a new magnetic attachment system, enhancing its versatility and user experience.

Commitment to environmental sustainability

The device features 100% recycled aluminium in its enclosure and recycled materials in many other components. Apple remains focused on achieving carbon neutrality for its corporate operations by 2030, including all phases of its product life cycle and supply chain.

“iPad Pro empowers a broad set of pros and is perfect for anyone who wants the ultimate iPad experience – with its combination of the world’s best displays, extraordinary performance of our latest M-series chips, and advanced accessories – all in a portable design. Today, we’re taking it even further with the new, stunningly thin, and light iPad Pro, our biggest update ever to iPad Pro,” said John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. “With the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display, the next-level performance of M4, incredible AI capabilities, and support for the all-new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, there’s no device like the new iPad Pro.”

Price and avaliability

The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at £999 for the Wi-Fi model, and £1,199  for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The 13-inch iPad Pro starts at £1,299 for the Wi-Fi model, and £1,499 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

Customers can order the new iPad Pro with M4 starting today, May 7, on the Apple website.