Apple has just unveiled its latest iPad lineup and a new Apple Pencil at a pre-recorded event from Apple Park called “Let Loose.”
As usual, half the fun was watching Apple’s slick editing style and amazing set pieces created for the event.
First up: iPad Air. It gets the M2 chip, making it 50 percent faster than before.
It now comes in two sizes: the familiar 11-inch model and a new, larger 13-inch version.
The camera has been moved to make video chatting in landscape mode more convenient, and they added two new color options: blue and purple. Prices start at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch and that includes 128 gigabytes of storage. You’ll probably want more; I’d go with the 256-gigabyte model – believe me, apps are getting larger, and so are video files.
Next up: new iPad Pros, also available in 11-inch and 13-inch models.
Apple says that these devices are even thinner than the iPod Nano, making them the thinnest Apple products ever.
The iPad Pros are powered by a brand-new M4 chip, which Apple says is 50% faster but uses less energy. They also feature new OLED screen technology for the first time. The base storage here has been increased to 256 gigabytes, and prices start at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch.
Apple also introduced the Apple Pencil Pro, a new version of its popular stylus. The Apple Pencil Pro features a squeeze function that brings up tools on screen, and haptic feedback so you can “feel” what you’re doing.
And, if you’re always losing your Apple Pencil like some people I know, Find My is now built-in, making it easier to locate if it gets misplaced. The Apple Pencil Pro is priced at $129.
In addition to the hardware updates, Apple showed off new versions of their video and audio editing apps for the iPad: Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Interestingly, Apple said that Final Cut Pro was completely redesigned from the ground up to be touch-friendly. When it launched last year, Apple was promoting the ease of editing with an Apple Pencil.
Finally, Apple announced a price drop for the 10th generation iPad, which was launched in 2022. It now starts at $349, down from $449. Keep in mind this was the going price for the tablet over the holidays (from third-party retailers), which tells me that we might see even lower third-party prices on this device soon, perhaps $300 or even $250 during a big sale weekend.
The new iPads and Apple Pencil Pro are available for pre-order now and will be released on May 15.
