Apple’s premium iPad is already one of the best tablets on the market, but with rumors claiming we’ll see a new chipset, a bigger, brighter display and a revamped keyboard case, it could extend its lead. But according to tech tipster Revegnus on Twitter, adding an OLED display could see the price of a 13-inch iPad Pro hit as high as $1,800. Sibling site Laptop Mag crunched the numbers and concluded that the way Apple has a reported 50% markup for producing its tablets to selling them, we could see OLED-equipped iPad Pros jump in price by some $500 to $700.
OLED screen technology would be a significant improvement on the current mini-LED tech in the 12.9-inch model, with Gurman saying the panels should be “crisper and brighter” and “reproduce colors more accurately.” Gurman also claims the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will get bumped up to a 13-inch screen, a rumor we’ve heard from other sources too.
According to Gurman, Apple plans to revamp the peripheral to make “the iPad Pro look even more like a laptop than the current setup” while adding a “larger trackpad.” The Bloomberg reporter didn’t go into more detail, but adding a larger trackpad to the iPad Pro would certainly be a welcome update.
The Magic Keyboard’s trackpad is fairly responsive, but its small size can be a hindrance for those of us with larger hands. Tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra sport gorgeous OLED panels, so it’d be great to see an iPad Pro utilize the same technology.
That’s all the information we have on the iPad Pro 2024 but check back to this page as we’ll update it with the latest news and rumors.
Apple introduces next-generation iPad Pro, supercharged by the M2 chip
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new iPad Pro with the M2 chip, delivering the ultimate combination of portability, versatility, and unbelievable performance. New features in iPadOS 16 — including Stage Manager, full external display support,1 desktop-class apps, and Reference Mode — take pro workflows on iPad even further. M2, the start of Apple’s next generation of M-series chips, brings even more breakthrough performance and capabilities to iPad Pro, with industry-leading power efficiency, a unified memory architecture, and custom technologies. Combined with the CPU and GPU, the 16-core Neural Engine can process 15.8 trillion operations per second — 40 percent more than M1 — making iPad Pro even more powerful when handling machine learning tasks.
The performance of M2 turbocharges even the most demanding workflows, from photographers editing massive photo libraries and designers manipulating complex 3D objects, to healthcare professionals taking advanced imaging and analysis, to gamers enjoying graphics-intensive games. Powered by the new iPad Pro and iPadOS 16, hover with Apple Pencil (2nd generation) provides a completely new dimension for users to interact with their screen.
Wi-Fi + Cellular models with 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave3) now support more 5G networks around the world, so users can access their files, communicate with colleagues, and back up their data in a snap while on the go.4 In addition to big updates to Messages, new tools in Mail and Safari, the new Weather app, and more ways to interact with photos and video with Live Text and Visual Look Up, iPadOS 16 also introduces powerful productivity features that elevate the iPad Pro experience:
Stage Manager is an entirely new multitasking experience that automatically organises apps and windows, making it quick and easy to switch between tasks. Desktop-class apps enable new capabilities optimised for the display on iPad Pro — making apps more capable with new elements and interactions, including a consistent undo and redo, a redesigned inline find-and-replace experience, a new document menu, customisable toolbars, and the ability to change file extensions, view folder size in Files, and more. That means pro users, including photographers and videographers, can edit HDR images and videos with every true-to-life detail right in their hands, and cinematographers on set can preview content in a colour profile that represents the final capture. All iPad models meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and are mercury-, BFR-, PVC-, and beryllium-free.
This means that every Apple device sold, from component manufacturing, assembly, transport, customer use, charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery, will have net-zero climate impact. Apple Pencil (2nd generation), available for purchase separately, is compatible with the new iPad Pro for RRP NZ$279 inc. GST . Education pricing is available to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and home-school teachers of all grade levels. Engrave iPad with a meaningful mix of emoji, names, initials, and numbers, all for free, available only at apple.com/nz/store or in the Apple Store app.
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Newer Wi-Fi + Cellular models include built-in eSIM technology that acts as a digital SIM card. All Wi-Fi + Cellular models include a nano-SIM tray that supports a carrier SIM card.
Apple announces redesigned basic iPad, M2 iPad Pro and new Apple TV 4K box
The new iPad Pro will also be available from October 26 and offer two colour options, silver or space grey.
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Supercharged by M3, M3 Pro or M3 Max — the most advanced chips ever built for a personal computer.
Best iPad 2023: Which iPad to buy
There are four different varieties of iPad, listed below, and each is available with or without cellular (including 5G on certain models), which costs extra. We also reveal whether an updated version of each device is likely to be launched soon – answering the question of whether now is a good time to buy an iPad.
The table below summarises the main features of the iPads Apple sells, and highlights the price for each. Below we offer information about each model, but we also answer questions further down the article such as which iPad is best value for money, which size is best, how much storage you need, and whether to get cellular (you can jump to these sections from the table of contents above). If you just want an iPad for reading books, watching movies and TV shows, email and web browsing, then you don’t need all the bells and whistles. Finally, the decision of whether to get a cellular version, which invites the assessment of the minefield of network contracts, will no doubt be a factor for some.
If you are happy to buy an older iPad model then there are plenty of discounts available while they are still in stock. Back in the day we would have suggested that if you wanted a powerful iPad you should steer clear of the cheapest model in the range. But that’s not true any more: even the 10.2-inch iPad that launched in September 2021 offers a reasonably impressive package. The device’s low price, combined with some great tech, makes this budget iPad an attractive option. The 10th generation iPad introduced in October 2022 has a bigger 10.9-inch screen, a 12MP rear-facing camera (rather than 8MP), an A14 rather than A13 processor, and 5G. The iPad mini more than justifies its slightly higher price tag of $499/£569 with it’s faster A15 processor, True Tone flash, and a fully laminated, better quality, display, among other things.
But you can also think of the tablets in terms of print publications: the mini is roughly the height and width of a paperback book; the mid-size iPads are closer to a hardback (albeit much slimmer); and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is like a magazine. Are you more set on getting maximum screen space, or are you willing to compromise on that front in order to get a lower price tag and improved portability? As well as its markedly lower weight the mini also has a smaller body, which slips easily into a rucksack or jacket pocket. The iPad has a similar length and width to the Air, but is thicker and heavier; the Pros are slimmer still.
It’s better to spend an extra few pounds now than to buy an entire new iPad in six months’ time. If you want to keep lots of films or TV shows–or even a few, to be honest–then you need high storage: probably 128GB or higher for video fans. (If you’re buying an iPad with the kids in mind, remember that you’ll want storage space for multiple episodes of their favorite show on a long car journey.) The same applies to large photo or music libraries, to a lesser extent, although iCloud Photos and iTunes Match make it possible to keep your stuff in the cloud and access it remotely (if you pay the fees for iCloud storage). The M2 and M1 chip has won widespread acclaim in the Mac range and produces outstanding performance in the iPads.
But that doesn’t mean the A chips are sub-standard, or incapable of running modern apps; keep in mind that much of the software on the App Store was designed with A chips in mind, and even now most developers will want to make their software accessible for as many iPad owners as possible.
There are also rumors that one day Apple may make a cutback version of macOS available on the iPad – but this will be probably be restricted to the M2 chip, if indeed it ever happens.. The most demanding graphic-design, video-editing and audio apps will see better performance on the M2 and even M1 processor, so if you’re looking at high-level workloads multiple years down the line the M2 and M1 would be a better option.
But for most users the A15 will be comfortably fast enough for the mid- and quite long term, and even the A14 (from 2020) and A13 Bionic (which arrived in 2019) perform perfectly well on today’s apps. Overall, we would advise those who want to use highly demanding apps, such as video and image editors and graphically advanced games, to choose an iPad Pro or Air.
For each iPad we record the essential information, its pros and cons, which buyer should pick it and whether now is a good time to buy.
For an extra $100 or so, you’ll be able to access the web and email, and use connected apps, away from a Wi-Fi network.
We think the best option, if you want to be able to get data on your iPad when you are out and about, is to create a hotspot and share it from your iPhone. Read about how to create an iPhone hotspot to share your mobile web connection to your iPad.
Just bear in mind that the cellular option also brings with it a GPS radio, meaning you’ll be able to input accurate location data when using your device on the go. It’s a sort of halfway house between new and second-hand: the devices are generally ones that have been returned within the 28-day period in which you are legally allowed to change your mind about a purchase, or they have been returned due to a fault that has been rectified, or they were ex-display or ex-demo units from Apple’s stores or marketing.
You can rest assured that Apple has checked all the refurbished iPads that it sells thoroughly, replaced any problematic components, and rated them as good as new (and you get a full one-year warranty to prove it). Our best advice is to only consider the current or previous generation iPads when looking at refurbished models, then you are less likely to be caught out by a sub-par tablet.
It’s too often the case that secondhand iPads sold that way end up as useless bricks because the person selling it didn’t properly log out of their account. We often see resellers significantly dropping the price on older iPad models that are usually just one generation out of date – just beware, they sell out quick!
Speaking of older iPads, even if functioning perfectly right now, older models will reach the end of their useful life sooner than the newest models and that is a good reason to avoid buying an iPad that is more than one or two generations old. But keep in mind that iPads tend to start slowing down at around two to three years of age; at the four- or five-year mark you should expect noticeable loss of performance and you won’t be able to get all the latest software updates.
It’s an excellent little device, although the smaller screen makes it less immersive for games and entertainment options.
Review: Apple’s 10th-gen basic iPad and M2 iPad Pro
In my job, the primary tool I use is a humble old word processor, but I am lucky enough to work with some highly skilled graphic designers who were able to put this thing to proper use. Procreate, Adobe Illustrator and Fresco have updates coming that will give a preview of colour matching as Apple’s Notes app currently supports.
iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) review
These changes ensure it remains the ultimate tablet powerhouse, thanks in part to a screen that’s still best-in-class, and the range of software that’s better for the form factor than anything else on the market. Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best.
You still get the stunning mini-LED screen with unmatched HDR contrast and 120Hz refresh rate, but now it can detect the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen when it’s hovering above the display, which opens up some useful new interactions, as well as aiding precision for artists or note-takers. It comes with iPadOS 16.1, but all recent iPads get that; it won’t represent a very tempting upgrade from last year’s model, except for the most serious of digital artists.
That amount of storage is awfully low for a ‘Pro’ machine, but if you want more capacity or to add 5G for ultra-fast wireless connectivity anywhere, you’ll need to account for further premiums. The iPad Pro 12.9 doesn’t feature any significant design changes compared to the previous version… and, really, to the version before.
The large surface area and svelte chassis make it feel ultra-thin and sleek in the hands (when used without a case, at least), and the fit and finish is unimpeachable, as you expect from Apple. On one of the flat edges is a little oval that denotes where the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen attaches magnetically to charge, and there are volume button on that same side.
On the front of this short edge is the forward-facing camera, which includes the Face ID system, and it’s our only real gripe about the design here. It works great when the iPad is in a holder, such as the Magic Keyboard case, on a desk, but the position is fundamentally flawed for other tablet use, and always has been. Inexplicably, Apple moved the camera on the new cheap iPad 10.2 (2022) to work better in landscape, but left it in the same place here. On the rear of the iPad, you’ll find a small bump for the camera (this is shallow enough that it doesn’t matter much that it makes the iPad uneven when laid flat – it doesn’t rock when you’re drawing or writing on it), and the Smart Connector for attaching it to compatible keyboards.
Apple refers to it as an XDR Display, implying that it’s like an HDR (high dynamic range) screen, but even more x-treme. The XDR Display is a bright and pin-sharp (2732×2048 resolution; 264 pixels per inch) masterpiece, delivering beautiful and accurate colors (with DCI-P3 support), and dazzling brightness in HDR applications – and more importantly, stunning inky black tones in all applications, in spite of the display technology at work. The advantage of mini-LED is that it uses a dense, thin layer of tiny LEDs directly behind the LCD panel, and these tiny lights are grouped into ‘dimming zones’, each of which can turn down its light so that dark tones can look truly black, instead of the deep grey you tend to get from less-advanced LCD screens. There are 2,596 dimming zones on the iPad Pro, which means it’s capable of stunning precision in how it conveys contrast.
Its OLED screen is beautifully rich, but the iPad Pro manages to deliver the same kind of depth at the darker end, but the extra brightness really elevates the overall clarity. Despite Apple’s best efforts (a fully laminated display with anti-reflective coating), it does still pick up reflections like point light sources.
The second-gen stylus is still supported here, which means it can connect magnetically to the edge of the iPad, where it also wirelessly charges, so it’s always ready to go. This is a great piece of design that’s trickling down to non-Pro iPads, like the Air series, slowly but surely.
It also still feels a little hard compared to some options, drawing the solid plastic nib on the glass screen – I don’t mind it, but some might.
The basic feature will not be a surprise to anyone who’s used a drawing tablet – when you hold the Pencil close to the screen, the iPad can sense it and react.
In other area of iPadOS, menu items highlight or enlarge when you hover the Pencil over them – a bit like they do when you move the mouse cursor over them when using the Magic Keyboard. One nice touch is that context menus open automatically when you over them – an example is the Subtitles menu in the Apple TV app.
There’s been nothing like it in a tablet so far – while the Microsoft Surface Pro 9’s Intel chips promise to bring some competition to Apple, at last, we’ll have to see how that goes in our full review. Any filter you apply in Affinity Photo is instant, even with 8K images, no matter if you just start playing with every tool just to try to get it to stumble.
The camera is unchanged from the previous model, apart from adding the ability to record ProRes video for the first time here. On the rear, you get a 12MP wide-angle cam, plus a 10MP ultra-wide, paired with a LiDAR sensor that can help with fast auto-focus, but can also be used for 3D scanning in various apps.
This rear camera is absolutely fine – it’s good quality, delivering solid brightness to the images, pleasing contrast, nice colors, and reasonable detail. However, we are struggling to imagine that anyone thinking about ProRes video wouldn’t rather record it on the larger sensor of the iPhone 14 Pro to get as much image info as possible to work with.
The rear camera is capable of 4K 60fps video, but no Dolby Vision HDR – unlike recent iPhones. Stage Manager is the biggest change to iPadOS, though before we talk about it, remember that it’s entirely optional, and must be activated from the Settings > Home Screen & Multitasking menu; it’s not yet the new default.
Stage Manager seems to be an attempt to bring something closer to the windowed multitasking of macOS to iPadOS, where apps aren’t as locked in position and size as they are in the Split View and Slide Over; multitasking options that iPadOS previously used (or still uses, if you don’t enable Stage Manager). Apps can live in windows that overlap and be resized – though only to certain sizes, based on an invisible snapping grid. There’s a shortcut to do this with two taps, but if you don’t know to look for the dots at the top of a window, you’d have to drag using the control on the bottom corner, which is slow. I do see potential for it here, in my case at least, and it’ll be particularly interesting when Apple adds external monitor support for it (at some point in the future).
And in the future, Apple will launch an interesting new collaborative note-making app called ‘Freeform’, but that wasn’t available at the time of writing. So, I might use the Files app to import a photo from a USB drive, then I want to quickly edit it in my image editor of choice before uploading it to the website… but iPad image editors aren’t predominantly designed for simply tweaking and saving over a file saved on the system. One final thing: it’s a real shame that the iPad didn’t get Lock Screen widgets, when the iPhone did with iOS 16. Based on our time using it for video, light work, and when pushing it with more intensive tasks, we are talking about up to 10 hours.
You want the best screen Whether you want to watch videos on a plane in glorious Dolby Vision HDR, or you need accuracy and clarity for image work, the iPad Pro stands head, shoulders and torso above anything else.
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