Apple Let Loose presentation: new iPad Pro and iPad Air with Apple M processors, keyboard and Pencil Pro stylus

Unlike previous generations of the iPad Pro, the 2024 version brings a few major changes. To begin with, Apple has decided to leap one evolutionary step and has installed Apple's new M4 processor in the iPad Pro instead of the recent M3. It's a 3-nanometer chip that Apple claims is one and a half times faster than the M2 processor used in the last generation iPad Pro. It is also much faster at tasks related to AI and machine learning. Apple has released the M4 in two variants: the 9-core is used in the 256GB and 512GB iPad Pro, while the more powerful 10-core chip is designed for the top-end Pro models with 1 TB and 2 TB.

Serious updates affected the screen: iPad Pro 2024 became the company's first tablet with an OLED display, which Apple traditionally called Ultra Retina XDR. In addition to the 13-inch version, a similar model with an 11-inch display has also gone on sale. Both versions feature an integrated light sensor, support HDR10 with Dolby Vision, and also boast a 120Hz refresh rate, full DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, and 1000 nits of peak brightness (or 1600 nits in HDR mode). The display is impressive in performance and looks spectacular too, and it's difficult to add anything else here.

Otherwise, this is the usual iPad Pro with FaceID, Wi-Fi 6E, high-quality stereo speakers, stylus support, USB4 and Thunderbolt. The difference is that the front camera is now placed on the side panel for more convenient video calls, and the main camera no longer has a wide-angle module. Apple also boasted that thanks to the use of an OLED sensor, the metal body has become even thinner and lighter (thickness 5.1 mm, weight 582 g for the 11-inch version) and this is perhaps the thinnest iPad in the history of the brand. For comparison, the 2022 iPad Pro was 5.9 mm thick.

Unlike previous generations of Air with a 10.9-inch display, this time Apple has introduced two variations of Air model at once with 11-inch and 13-inch display. Given the tablet's solid technical performance and the presence of the powerful Apple M2 chip, which was used in previous generations of iPad Pro and MacBook Pro, the new Air is begging to be called iPad Pro Lite. The M2 turned out to be not much more powerful than the M1, so there is no point in running to the store for a new product for owners of the 2022 Air. But if we compare the M2 with the A14 Bionic chip from the 2020 iPad Air, then we will see a solid almost threefold increase in performance. In addition, versions with 512 GB and 1 TB will be available.

Both versions of the iPad Air 2024 feature 60 Hz Liquid Retina displays with an integrated light sensor. Like the 2022 Air, the display has a peak brightness of 500 nits, but this generation adds support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision. In principle, these are almost 1-in-1 characteristics of the iPad Pro 11 2022, which John Ternus, vice president of Apple development, did not fail to remind. According to him, the company is rethinking the role of the iPad Air in the line of tablets, aiming to give users as much of the capabilities of the iPad Pro as possible, but at a more affordable price.

To ensure that words do not diverge from deeds, the Air 2024 tablets have support for the Apple Pencil Pro stylus and Magic Keyboard (the old version), which were previously only supported by the Pro models. Among other updates, the front camera stands out, which has finally moved from the top frame to the side, and support for Wi-Fi 6E has also been added. The size of the 11-inch version remains the same (247.6x178.5x6.1 mm), but the body is made of recycled aluminum.

In addition to the new iPad Pro and Air, at the Let Loose presentation Apple also presented a new generation of the Apple Pencil stylus, which also received a Pro prefix. And it should be noted that, compared to its predecessors, a lot has changed in it. Therefore, Apple Pencil Pro is only compatible with the new iPad Pro and iPad Air 2024 models and will not be able to fully work with older tablet models.

It's the same white plastic stylus for taking notes and drawing. But its functionality has been expanded. So, Pencil Pro has got a squeeze detection sensor with haptic feedback, thanks to which the user can change drawing tools easily, for example, switching from brush to pencil. In addition, the gyroscope provides the ability to rotate Apple Pencil Pro for precise control of the pen and brush or to change settings.

To further expand the functionality of the stylus, Apple has provided the ability to create your own patterns of interaction with the stylus. One of the first applications with similar gesture customization capabilities was the Procreate graphics editor. And if an artist or designer accidentally loses the stylus, there is a Find My function that will help find the lost accessory. The announced price of $129 is a bit troubling, but when has Apple ever had cheap devices?

The professional presentation program at Apple Let Loose was completed by a new version of the Magic Keyboard, created to pair with the new iPad Pro. Taking into account that the latter was released in two versions (11 and 13 inches), the keyboard, in fact, also had two versions. They differ in size, but are otherwise identical. The price, as always, is very high: $299 for the 11-inch version or $349 for the 13-inch version.

If we compare the new products with the previous generation of Magic Keyboards, they have acquired functional keys that neatly rise above the main set of keys. With their help, it is more convenient to control the volume, player, change display brightness, etc. Finally including the addition of the Escape key, after almost 5 years, ladies and gentlemen. Other positive changes include a larger touchpad.

At the same time, the new version of the Magic Keyboard turned out to be thinner and lighter than the previous one. In the trackpad area, an aluminum palm rest is added to the keyboard in the style of MacBook laptop keyboards. And in general, the visual similarity with a laptop keyboard is very strong. If you attach a 13-inch Pro model to the keyboard, when open they could be confused with the 13-inch MacBook Air. The keyboard is charged via USB C; there are no other ports provided.