On Tuesday (October 18), Apple announced a new version of its iPad Pro, a completely redesigned regular iPad and an updated version of the Apple TV 4K.
The launch gives Apple more new products to sell ahead of the all-important holiday shopping season. The new tablet could help the company boost iPad sales, which fell 14% during Apple’s last holiday quarter and 2% in the most recent quarter. They’re joined by Apple’s latest iPhone 14, two new Apple Watches and brand new AirPods Pro.
Redesigned iPad
(Source: Apple)
The new, most basic configuration iPad is completely redesigned.
The home button at the bottom of the screen is gone, replaced by a fingerprint reader in the power button. It has a more square design, similar to the iPad Air and iPad Pro, with a large 10.9-inch screen, USB-C instead of the Lightning port, and will be available in red, yellow, blue, and white.
Apple also announced a new $249 Magic Keyboard Cover for iPad that features a kickstand, a multi-touch-enabled trackpad, and a magnetic connector that charges automatically. But Apple Pencil support is a little odd.
The new iPad won’t work with the better second-generation Apple Pencil, which charges on the side of the iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad Pro. Since the new iPad uses USB-C instead of the Lightning port (used to charge the Apple Pencil on earlier models), you’ll need to buy a $9 USB-C to Lightning adapter to charge the Apple Pencil.
Apple will sell different configurations, including Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi 5G cellular, but it will start at $449, which is a lot more than the $329 starting price of the ninth-generation iPad. It’s available to order on Tuesday and will be available in stores starting October 26.
iPad Pro 2022
(Source: Apple)
As in recent years, the company will sell the iPad Pro in two sizes, including an 11-inch model and a 12.9-inch model with a larger screen.
The big change for the iPad Pro is the new M2 processor, the same one that was introduced in the MacBook Air earlier this year. Apple says it’s 15 percent faster than the M1 processor used in the last iPad Pro coming in 2021.
The Apple Pencil also works slightly differently on the new iPad Pro. The screen can now detect the tip of the Pencil up to 12mm from the screen surface. Apple says this will allow artists to sketch with greater precision and make handwriting-to-text conversions faster.
The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799, while the 12.9-inch model starts at $1,099. They can be ordered from Tuesday and hit stores on October 26.
Apple TV 4K 2022
(Source: Apple)
The Apple TV 4K has a faster processor and comes in two models, a Wi-Fi-only version with 64GB of storage, and a Wi-Fi Ethernet model that allows for a wired internet connection and has twice the storage space.
The streaming box adds support for HDR10, another high dynamic range standard that, if offered by the TV it’s connected to, should help improve picture quality, especially in dark scenes. Apple says the updated processor is 50 percent faster than the previous version and should load apps and games faster.
The new Apple TV 4K has an updated Siri Remote with standard USB-C charging, the same cable used to charge iPads and non-Apple products. The remote used to use Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector.
The new Apple TV 4K starts at $129 and is available to order starting Tuesday. It goes on sale on November 4th.
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