Apple just took the wraps off the 2024 iPad Pro, the first with an OLED screen rather than a traditional LCD. If that wasn’t enough, the tablet is the launch of the Apple M4 processor.
“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,” said John Ternus, Apple’s SVP of Hardware Engineering.
2024 iPad Pro goes OLED
The LCDs in previous iPad screens look great but Apple wasn’t content. The 2024 iPad Pro has an OLED display. With an Organic Light-Emitting Diode screen, each pixel glows on its own. This leads to a bright, even image with strong contrast.
And if one is good, two are better. The tablet has what Apple calls tandem OLED technology that stacks two OLED panels to provide greater full-screen brightness. That’s 1000 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR content, and 1600 nits peak for HDR.
Apple says, “Specular highlights in photos and video appear even brighter, and there’s more detail in shadows and low light than ever before on iPad — all while delivering even more responsiveness to content in motion.”
The new display type comes to both sizes of the iPad Pro: 11 inches and 13 inches (up slightly from the previous model).
For the first time Apple is offering a nano-texture display glass option ($100) on 1TB and 2TB models.
Apple’s thinnest product ever
Screenshot: Apple
The change to OLED let designers significantly slim down the tablets. The 11-inch version is just 5.3 mm while the 13-inch model is even thinner at 5.1 mm.
Specifically, the larger version is 11.1 inches by 8.5 inches by 0.2 inches. The smaller is 9.8 inches by 7.0 inches by 0.21 inches.
“The 11-inch model weighs less than a pound, and the 13-inch model is nearly a quarter pound lighter than its predecessor,” bragged Apple. That’s 0.98 pounds and 1.28 pounds, respectively.
Apple M4 processor surprise
It has long been thought the 2024 iPad Pro would include the Apple M3 processor from the latest MacBooks. But no — it is the debut of the Apple M4 instead.
“The new CPU offers up to four performance cores and now six efficiency cores, with next-generation machine learning (ML) accelerators, to deliver up to 1.5x faster CPU performance over M2 in the previous-generation iPad,” promises Apple.
The M4 is undoubtedly a surprise — and a shock to those who bought one of the M3-powered MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models that have only been on the market a few months.
The base model 2024 iPad Pro offers double the storage of its predecessor: 256GB. And storage tops out at 2 terabytes.
Most versions have 8GB of RAM, but the 1TB and 2TB models have 16GB.
Landscape camera means better video conferencing
The OLED iPad Pro makes a change tablet users have wanted for years: Apple moved the front-facing camera for better horizontal use.
In previous models, when the tablet is held horizontally — the way most people use it — the front-facing camera is way off to the left so users seem to be staring off to one side during video calls. The front-facing camera has now been relocated to the long edge of the tablet so show that users really are paying attention during video calls.
New Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, too
Those who want to use their iPad Pro as a convertible notebook have a new option: a redesigned Magic Keyboard. It’s thinner and lighter, and has an all-aluminum exterior. Other changes include a row of function keys and a glass trackpad with haptic feedback.
And there’s Apple Pencil Pro, an addition to the lineup. It has a gyroscope, users can squeeze it to open an on-screen menu, and there’s Find My support.
Plus there are also updated versions of Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro that take advantage of the M4 processor.
Order the 2024 iPad Pro now
The last iPad Pro was introduced in autumn 2022 — about 18 months ago. The new version offers a better quality screen and a faster processor, and clearly Apple didn’t want to make users wait.
There’s no delay between today’s announcement and the 2024 iPad Pro going on sale: the tablet is available for pre-order now. It will reach customers next week, on May 15.
The new 11-inch model is $999, while the first 13-inch one is $1299. They are available in silver or space black.
Buy them from: Apple
The redesigned Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2 are also available for preorder, and will reach customers May 15.
Screenshot: Apple
And there’s more!
Don’t miss the 2024 iPad Air that Apple also just launched. It’s the first in that product line with a 13-inch screen.