Search the Community

It would be Apple's first overhaul of iPad multitasking since 2022's iPadOS 16. Apple is taking another crack at iPad multitasking, according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This year's iPadOS 19 release, due to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, will apparently include an "overhaul that will make the tablet's software more like macOS." The report is light on details about what's actually changing, aside from a broad "focus on productivity, multitasking, and app window management." But Apple will apparently continue to stop short of allowing users of newer iPads to run macOS on their tablets, despite the fact that modern iPad Airs and Pros use the same processors as Macs. If this is giving you déjà vu, you're probably thinking about iPadOS 16, the last time Apple tried making significant upgrades to the iPad's multitasking model. Gurman's reporting at the time even used similar language, saying that iPads running the new software would work "more like a laptop and less like a phone." The result of those efforts was Stage Manager. It had steep hardware requirements and launched in pretty rough shape, even though Apple delayed the release of the update by a month to keep polishing it. Stage Manager did allow for more flexible multitasking, and on newer models, it enabled true multi-monitor support for the first time. But early versions were buggy and frustrating in ways that still haven't fully been addressed by subsequent updates (MacStories' Federico Viticci keeps the Internet's most comprehensive record of the issues with the software.) Stage Manager was Apple's first crack at a full overhaul for the iPad's app multitasking; the original implementation dated back to iOS 9, the first release to allow a pair of iPad apps to run side by side on the screen at the same time. Apple gradually improved this multitasking mode in subsequent releases, and it's still the way multitasking works on older iPads and the $349 11th-generation iPad. But features like Split View and Slide Over were designed for iPads with weaker processors and as little as 2GB of RAM; by the time the iPads began shipping with the same M-series processors that Apple used for the Macs, it was clear that the hardware was capable of more. A hallmark of our iPad Pro reviews, from the original in 2015 all the way up through last year's M4 models, is that iPadOS and its apps aren't making the best possible use of the hardware, especially for the prices Apple charges. The new software update could fix that, making the iPad Pro and Air feel more like the laptop replacements they're clearly capable of being. It could also feel like another half-measure. Either way, we'll know more in just a few weeks. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of March): 1,357 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Apple is planning more multitasking and windowing features for its tablets. By the time Apple releases M5-powered iPads, using iPadOS may feel closer to working on a Mac, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in today’s Power On newsletter. It won’t be macOS running on a tablet, but he writes that the changes will be significant enough to make people who want such a thing happy. Updates to iPadOS coming this year will be focused “on productivity, multitasking and app window management — with an eye on the device operating more like a Mac,” according to Gurman. He says these changes are due “about a year” after the release of the M4 iPad Pro, a fantastic tablet with far more power than its software demands. Stage Manager as it looks in iPadOS 18. Image: Wes Davis / The Verge Gurman’s report doesn’t give any indication of what Apple’s updated multitasking will look like, and it’s best to reserve any excitement until we see more. Back in 2022, Apple added Stage Manager to iPadOS 16, a feature that enables windowing and also groups app windows together in a dock-like collection on the side of the display. It might have seemed like an exciting change if you wanted to be able to ditch your MacBook, but what shipped felt too half-hearted to be a useful step in the direction of a proper desktop operating system. Apple has iterated since, for instance by letting users resize windows more freely in iPadOS 17, but the approach is still much more iPad than Mac. That’s not necessarily a problem on its own unless you’re the type who wants to replace your MacBook with an Apple tablet. We’ll see how much the company moves the needle on that when it unveils iPadOS 19 in June. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of March): 1,357 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Ever since its launch in 2010, a lot has happened with the social media platform Instagram. It was acquired by Facebook in 2012 and has since gained a ton of features like Reels, Stories, the Explore page, and more. However, there’s still one major thing missing from Instagram—a dedicated app for the iPad. But after nearly 15 years, it looks like we might finally be getting an official Instagram app for iPad. An Instagram employee told The Information that the company is working on developing an iPad app. The news has taken everyone by surprise, especially since Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said multiple times that they have no plans to build an iPad app. In 2020, Mosseri said he’d like to launch an iPad app but couldn’t do so due to a lack of staff. In 2022, responding to a tweet from Marques Brownlee asking why there still wasn’t a proper Instagram app for the iPad, Mosseri explained that there isn’t a large enough user base demanding it, so their focus remained elsewhere. Then, in 2023, while answering a question during one of his weekly AMA's, Mosseri once again cited a lack of staff as the reason why they’re not building an iPad app. The reason why Mosseri might have gained the interest in developing an iPad app may be tied to the uncertain future of TikTok in the U.S. If TikTok ends up being banned in the country, Meta would likely want to promote one of its alternatives, Instagram, on as many devices as possible, including the iPad. If you currently download the Instagram app from the App Store on your iPad, you'll get the same version that's available for the iPhone with big black borders surrounding the main Instagram screen. Instagram isn’t the only social media platform working on an official iPad app. Recently, Snapchat finally released its iPad app after being available on iPhone for nearly 13 years. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of March): 1,357 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Key notes Apple Devices app is available for PCs running Windows 10 version 19045.0 or higher Last year, Apple announced its plans to split the popular iTunes app for Windows into three different apps: Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Devices. The official Apple Music app for Windows will allow you to access millions of songs and podcast content. The official Apple TV app for Windows will allow you to enjoy millions of movies, TV shows and more. The new Apple Devices app for Windows will allow you to manage Apple devices including iPhone, iPad and iPod from your Windows PC. Apple Devices app for Windows will allow you to: Transfer photos, music, movies and more between your Windows computer and your iPhone, iPad or iPod. You can sync selected files from specific apps to your iPhone, iPad or iPod. Safeguard the information on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch by backing it up. Easily restore the information onto your device whenever needed. Apple Devices app is available for PCs running Windows 10 version 19045.0 or higher. Download the Apple Devices app for Windows from the Microsoft Store. If your PC is running on an OS that doesn’t support Apple Devices app, then you need to download the iTunes app to manage your Apple devices. Download iTunes for Windows from the Microsoft Store. Source

Op-ed: The iPad needs more than a simple hardware refresh to fix what ails it. After leaving the iPad lineup untouched for the entirety of 2023, Apple is reportedly preparing to overhaul all of its tablets within the next few weeks, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. We should see major iPad Pro and iPad Air refreshes "around the end of March or in April," says Gurman, along with a special build of iOS 17.4 that adds support for the new hardware. We'll talk about the specifics of these iPad rumors momentarily, but reading about them got me thinking about what it would take to make me consider an upgrade for either of the iPads currently rolling around my house—a third-generation iPad Air that is currently used mostly for watching Octonauts and assembling Super Mario Lego sets, and a fifth-generation M1 Air that I use mostly for reading and browsing. At least for me, the answer isn't "new hardware." After a brief stint a few years ago using the iPad as a focused writing device, I've mostly relegated it to tablet-y content consumption, leaving behind the cottage industry of enthusiasts who keep trying to come up with workarounds to make the iPad into a Mac. To replace an iPad at this point, I would either need one of them to break or for Apple to dramatically change what the high-end iPads are capable of. What’s coming this year? By all accounts, both of these should be significant updates. The iPad Pro will reportedly see its first major redesign since Apple introduced the rounded, larger-screened iPad Pros back in 2018, along with an OLED display panel that will bring the iPad's screen technology in line with Apple's high-end iPhones. A thinner body and the new M3 chip are also fairly safe bets, and some rumors suggest that the tablets could support MagSafe wireless charging (not to be confused with the wired MagSafe 3 port on recent Macs). Apple may also increase the price of its Pro tablets, though sources can't agree on how big those price hikes might be. The iPad Air probably won't see as big a design change, but the 6th-generation model will reportedly step up from the M1 to the M2, and Apple is said to be planning a first-ever 12.9-inch Air to complement the current 10.9-inch design. Like the 15-inch MacBook Air or the M2 Pro Mac mini, a 12.9-inch iPad Air could serve people who want a step up from Apple's baseline iPads, but who find even more expensive iPad Pros difficult to justify. Refreshes for the iPad mini and the low-end iPad(s) are also coming, but we'll probably need to wait a bit longer; Gurman doesn't mention them in his latest report, and rumors from late 2023 indicate that both models could see a refresh later in 2024. Both are long overdue for a bump; the $329 9th-generation iPad and the iPad mini were last updated in late 2021, and the oddball 10th-generation iPad is from the end of 2022. A chance to course-correct It's looking like 2024 will be the biggest year the iPad has had in a while, though after a silent 2023, anything would look like a big year. It's also an opportunity for Apple to streamline the lineup—in particular, to finally get rid of the 9th-generation iPad along with its Lightning port and the first-generation Apple Pencil, making the 10th-gen iPad (or a slightly updated version of the same tablet) the new baseline. It's also an opportunity to make sure that each iPad is clearly defined. The low-end iPad is the one you buy for basic browsing, messaging, gaming, and doodling; the Air is the step up for people who use the iPad as their primary computing device but don't care about the Pro's bells and whistles, and the Pro is the model for people with money to spend who just want the best hardware Apple can make. The iPad lineup as it exists now reminds me of Apple's MacBook lineup circa 2018, when the company sold the 12-inch MacBook, a non-Retina MacBook Air, a redesigned Retina MacBook Air, and an entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro all within a couple hundred dollars of each other. Today's MacBook lineup still has a bit of overlap (the identical-looking M2 Air and M3 Air are separated by just $100), but generally you can point to any given model and describe who it's for. With a bit of pruning and some price adjustments, the iPad could be straightened out, too. But new hardware doesn’t fix the big problem Even with a less-confusing range of products and Apple's latest chips, the biggest problem for the iPad is still about software limitations. Many of our criticisms of the iPad Pro circa its 2018 refresh still hold true, despite several generations' worth of new hardware and the new multitasking interface that the iPad has gotten since then: One of the great things about the Apple Silicon transition on the Mac was that it required very little compromise on the software side of things; macOS remained macOS, with all of its virtues and flaws intact. And it's still the place you go if you want a command line or the ability to run development environments or third-party browsers or independently developed third-party apps that are distributed from outside Apple's app stores. The iPad uses the exact same silicon, but it's dramatically more limiting to use, specifically because you're still tethered to the same App Store limitations that the iPad has had since the days when it was just a big iPhone on the inside. Even when Apple releases almost fully featured pro apps, they're still missing features, and you can't always seamlessly use your iPad to open and edit projects you made on your Mac (or vice versa). And Apple has tried multiple times to tack a more versatile multitasking interface onto iPadOS, with only limited success. I don't really think it's likely that Apple will allow its high-end iPads to replace iPadOS with macOS or to implement some kind of dual-booting mechanism that would allow easy switching between the two. But it does feel like the kind of dramatic change that could shift the narrative around the iPad and deliver on the never-quite-fully realized promise of these convertible computing devices. If you're a power user, you get to choose between a limited-but-focused OS and a full-fledged desktop environment; if you're Apple, you suddenly get to talk about things like "Xcode for iPad" or "Terminal for iPad" without having to actually develop or maintain entirely separate versions of those apps with entirely different limitations. And if touchscreen Macs really are coming, as rumors have suggested, what better way to test out some finger-friendly user interface tweaks than to use the touchscreen hardware you already have? I don't think Apple is very likely to listen to me on this. I'm asking to be allowed to run more software on the iPad at the exact same time as Apple is fighting a highly visible tooth-and-nail battle against allowing more third-party software to run on iOS and iPadOS. But now that Apple has shifted its highfalutin "future of computing" talk from the iPad to the Vision Pro, maybe the company will be more willing to experiment with different ways of making the iPad more useful. Especially because, three years into the Mac's Apple Silicon transition, the work of getting macOS and all of its software running on the iPad's hardware is already finished. Source

Apple's upcoming "Let Loose" event promises major upgrades to the iPad Pro line and a renewed focus on artificial intelligence (AI). According to Mark Gurman, the new iPad Pro launching next week will feature an OLED display and Apple's next-generation M4 chip instead of the M3. While previous speculation pointed to the M3 chip, Gurman reports that Apple is already opting for its next major silicon update. The M4 is said to position the iPad Pro as Apple's first "truly AI-powered device." Gurman believes that every new Apple product going forward will have advanced AI capabilities built around upcoming chips. This lines up with rumors of Apple exploring AI partnerships and new software features like personalized recommendations and translations coming in iOS 18. By introducing an M4-powered iPad Pro first, Apple can lay out its vision for embedding AI across hardware and software before developers at WWDC 2024. In addition to M4 chip and OLED screens, the new iPad Pro could enable machine learning tools for content creators, designers, and more. The upgraded tablets are also expected to support the latest generation Apple Pencil, which could introduce haptic feedback for the first time to simulate the feel of writing on paper. Expectations for new iPads have been at a high ever since there was no event in October 2023. There are expected to be four iPad models announced at this event, which would be two new iPad Pro devices and two new iPad Air devices. Source: Bloomberg Source

And the new Apple Pencil Pro does some cool things, too. Apple's latest iPad Air, now in two sizes. The Magic Keyboard accessory is the same one that you use with older iPad Airs and Pros, though they can use the new Apple Pencil Pro. Andrew Cunningham Apple has a new lineup of iPad Pro and Air models for the first time in well over a year. Most people would probably be hard-pressed to tell the new ones from the old ones just by looking at them, but after hands-on sessions with both sizes of both tablets, the small details (especially for the Pros) all add up to a noticeably refined iPad experience. iPad Airs: Bigger is better But let's begin with the new Airs since there's a bit less to talk about. The 11-inch iPad Air (technically the sixth-generation model) is mostly the same as the previous-generation A14 and M1 models, design-wise, with identical physical dimensions and weight. It's still the same slim-bezel design Apple introduced with the 2018 iPad Pro, just with a 60 Hz LCD display panel and Touch ID on the power button rather than Face ID. So when Apple says the device has been "redesigned," the company is mainly referring to the fact that the webcam is now mounted on the long edge of the tablet rather than the short edge. This makes its positioning more laptop-y when it's docked to the Magic Keyboard or some other keyboard. The most welcome change to the Air is the introduction of a 13-inch model (blessedly, no longer "12.9 inches"). It looks like the old 12.9-inch iPad Pro design from circa 2018 but with the simpler single-lens 12 MP camera and the Touch ID button rather than the Face ID sensor. The new iPad Air. Andrew Cunningham With the iPad Pro and the Air next to each other, it's clear which has the superior screen—the 120 Hz refresh rate of ProMotion and the infinite contrast of OLED are definitely major points in the Pro's favor. But if you're just looking for a big screen for watching videos, reading books, or playing games, or if you're just looking for a general-use laptop replacement tablet, Apple is still using a great 60 Hz LCD panel here. And the $799 price tag is considerably lower than any of Apple's past 12.9-inch iPad Pros. Like the 15-inch MacBook Air, it's a way for people to get a bigger screen without paying for advanced screen technologies or faster processors if they don't want or need them. It's hard to find a downside to that, as long as you're OK with iPadOS' differences and restrictions relative to macOS. iPad Pro: Stunning screen, surprisingly light The new iPad Pro. Andrew Cunningham The first thing I noticed when I got my hands on the new iPad Pro was the size and weight rather than the screen (though I think it was the opposite for my Ars colleague Samuel Axon, whose dislike of LCD display technology is a frequent topic of conversation in the Ars Orbiting HQ). The 13-inch model, in particular, is about a fifth of a pound lighter than the old 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which you definitely feel if you're holding the tablet in one hand and an Apple Pencil in the other. On the topic of the screen, though, it really does look very good in person. Apple's hands-on corral for the media was in a well-lit but still indoor space, which probably isn't the perfect environment for appreciating the brightness of Apple's layered OLED displays. But it's definitely a notable improvement over the mini LED technology in older 12.9-inch iPad Pro screens, which improved on typical LCD displays but still exhibited light bloom. That's even more true of the 11-inch iPad Pro, which was saddled with lesser screen tech in previous generations but now benefits from the exact same screen as the 13-inch model. The iPad Pro's Magic Keyboard, which only works with the new iPad Pros. Andrew Cunningham There's not a ton to be said about the new Magic Keyboard accessory, which, like the tablet itself, is a little thinner and lighter than the old one but has the same key switches and so feels mostly familiar. The added function row is nice, as is the somewhat larger trackpad, and the metal wrist rest makes it feel even more like an oddball MacBook Air than the old Magic Keyboard. The worst thing about the Magic Keyboard is still its price; the device adds $299 to the 11-inch Pro and $349 to the 13-inch Pro. If you intend to use either as a laptop replacement, that automatically boosts the base price up to $1,300 and $1,650, and that's before you even consider any storage upgrades. It's an amount you'll want to pay only if you're truly all-in on the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement. The OLED display, available on both the 11- and 13-inch Pros, looks very nice in person. Andrew Cunningham It's even more stunning in photos with lots of contrast—you get deep black colors, but also bright spots with no bloom. Andrew Cunningham The back of the iPad Pro. It's still an iPad. Andrew Cunningham A slightly reformulated rear camera array. Andrew Cunningham Even with nothing else for scale, the new iPad Pros are impressively thin. The 13-inch model is also significantly lighter. Andrew Cunningham One note about the "nano-texture glass," a specific type of display etching that Apple does to give some of its glassy displays a matte finish. It only adds $100 to the total cost of either iPad Pro, but it's also only available with the 1TB or 2TB storage capacities. The base price for a Pro with nano-texture glass is effectively $1,699 for the 11-inch and $1,999 for the 13-inch. Something we didn't really get to appreciate in our hands-on session was the M4 chip—when you're just zipping between productivity apps and scribbling with the Pencil, the M4 doesn't feel appreciably different from the M1 in my 5th-generation iPad Air. The chip did easily handle the tightly controlled demos of the new Final Cut and Logic Pro apps that Apple demonstrated—but we didn't get to see how those apps would run on an iPad with an M1 or M2 in it, so it's difficult to say how much faster the M4 will feel in daily use even if you're really pushing the hardware. We'll do some more comparisons in our full review. Apple Pencil Pro: Subtle refinements The Apple Pencil Pro. Andrew Cunningham The new Apple Pencil Pro only works with the M2 iPad Airs and M4 iPad Pros, so users of older Airs and Pros can't upgrade to get any of the new features (the second-generation Apple Pencil also won't work with the new tablets, according to Apple's site, so if you replace your tablet, you need to replace your Pencil, too). If you get one of the new iPads, drawing with the new Pencil is improved in subtle but interesting ways. Squeezing the Pencil now triggers a radial menu for pen and color selection, the same toolbox that is currently tucked away at the bottom of the screen on older iPads. (Apps can create their own custom radial menus for this, too.) Gentle haptic feedback triggers when you squeeze the Pencil Pro to let you know you did it right. You'll also feel some bumps of haptic feedback when you're using the new radial undo and redo controls, activated by holding down the Pencil Pro on either button. A circular menu appears onscreen, and you can slide the Pencil backward on the wheel to undo multiple things at once or forward to redo the things you just did. This is handy for quickly undoing errant brushstrokes or entire words you want to delete. A radial undo and redo menu, which you bring up by holding the Pencil down on either the undo or redo button. Andrew Cunningham The other major refinement Apple showed off was the way that your pen tip would spin around with the Pencil Pro as you twirl it in your fingers, making it easier to change the angle of your lines (of Apple's built-in pen tips, it was most noticeable when using the highlighter tip). The Pencil now casts a "shadow" on the screen when it's close enough, showing you exactly what you're about to draw as you roll the Pencil around in your hand. It is a little frustrating that Apple now sells three separate, similar-looking Apple Pencil models that are all compatible with a different list of models, plus the first-generation Lightning-equipped Apple Pencil for older iPads. (The first-gen Apple Pencil works with the $349 iPad via a USB-C-to-Lightning adapter, but just get the $79 USB-C Apple Pencil instead.) The $79 USB-C Apple Pencil is easy enough to figure out—it's the cheaper option with fewer features, and it works with all post-2018 iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro models, including the new ones introduced today. As for the others, buy the Pencil Pro for the new M2 iPad Air or M4 iPad Pro. Buy the second-generation Apple Pencil for anything else. Both cost the same $129, despite one having "Pro" in its name, so the one you want depends entirely on the tablet you're buying it for. Source

The iPad Pro 2024 lineup is now official in its full OLED glory. Apple's flagship tablets are now thinner and more powerfu, they feature significantly upgraded displays and, sadly, notably increased price tags. For potential buyers, the best part is that the 2022 lineup with the M2 processor is still available in various retailers, so expect some discounts on them until stock clears. With that in mind, if you wonder what the difference is between the iPad Pro 2022 and the iPad Pro 2024, here is our list of everything new in the iPad Pro 2024 lineup: Tandem OLED displays (two OLED panels fused together for one brighter display) with up to 1,600 nits brightness (HDR) Improved Adaptive Pro Motion with 10-120Hz refresh rate Optional configuration with nano-texture glass for reduced glare and reflection (comes with a polishing cloth in the box) Significantly thinner chassis (5.1mm) The new 10-core M4 chip 256GB base configuration instead of 128GB Only one rear-facing 12MP wide camera The front-facing camera is now on the longer side of the tablet for more natural video calls No physical SIM slot in Wi-Fi + Cellular configurations Four microphones instead of five A bigger battery in the 11-inch variant and a smaller battery in the 13-inch variant No charging brick in some countries New Space Black Color Both variants are now $200 more expensive And here are the detailed specs: iPad Pro 2024 iPad Pro 2022 Dimensions 9.84x6.99x0.21", 0.98lbs 249.7x177.5x5.3mm, 446g 11.09x8.48x0.2", 1.28lbs 281.6x215.5x5.1mm, 582g 9.74x7.02x0.23", 1.03lbs 247.6x178.5x5.9mm, 470g 11.04x8.46x0.25", 1.51lbs 280.6x214.9x6.4mm, 685g Screen 11-inch Tandem OLED 2,240 x 1,668 pixels, 264 ppi 10-120Hz Adaptive Pro Motion, P3 1000 nits (SDR) 1600 nits (HDR) Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil (USB-C) Apple Pencil Hover Optional nano-texture glass 13-inch Tandem OLED 2,732 x 2,048 pixels, 264 ppi 10-120Hz Adaptive Pro Motion, P3 1000 nits (SDR) 1600 nits (HDR) Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil (USB-C) Apple Pencil Hover Optional nano-texture glass 11-inch IPS 2,388 x 1,668 pixels, 264 ppi 120Hz ProMotion, P3, 600 nits (SDR) Apple Pencil (2nd gen) Apple Pencil (USB-C) Apple Pencil Hover 12.9-inch mini-LED IPS 2,732 x 2,048 pixels, 264 ppi 120Hz ProMotion, P3, 1600 nits (HDR) Apple Pencil (2nd gen) Apple Pencil (USB-C) Apple Pencil Hover support Chip Up to 10-core Apple M4 with 10-core GPU and 16-core NPU 8GB (256-512GB) and 16GB RAM (1-2TB) AV1 hardware decode 8-core Apple M2 with 10-core GPU and 16-core NPU 8GB (128-512GB) and 16GB RAM (1-2TB) Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB Connectivity Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS (cellular models) 5G sub-6GHz and mmWave eSIM only, no physical SIM slot Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS (cellular models) 5G sub-6GHz and mmWave Nano-SIM and eSIM Rear cameras Single wide 12MP f/1.8 camera + LiDAR Scanner Wide 12MP f/1.8 + Ultra Wide 10MP f/2.4 125 FOV + LiDAR Scanner Front cameras Ultra Wide 12MP f/2.4 with Center Stage support and FaceID Located on the longer side of the tablet Ultra Wide 12MP f/2.4 with Center Stage support and FaceID Located on the shorter side of the tablet Video recording 4K video at 24-60 FPS, 1080P video at 25-60FPS, ProRes at 4K 30FPS Slow-mo video at 1080p 120-240FPS Cinematic video stabilization, continuous autofocus HEVC and H.264 Speakers Four-speaker audio + four studio-quality microphones Four-speaker audio + five studio-quality microphones Ports Thunderbolt / USB 4 with charging and DisplayPort In the box iPad, 20W USB-C power adapter, USB-C cable, polishing cloth with nano-texture display No power adapter in some countries iPad, 20W USB-C power adapter, USB-C cable Battery 31.29Wh Up to 10 hours of video playback 38.99Wh Up to 10 hours of video playback 28.65Wh Up to 10 hours of video playback 40.88Wh Up to 10 hours of video playback Colors Silver, Space Black Silver, Space Gray Price $999+ $1,299+ $799+ $1,099+ The iPad Pro 2024 lineup is now available for preorder on the official Apple website. Availability begins May 15. Source

We’re about to get faster, slimmer, better-looking Apple tablets. What we need is the ecosystem and the software this shapeshifting device deserves. When Apple CEO Tim Cook and a bunch of his deputies take the virtual stage next week to announce new iPads, they’re going to spend a lot of time talking about specs. If the rumors are true, we’re going to get new iPad Pros with OLED screens and thinner bodies, new Airs with faster chips and a correctly placed front camera, and a couple of new accessories. Before they even launch, I feel confident telling you these are the best iPads ever. But after all these years, I still don’t know how to tell you whether you should want an iPad. Or what you’d want to do with it. This has been true forever, of course. The iPad is the jack-of-all-trades in Apple’s lineup, a terrific device in many ways that still feels increasingly redundant now that so many people have big phones and long-lasting laptops. Apple seems to have spent the last decade-plus enamored with the idea of the iPad as a shapeshifter — a device that can be exactly what you need at any given time. The company loves that the iPad’s use case is hard to pin down, that it means different things to different people. It’s a fun, good, ambitious idea: The One Gadget To Rule Them All. The way to make that happen, though, is not to upgrade the chips or move the buttons or redesign the rounded corners. It’s to focus less on the iPad itself and more on the things you attach to it. There’s a chance that accessories might be the star of the show next week. Just look at the surprisingly unsubtle invite to the “Let Loose” event: usually there are tea leaves to read and we’re left trying to decipher vague shapes, but this time, there’s just an Apple Pencil front and center. Reports have indicated that we’re likely to see a new Pencil at the event, with interchangeable magnetic tips for different uses and a new “squeeze” gesture for quickly adding objects to your artwork. Focusing on the Pencil makes a certain kind of niche sense: the iPad is nothing if not a big touchscreen, and it’s the only Apple device that you can draw and write on in this way. Apple’s AI researchers have been working on tools to help artists and animators with their work and on a system for making art in tandem with an AI model — you prompt, it creates; you edit, it refines. For anyone who does this kind of visual art, a super-powered Pencil could be incredibly compelling. The “Let Loose” event is clearly about the Pencil. Image: Apple Apple is also rumored to be launching a new Magic Keyboard that makes the iPad even more laptop-like. The new model will apparently be made of aluminum and will have a bigger trackpad. (It hopefully will also stop randomly just falling apart.) A better keyboard won’t immediately make the iPad a great laptop, but I’m not sure a great laptop is what Apple is trying to build. It already has a bunch of those! I’m not really on the “put macOS on the iPad, you cowards” train, either. The MacBook is great. I think the iPad’s modular potential is actually much bigger. If Apple wants to get there, it needs more accessories — so, so many more accessories. The iPad is a screen and a processor, and everything else should be an add-on for whenever you need it. Give the gamers a controller and an external GPU. Give the music lovers a speaker dock, and give the smart home fanatics a bunch of buttons that connect to various devices. The photographers need lenses; the spreadsheeters need a keyboard with function keys. The Pencil and the Magic Keyboard are a start, but Apple needs to do much more. The company needs to spend less time worrying about the iPad itself — a device famous for how long it lasts and that hardly anyone is using to its full potential — and more time on how to make it more than just a tablet. (Plus, bonus for Apple: it’s going to be a lot easier to get people to buy accessories than to convince them to upgrade their iPad when they don’t need to.) The ultra-modular vision for the iPad is enticing, and I hope Apple continues to lean into it, but it’s near impossible to pull off. Just ask Essential how it went trying to build a device and an accessory ecosystem. Or ask Google. Or Asus. Or Fairphone or Samsung or Motorola or Blocks or Phonebloks or any of the other companies that never pulled it off. It requires building software that can be all things to all people all the time and hardware that is beautiful, thin, light, long-lasting, and totally remixable. I’m not even sure it’s possible to do all of that, but I know the iPad and iPadOS ain’t it. The problem with the iPad’s all-in-one approach so far is that you can’t just build a device that’s sort of okay at everything and hope that’s enough. The sort-of-okay device already exists — it’s your smartphone! The iPad has to be more than that: more flexible, more powerful, more long-lasting, more useful. That’s hard to build into a device, but Apple’s actually done a pretty good job. The harder part is building the ecosystem — and building the software that can support it. You need something that is at once for power users and newbies, for tinkerers and simpletons, for people who love keyboard shortcuts and the people who would prefer to never type again. You can’t just build a device that’s sort of okay at everything and hope that’s enough Ultimately, the biggest problem for Apple might just be math. The current iPad Pro starts at $799, which is already more expensive than some MacBook Air models. Want cellular connectivity so you can use the iPad anywhere? That’s another $200, but a good modular gadget needs it. The current-gen Pencil is another $129; the Magic Keyboard, another $299. (I don’t yet know what the new models will cost, but Apple’s not really in the habit of making things cheaper.) That’s $1,328 for the full iPad experience, and we’ve only scratched the surface of what this device could do with the right accessories and app support. And so far, when Apple does introduce new accessories, it has mostly just made things more confusing. Where does all of this leave Apple? Stuck. The iPad is great, it’s a smashing success, it’s a terrific device, I love the iPad, but the iPad seems to be stuck in an endless upgrade loop without ever actually getting better. I suspect we’re going to see a lot of iPadOS-related news at WWDC next month — that’s where Apple tends to do its software talking, and all signs point to a huge focus on AI. The iPad could be a natural place to bring a lot of AI features, particularly in image and video editing. As for next week’s announcement, though, we’re likely to hear an awful lot about OLED screens and chip upgrades. But pay attention to all the devices in the iPad’s universe that aren’t the iPad itself. If Apple wants to make its tablet into the world-beating device it could be, it’s going to need to accessorize. Source You're welcome

Thanks to WhatsApp Web, we are able to use the communication platform on several devices other than our smartphones. It is usually preferred for PCs and Macs, but did you know you can also use the feature on your iPad? In this guide, we will show you how to use WhatsApp Web on your iPad! WhatsApp Web is a web-based extension of the WhatsApp mobile application that allows users to access their WhatsApp accounts on their desktop or laptop computers. It mirrors the conversations and messages from the mobile app onto the computer screen, making it easy for users to communicate with their contacts while working on their computers. Luckily, there is also a way to use it on your iPad! WhatsApp Web on iPad How to use WhatsApp Web on your iPad: Explained If you know how to use the feature on your PC or Mac, then you are pretty much familiar with the process. WhatsApp creates QR codes for people who want to mirror their conversations on other devices, and it is the same for iPads too. Here is how to see WhatsApp Web on your iPad: Open Safari on your iPad. Type web.whatsapp.com in the URL bar and go to the website. Leave the page open. If you see the older home page, refresh until you see the "Load desktop site" option. On your smartphone, open WhatsApp. Go to Settings at the bottom right of your screen. Tap Linked Devices. Tap Link a Device. Scan the QR code that is on your iPad's screen. You will see all your conversations on your iPad screen. How to use WhatsApp Web on your iPad? Now, let's create a shortcut so that you can access it easily in the future. Remember that sometimes your devices might lose connection, so you might have to scan the QR code again. To create a WhatsApp shortcut on your iPad, please follow the steps below: Go to WhatsApp Web on your iPad. Near the URL bar, tap the Share icon, which looks like a square with an arrow showing upward. Tap Add to Home Screen. Tap Add. These steps will help you create a WhatsApp icon on your iPad's home screen. When you tap on it, it will take you to the WhatsApp Web page. How do I know if I am using the built-in QR scanner in WhatsApp? WhatsApp has its own security measures, and the QR code is only one of them. On your smartphone, go to WhatsApp and tap Settings. Select "Linked Devices," and then you must use the "Link a Device" option on the list. That way, you will know that you are using the built-in QR scanner in WhatsApp. Scanning the right QR code might also be important in terms of security. If you are using the official website, then there is nothing to worry about. Make sure that the website you see the QR code is web.whatsapp.com. As long as you use the official website, you will be using the built-in QR code. Can I access my WhatsApp Web chats without scanning the QR code? You technically can by using a third-party application, but it might not be the safest. This process needs to have some security measures, and a QR code is one of them. If you want to mirror your conversations to your iPad, we recommend you use a QR code to complete the process safely. How to use WhatsApp Web on your iPad?

Apple may drop software support for a number of iPhones and iPads when iOS 17 is released later this year. Find out if your device made it to the list. In case you missed it, the Cupertino company will release reveal iOS 17 at WWDC 23 on June 5th. While beta testers may gain early access to the latest iteration of the operating system, the stable version of iOS 17 will only be rolled out in September this year, when Apple unveils the iPhone 15 line up. The news was first reported by Macrumours, and comes from a source who has a reliable track record for reporting about iOS updates. Rumored list of iPhones and iPads that won't get the iOS 17 update iPhone 8 iPhone 8 Plus iPhone X iPad (5th gen) 9.7-inch iPad Pro (1st gen) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (1st gen) Removing support for older phones isn't particularly new, each year Apple does the same when it ditches a handful of legacy devices. For reference, When iOS 16 was released, Apple ended support for the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone SE (1st gen), and the iPod touch (7th gen). Coming back to the list of devices that won't be updated to iOS 17, some people may view this as a forced upgrade, but is it? The oldest one in the list is the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st gen, which was announced in 2015. The next oldest device is the 9.7-inch iPad Pro 1st gen from 2016. All the other devices, i.e., the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X and the iPad (5th gen) were launched in 2017. Now, that list doesn't look particularly bad, does it? Aside from the larger iPads which were supported for 8 and 7 years respectively, the other iPhones and iPad received 6 years of iOS upgrades. I'd say that is actually pretty impressive if we take Android OS upgrades into account, which usually range from 2 to 3 years, except for Samsung's Galaxy S series phones which will get 4 major Android OS upgrades. Even Google's record isn't exactly stellar, as it only provides OS updates for 3 years, and security updates for a total of 5 years. Just because Apple won't provide the iOS 17 update doesn't necessarily mean the end of life for a device. The company occasionally releases security updates for old devices to keep users safe from vulnerabilities. The most recent example would be the iOS 12.5.7 update that was released in January 2023 for the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch (6th gen). The update patched a remote code execution issue that hackers could have exploited to run malicious code on a user's device. It is also worth noting that all iPhones and iPads that have a chipset from A5 to A11 have a major bootrom security vulnerability that has been called "checkm8". The iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X are equipped with an A11 chipset, the iPad 5th gen has an A9 chip and the other 2 iPads have an A9X chipset. The risk cannot be patched via a software update, since it is a ROM (Read-only memory) vulnerability. The exploit is quite commonly used to jailbreak iOS and iPadOS devices. So, it looks like my iPad 5th gen won't get the iOS 17. Do you have a device that won't get the update? Rumor: These iPhones and iPads may not get the iOS 17 update

It looks a lot like the iPhone’s weather app Apple is finally bringing its first-party Weather app to iPad as part of iPadOS 16. Finally. The first iPad launched in 2010, and it hasn’t had the official Weather app that whole time. The company shared a few screenshots at WWDC 2022, and if you’re familiar with the app on iPhone, it will look pretty familiar. The app’s background reflects the weather, and there’s a big dashboard of statistics. It’s basically the iPhone app but blown up to tablet size. Here’s a screenshot of the weather in Seattle in the new iPadOS Weather app. Image: Apple And here’s the weather in San Carlos de Bariloche. Image: Apple It’s unclear exactly why it took Apple 12 years to add a weather app to iPad, but we’ll take it. And it’s not just the iPad — as spotted by MacRumors, Apple is bringing its Weather app to the Mac with macOS Ventura as well. Update June 6th, 4:08PM: Weather is coming to the Mac as well. Apple’s Weather app is finally coming to iPad

Alledged renders for the 10th Gen iPad displaying new features have surfaced. The 2022 iPad may be ditching the headphone jack, if the leaks at MySmartPrice are true. Exclusive renders of the 10th Gen iPad, also called the iPad 2022, display the absence of the 3.5 mm headphone jack and other additional specs. The renders obtained by MySmartPrice for the iPad 2022 are similar to the 9th Gen iPad from 2021; however, notable differences are visible. The newer iPad is rumored to be wider than its predecessor, with measurements of 248.62 x 179.50 x 6.98mm. The iPad 2022 is also expected to have a camera island and an LED flash. While the iPad will come with a single camera, it does have a protruding appearance which 9to5mac suspects to be due to Apple planning to upgrade its camera sensor. Like its predecessors, the iPad 10th Gen will likely continue to comprise sizeable bezels on all edges, TouchID, and the Home Button at the top, as the render shows. However, the charging port is highlighted in red, reinforcing speculations about the iPad getting a Type-C charging port. The images also display a quad-speaker setup. You can see more photos on the MySmartPrice website. According to previous speculations, the 10th Gen iPad will come with 5G support and will include the A14 Bionic chip. The iPad would supposedly ship with a larger Retina display as well. Official announcement regarding the iPad are likely to become known in the fall of 2022, it is expected to retain its starting price of $329. Source: MySmartPrice via 9to5mac | Images via MySmartPrice The 2022 iPad is rumored to have a larger display, quad speakers, and more

Apple launched the M2 chip at its WWDC 2022 event on June 6, but currently, there are only two Macs that are powered by the company’s latest chip, including the MacBook Air 2022, and the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M2 will also debut on iPad Pro in the coming days. However, Apple is in no mood to ditch the Bionic chip right now. According to the Korean blog Naver, Apple is working on a new 10th gen entry-level iPad to be released around October. The blog has also revealed the next-gen entry-level iPad will be thinner than its predecessor. The device will have 5G network support, a USB-C port, larger display than its predecessor, and powering it will be Apple’s A14 Bionic chipset. It will feature flat bezels to give the device a nicer look. Apart from that, we do not know much about the upcoming iPad. Apple is known to be working on another iPad device. But unlike the upcoming entry-level iPad, it will be a “Pro.” It will reportedly come in two sizes: 11-inch and 12.9-inch. Both the models are expected to feature a mini-LED display. The next-generation M2-powered iPad Pro may launch in October. Possibly, both the models will launch on the same date. The M2 iPad Pro will be the successor to last year’s M1-powered iPad Pro. However, whether Apple will hold a dedicated press event to launch these devices remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Apple will launch new iPhone models in a dedicated press event slated to take place in September. There will reportedly be four iPhone models, including the 6.1-inch iPhone 14, the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple is reportedly planning not to release any ‘Mini’ iPhone models this time. Are you excited about Apple’s upcoming devices? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Apple may be working on an entry-level iPad

A report from The Information suggests Apple’s working on an extra-large iPad Apple may be readying an iPad with a larger 16-inch display, according to a report from The Information. Sources familiar with the situation told the outlet Apple could release the device in the fourth quarter of 2023, but this is subject to change. While rumors about an iPad with a 14- to 15-inch screen have been floating around for some time now, this is the first we’ve heard of a 16-inch iPad. Apple tracker Mark Gurman mentioned a 14- to 15-inch iPad back in 2021, and he recently said a larger model could launch in the next year or two. Supply chain analyst Ross Young backed up this prediction in June and said we could see a 14.1-inch iPad Pro with Mini LEDs and a ProMotion display as soon as next year. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is currently Apple’s biggest model, but tacking on a few extra inches of screen real estate could make the device ideal for creative professionals. It would also make sense for those who want to take advantage of Stage Manager, an iPadOS 16 feature that’s supposed to make switching between apps easier (although Apple still has quite a few kinks it needs to work out). The company added external display support for Stage Manager in the iPadOS 16.2 developer beta on Tuesday, which should give users a large space to work with when using the feature. Apple shook up its iPad lineup last month with the release of the more expensive entry-level iPad with USB-C as well as the updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro. But as my colleague Monica Chin points out, increasing the entry-level iPad’s price has put it in a strange position. The device, which is now priced at $449 instead of $329, costs nearly as much as an M1 MacBook Air if you add the $249 Magic Keyboard Folio and $99 Apple Pencil (which still doesn’t support USB-C, by the way). Introducing a premium 16-inch iPad could help add some sense to Apple’s lineup. While it would likely establish a wider price gap between the entry-level iPad and the larger high-end model, it still wouldn’t solve the issue of a missing budget option, which is probably why it’s still selling the $329 ninth-gen device. Apple could release a 16-inch iPad next year

The cheapest iPad targets a delicate audience that is not ready to shell out $799 for the iPad Pro or even $599 for the iPad Air. These users want to get the best from the iPad world without spending more than $400, which makes the 10th gen iPad with its $449 price tag an interesting generation upgrade. If you own an older entry-level iPad and the new model tempts you with its vivid colors, all-screen design, and a more powerful CPU, this article will help you figure out all the differences between four generations of Apple's budget-friendly tablets. You can jump to the list of key changes or the table with the specs. In a nutshell, the iPad 10 is the iPad 4 with some downgrades. It has the same all-screen design with symmetrical bezels, squared chassis, and rounded corners. Also, please welcome USB-C instead of Lightning. Another feature inherited from the iPad Air 4 is the A14 Bionic CPU, which makes the baseline iPad insanely powerful for its price category. The iPad 10 is the first affordable iPad to feature 5G connectivity. Still, potential buyers should note that the tablet does not support mmWave, only sub-6 networks. On the upside, there is Wi-FI 6 support and Bluetooth 5.2. Another noteworthy upgrade in the iPad 10 compared to its four previous generations is the cameras. The rear-facing camera can now record video in 4K 60 fps and 1080p 240 fps. We are not here to judge those recording videos with their iPads, but it is a considerable upgrade, nothing to scoff at. Speaking of cameras, the iPad 10 has a unique feature: its front-facing camera now sits alongside the longer edge of the display, allowing perfect framing for video calls. We cannot tell whether a repositioned front-facing camera is worth $120 extra over the iPad 9, but it is still a considerable change for Apple's tablets. Despite having a new design, the iPad 10 still lacks a fully-laminated display, and it does not support the Apple Pencil 2. It is great news for those upgrading from older generations—your existing Apple Pencil will continue working. Unfortunately, there is one caveat: you need a $9 adapter to charge and pair the original Apple Pencil with the iPad 10. Another thing potential buyers should consider is that the iPad 10 is incompatible with the Folio Keyboard for the iPad 9 and iPad 8. If you want to convert this tablet into a laptop-looking thing, prepare to buy new accessories, such as the Apple Magic Keyboard Folio. If the $449 price tag feels too much to swallow, you can opt for the ninth-gen iPad, which remains in the lineup for $329. Granted, it has no fancy chassis or all-screen design, but it is still a powerful device that features a classic look with the Home button on the front. The iPad 9 will provide you with enough power for years (including iPadOS upgrades), plus you can get the iPad 9 and the first-gen Apple Pencil for the price of the new model. If the looks do not matter to you that much, we recommend picking the iPad 9 instead of the iPad 10. Here are the key changes summed up in a list: A bigger display with an all-screen design Four new bright chassis colors A newer and more powerful A14 processor with a faster Neural Engine Newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards plus optional 5G (sub-6 only) A front-facing camera on the longer side of the display with Smart HDR 3 support for photos A higher-res rear-facing camera with 4K video support USB-C port and no 3.5 mm audio jack Relocated Smart Connector, which means no support for existing folio keyboards A $120 price hike iPad 10 iPad 9 iPad 8 Display 10.9-inch Liquid Retina All-screen design 2360x1640, 264 ppi 500 nits brightness sRGB, True Tone 10.2" Retina 2160x1620, 264 ppi 500 nits brightness sRGB, True Tone 10.2" Retina 2160x1620, 264 ppi 500 nits brightness Processor Apple A14 Bionic 6-core CPU 4-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine Apple A13 Bionic 6-core CPU 4-core GPU 8-core Neural Engine Apple A12 Bionic 6-core CPU 4-core GPU 8-core Neural Engine Memory TBA 3GB Storage 64GB and 256GB 64GB and 256GB 32GB and 128GB Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 5G (sub-6), Gigabit LTE, 3G, GPS Nano-SIM, eSIM Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 4.2 Gigabit-class LTE, 3G, GPS Nano-SIM, eSIM Front Camera Landscape Camera 12MP, f/2.4 aperture Center Stage Retina Flash, Smart HDR3 1080p video @ 60 fps Portrait Camera 12MP, f/2.4 aperture Center Stage Retina Flash 1080p video @ 60 fps Portrait Camera 1.2MP, f/2.4 aperture Center Stage Retina Flash 720p video Rear Camera 12MP, f/1.8 Smart HDR 3 for photos 4K video @ 60 fps 1080p video @ 60/120/240 fps 8MP, f/2.4 HDR 1080p video @ 30 fps 720p video @ 120 fps Battery TBA Up to 10 hours of video (Wi-Fi) Up to 9 hours of video (cellular) 8557 mAh (32.4 Wh) Up to 10 hours of video (Wi-Fi) Up to 9 hours of video (cellular) Audio Two landscape speakers Two speakers on the bottom side Security TouchID in the top power button TouchID in the Home button Ports USB-C, Smart Connector Lightning, 3.5 mm audio jack, Smart Connector Apple Pencil 1st gen Apple Pencil Requires USB-C-to-Lightning adapter 1st gen Apple Pencil Colors Silver, Pink, Blue, Yellow Space Gray, Silver Space Gray, Silver, and Gold Price $449 $329 The iPad 10 is available for pre-order, with shipping scheduled for October 24, 2022. What do you think about Apple's latest "cheap" iPad? Do you think its upgrades justify the $120 price increase? Would you rather opt for the cheaper $329 iPad 9? Share your thoughts in the comments. Specs Appeal: Comparing iPad 10 to iPad 9 and iPad 8

Also: iPadOS 16 launches October 24. The new base iPad in silver. Apple The new base iPad in pink. Apple The new base iPad in blue. Apple The new base iPad in yellow. Apple Apple has introduced a new Magic Keyboard Folio specifically for this iPad. Apple The 10th-generation base iPad supports the first-generation Apple Pencil. Apple Today, Apple surprise-announced several new products without much fanfare beyond a store page update and a press release, and three of them are iPads: two new iPad Pro models and a redesigned entry-level iPad. Since the iPad Pro is mainly getting a spec bump, the big story today is the redesigned base iPad. Apple's entry-level iPad has maintained the same basic, home-button-equipped design for years, but that changes today. The redesigned iPad has a 10.9-inch, 2360×1640-pixel LCD display that maxes out at 500 nits of brightness. Like the iPad Air and iPad Pro, it lacks a home button, as the screen extends somewhat close to the edges of the device on all sides. Touch ID is now housed in the top button on the edge of the tablet. As for internals, the new iPad has the A14 chip seen previously in the iPhone 12 line and in the fourth-generation iPad Air. That's up from an A13 in the previous-generation base iPad, so it's a modest upgrade on that front. You can generally expect it to be 10–20 percent faster, depending on the task. There's a 12 MP ultra-wide camera with a 122-degree field of view on the front of the device, and for the first time, it's positioned at the edge that would be the top of the device when it's held in landscape orientation. Previously, the front-facing cameras on iPads were oriented at the top in portrait orientation instead. And yes, as many have predicted and hoped, the new iPad has a USB-C port instead of Apple's proprietary Lightning port. It also supports Wi-Fi 6 and 5G for connectivity, and it has stereo speakers along with two microphones. Apple is also launching a newly redesigned Magic Keyboard Folio for this iPad, but it unfortunately only supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, unlike its more expensive cousins. The new iPad is available to order today and ships on October 26. It starts at $449 for Wi-Fi versions and $599 for cellular models, and it comes in two storage configurations—64GB and 256GB—and four colors: blue, pink, yellow, and silver. The 9th-generation iPad is still available starting at $329. iPad Pro The 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Here's a glimpse at the space grey color. And here's silver. Both models still support the same keyboard attachments as before. Apple also updated both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros. Neither has seen a major redesign, so they have the same shape, dimensions, cameras, and screens as before. But there are some differences worth noting. This refresh features the M2 chip with an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16-core NPU. This is the same chip previously seen in the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro and iPad Air. It's a nice upgrade over the M1 seen in the previous generation, but it's not a dramatic bump. Like its predecessor, the iPad Pro supports the second-generation Apple Pencil, but Apple says there's a new "hover" experience unique to these refreshed models: the Apple Pencil "is now detected up to 12 mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their mark before they make it." Apple implemented some custom behavior for the hover mode, like making text fields in Scribble expand automatically when you bring the Pencil near the screen. A developer API will make those kinds of behaviors possible in third-party apps, too. Predictably, the iPad Pro still uses USB-C as its one port. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, and 5G for wireless connectivity. The 11-inch model starts at $799 for Wi-Fi and $999 for Wi-Fi + Cellular, while the 12.9-inch starts at $1,099 and $1,299. They're both available in space gray and silver and can be configured with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage. They support the same peripherals as their predecessors, and Apple hasn't introduced any new ones for these devices as it did for the base iPad. Both are available for preorder today and ship or arrive in stores on October 26. iPadOS 16 will launch two days earlier, on October 24. Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs. Listing image by Apple Apple drops Lightning and home button from the base iPad, announces M2 iPad Pro

Foldable smartphones are no longer merely just a concept. It now looks like Apple might also step into the foldable device territory, not with an iPhone however, but with a foldable iPad. Analysts at CCS Insight believe that Apple may launch an iPad with a folding screen as soon as in 2024. Speaking to CNBC, Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, said: “Right now it doesn’t make sense for Apple to make a foldable iPhone. We think they will shun that trend and probably dip a toe in the water with a foldable iPad A folding iPhone will be super high risk for Apple. Firstly, it would have to be incredibly expensive in order to not cannibalize the existing iPhones." Samsung follows a similar price model where its foldable smartphones are priced much higher than its flagship smartphone with flat displays. However, with its Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Flip series, Samsung has continued to refine the foldable technology. Currently, the South Korean company dominates both the technology and the consumer market of foldables. If Apple went ahead and made a foldable iPhone, it will likely be priced at around $2,500, said the analyst. The priciest iPhone 14 Max Pro with 1TB storage currently costs $1,599. Wood added that Apple will get a chance to implement and scale foldable screen technology and also "breathe new life" to its iPad series. Earlier, a report from Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) suggested that Apple will likely enter the foldable smartphone market in 2025. The report said that Apple doesn't seem to be in a hurry to enter the foldable market, and the company is quite optimistic about the foldable technology as well. Apple could also be working on a foldable notebook, which could become a new category of products itself. Renowned Apple Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also claimed that Apple is testing Electronic Display Paper (EPD) for future foldable device's cover screens and tablets. He predicted that the EPD could potentially become a mainstream solution for foldable devices thanks to its excellent power efficiency. Source: CNBC Apple is working on a foldable iPad, could launch before foldable iPhone

Apple tracker Mark Gurman says the company’s working on a dock that would you let you place your iPad on a counter or nightstand, sort of like the Amazon Echo Show Apple is working on a dock for the iPad that would allow the device to function as a smart display and speaker, according to a report to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The company reportedly plans on introducing the capability as soon as next year, converting the iPad into an Amazon Echo Show-like device that you can set atop a counter or nightstand. Amazon already does something similar with its Fire tablets, as the company lets users place the devices into a charging dock to prop them up like a smart display. Even Google announced a docking accessory for its upcoming Pixel Tablet last week, which is supposed to serve as both a magnetic charging station and speaker. Once the tablet’s in place, it’ll function like a Nest Hub Max, letting you control your smart home through the Home app, as well as interact with Google Assistant. An iPad docking station could work similarly, Gurman notes, potentially letting users make calls through FaceTime and gain hands-free control of smart home devices. The company is also working on other devices in the smart home space, including an updated version of the HomePod that Gurman says could have an updated display, an S8 chip, and multitouch functionality. Last year, Gurman reported that Apple is also planning a combined Apple TV and smart speaker device equipped with a camera, which he believes is still in the works. While we’re not expecting the docking station yet, Apple’s poised to launch the iPad Pro before the end of this month, which is rumored to come with 11-inch and 12.9-inch variations, as well as with Apple’s in-house M2 chip. Apple reportedly wants to turn the iPad into a smart display with a new dock