In a relatively short presentation on Tuesday (05 07), Apple announced its new lineup of iPad Air and iPad Pro devices, including accompanying accessories and software, as well as a new Apple Silicone (processor).

You can watch the presentation on YouTube here. (https://www.youtube.com/live/f1J38FlDKxo)

M2 iPad Air

The new iPad Air comes in two sizes (11in and 13in), in four colours (blue, purple, starlight, and space grey), and with four storage options (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB). The M2 chip now powers it.

The price for the 11in iPad Air starts at RM2,999 (or RM2,749 for education) for the Wi-Fi model and RM3,749 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The 13in iPad Air starts at RM3,999 (or RM3,749 for education) for the Wi-Fi model, and RM4,749 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

Education pricing is available to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty and staff of all grade levels.

The availability of the new iPad Air was undisclosed during the announcement. 

In addition to the larger screen size, I think the most significant upgrade to the iPad Air is the placement of the video conferencing camera from the short side to the broad side of the device.

Combining the new camera placement, the more powerful processor, the larger display, and the new iPad Air’s continued compatibility with the existing Magic Keyboard will result in a more compelling laptop replacement. Well, one that is more curated compared to a MacBook.

I’m not convinced that all this makes the iPadAir a better tablet, especially with the 13in model. I was hoping for a display tech upgrade instead. I hope we’ll see an iPad mini with a Retina XDR Display next.

M4 iPad Pro

The new iPad Pro comes in two sizes (11in and 13in), in two colours (silver and space black), and with four storage options (256GB, 512GB,1TB, and 2TB). For the 1TB and 2TB configurations, there is an additional option for a “Nano-texture glass” display (matt).

In a surprise move, it was announced that the new iPad Pro will be supercharged with the new M4 chip (instead of the expected M3).

The 11in iPad Pro starts at RM5,299 (or RM4,769 for education) for the Wi-Fi model and RM6,299 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The 13-inch iPad Air starts at RM6,799 (or RM6,279 for education) for the Wi-Fi model and RM7,799 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

Education pricing is available to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty and staff of all grade levels.

The availability of the new iPad Pro was undisclosed during the announcement. 

The upgrades to the iPad Pro are a big deal. Not only is the new iPad Pro getting the latest Apple Silicone (processor), but it is also getting a display upgrade and a design improvement. The weight of the 13in iPad Pro is less than the new 13in iPad Air. This brilliant move makes the latest 13in iPad Pro more desirable.

They didn’t have to, but Apple decided to introduce the Ultra Retina XDR display on the iPad Pro. This move shifts the iPad Pro closer to a tablet experience than the new iPad Air. Because of how we use them — up close and using the touch screen — displays are more important on a tablet compared to a laptop.

The small but significant feature that excited me the most was the new adaptive True Tone flash that improves document scanning. Having that on an iPhone would be nice, but I don’t mind having it here, too. It seems very useful.  

While the jump to the M4 chip is exciting, the extra power would be lost on those who are not creative professionals. What I am concerned about is heat deception. Apple said they did some design changes to help it, but we’ll have to see how effective it is in the real world.

New Accessories

With the new design comes new accessories. Apple announced 4: The new Apple Pencil Pro, Magic Keyboards, and Smart Folios.

The new Apple Pencil Pro is RM599 (RM549 for education). 

The new Magic Keyboard is available in black and white. The new 11-inch compatible model is RM1,479 (RM1,379 for education), and the new 13-inch Magic Keyboard is available for RM1,699 (RM1,599 for education)

The new Smart Folio is RM379 for the 11in and RM479 for the 13in. It comes in black, white, and denim.

Although the features of the new Apple Pencil Pro is interesting, I’ll have to try it out for myself to see how practical it is. I have no doubt that the new Magic Keyboard is still the best keyboard for a tablet, the usefulness of the Apple Pencil is subjective.

What I Want

The most desirable of the four devices to me is the new 13in iPad Pro because it is closer to an ideal tablet than a laptop. I like the better display and the lighter design. Even before adding a Magic Keyboard to the package, the same money could be spent on a more open MacBook Air or MacMini; however, the iPad Pro is uniquely a tablet.

Professional Apps

Logic Pro for iPad 2 — an app for music producers — is available on May 13 as a free update for existing users, and for new users, it is available on the App Store for RM22.90 per month, or RM199 per year, with a one-month free trial.

Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 — an app for video editors — will be available later this spring on the App Store for RM22.90 monthly, or RM199 per year, with a one-month free trial.