Apple unveiled About four new versions of the iPad, with distinct upgrades for each compared to previous generations. The iPad Pro in particular comes loaded with many new technologies that make it distinct from others. Here are the top upgrades we're looking forward to testing.
OLED screen
The iPad Pro series switched from Mini-LED screen technology to OLED screen technology for the first time under the name Ultra Retina XDR. Although OLED technology is not new, as Samsung has used it in its Tablet S devices for years, it is new to the iPad.
Apple says it uses two OLED panels pressed together, called Tandem OLED technology, to increase brightness. As a result, the screen supports a brightness of up to 1000 nits in normal use, and can peak at 1600 nits when viewing or editing HDR content. This is important for anyone who wants to see the results of his work, whether photographed or edited, accurately and clearly.
Apple also explains that Tandem OLED technology also allows the screen to change colors faster, show clearer bright spots in photos and videos, and reveal more detail in the shadows, all with a response of less than a millisecond.
In addition to OLED technology, Apple offers the iPad Pro (1TB and 2TB models only) with the option of a nanometric glass coating. This technology scatters light instead of reflecting it, leaving the screen with an almost matte appearance. This resists reversals at the highest level.
Processor power M4
Apple often keeps its processor families around for about a year before moving on to a new generation. However, the new iPad Pro breaks this pattern thanks to its new M4 processor. The M4 processor comes to replace the M3 (launched in October 2023) and provides more power, especially that needed to power the artificial intelligence.
Simply put, the M4 has the same number of performance cores but with more efficiency cores, more GPU cores, and 3 billion more transistors. It was manufactured with second-generation 3nm technology, supports data transfer speeds of up to 120 gigabits per second for memory, and works with RAM of up to 16 GB.
All of this gives tremendous strength. Apple claims the M4's central processor is up to 50% faster than the M2 in the previous generation iPad, while the graphics processor is four times faster than the M2. This leads to features such as physical acceleration of ray tracing, dynamic caching, and mesh shadows, which we explained in detail in a previous article - this link- All of this will improve the iPad Pro experience as a gaming device.
Apple hasn't changed the number of cores in its neural network processing unit, but it has increased the speed of what the 16-core cluster can do. It says the M4's neural network processing unit is capable of 38 trillion operations per second, or more than double what the M3 processor from last year can deliver. This gives the iPad Pro greater ability to calculate artificial intelligence tasks on the device itself. Apple did not announce any new artificial intelligence features for the iPad; But we think we'll see these capabilities during Apple's annual WWDC developer event next June.
The FaceTime camera is in a new position
Placing the camera in the horizontal orientation of the iPad is considered an important and long-awaited improvement to enhance the quality of the experience and user comfort.
In the age of apps like Google Meet, Zoom, and others, paying attention to the front camera is extremely important. In older versions of the iPad Pro, the camera was placed in an uncomfortable place for those who used these applications frequently, and indeed most users complained about this matter.
Apple eventually responded and moved the camera position. Moreover, the camera supports Apple's Center Stage feature, which automatically places you in the middle of the screen if you move during a video call.
The camera takes 12-megapixel photos, has an f/2.2 lens aperture, and supports 2X digital zoom. It also includes Retina flash with True Tone, dynamic range in video, and 1080p HD photography at 25, 30, or 60 frames per second.
The Pro version gets portrait mode with depth control in addition to lighting effects.
Thunderbolt connector with USB4
Apple did not add any new ports to the iPad Pro, as it still contains only one USB-C port, but it has greatly enhanced this port. The new port supports Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 with massive data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps. And compatibility with a wider range of accessories.
Apple says the iPad Pro can drive external displays like the XDR Pro display with up to 6K resolution. The port also supports external storage units, in addition to standard accessories such as microphones and others.
It's the most advanced connector on the iPad and will definitely help those who rely on accessories to expand the capabilities of their tablet.
Apple Pencil Pro
The $129 Apple Pencil Pro works with both the iPad Air and iPad Pro, but it's not compatible with older iPad versions. The new pen features rely on several new components within the device.
Apple has added a pressure-sensitive area above the pen nib that you can tap to call up the Pen toolbar, which includes alternative brushes, a color selector, an eraser, and other functions.
There is a rotational motion sensor unit. This makes the pen sensitive to certain types of movement, such as rotation around its axis. By rotating the pen between your fingers, you can change the angle of the tip before drawing your next line. This is critical for brushes that produce non-circular marks.
Additionally, the pen has a vibration motor on top to give feedback. It can vibrate when you make certain gestures or take certain actions while using the pen.
Finally, Apple has added “Find My” support to the pen, which will allow you to find it through the application on the iPhone if it is lost.
These are fairly advanced features that may be useful for those who use the iPad for drawing and design. Apple already sells three other versions of the stylus with different specifications and features and different prices.
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