May 7 (UPI) — Apple held its “Let Loose” iPad event Tuesday, unveiling the new iPad Pro, iPad Air and Apple Pencil Pro in what chief executive officer Tim Cook called “the biggest day for iPad since its introduction.”
The event, which streamed from Apple headquarters at Cupertino, Calif., touted iPad’s past and its future as a “magical sheet of glass.”
iPad Pro
One of the biggest announcements Tuesday was Apple’s new iPad Pro, which integrates the tech giant’s more powerful M4 chip to operate 50% faster, according to Apple. The M4 chip will also allow Apple to integrate artificial intelligence into the “impossibly thin” 11-inch and 13-inch devices.
“Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create,” Cook wrote Tuesday in a post on X.
Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 7, 2024
The iPad Pro also offers OLED display, a broader viewing display with Ultra Retina XDR, and nano-textured glass that cuts glare.
“iPad Pro empowers a broad set of pros and is perfect for anyone who wants the ultimate iPad experience — with its combination of the world’s best displays, extraordinary performance of our latest M-series ships, and advanced accessories — all in a portable design,” John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, said in a statement.
“Today, we’re taking it even further with the new, stunningly thin and light iPad Pro, our biggest update ever to iPad Pro,” Ternus added.
The 11-inch iPad Pro will start at $1,000 for the Wi-Fi version and $1,200 for the cellular model. The 13-inch iPad Pro will start at $1,300 for the Wi-Fi model and $1,500 for the cellular device. Both devices will go on sale May 15.
iPad Air
The more affordable new iPad Air also debuted at Tuesday’s Apple event and comes in two sizes. The 11-inch and 13-inch screens feature a Liquid Retina display as the device also upgrades its audio with improved stereo speakers.
The iPad Air is powered by an M2 chip and is available with more storage this time. It also features a “landscape-front camera and faster Wi-Fi. The new iPad air is more powerful and versatile than ever,” said Melody Kuna, director of iPad Product Design.
The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $600, with the 13-inch iPad Air starting at $800.
Apple Pencil Pro
During its “Let Loose” event, Apple also introduced two new iPad Pro accessories Tuesday, including the Apple Pencil Pro, a new stylus that uses squeezing to bring up new palettes and rotating to control pen and brush tools to allow for “even greater precision.”
The Apple Pencil Pro, which costs $130 and charges magnetically on the side of the iPad Pro, also features a location tagging app in case the stylus gets lost.
Magic Keyboard
Apple’s Magic Keyboard also got an update for the iPad Pro lineup, allowing users to turn their tablets into a makeshift MacBook.
The Magic Keyboard now has an aluminum palm rest, a larger trackpad, a row of Function keys and shortcuts to adjust screen and keyboard brightness.
The 11-inch version of the Magic Keyboard costs $300 and the 13-inch version will retail for $350 when it goes on sale next week.