The iPad Pro has had a strange year. One of the smallest improvements in recent memory has been made to Apple's top-of-the-line tablet computer, while the new 10th-gen iPad received things Pro owners have been longing for. The midtier iPad Air has gotten better with each generation, which makes it more compatible with the Pro. If you are planning on buying an iPad Pro this year, I encourage you to look for a sale on last year's models before committing to the cost of a new one.
The iPad for those who want the best screen, the best performance, and the latest hardware is the iPad for those who are willing to pay for it. The update doesn't change that. It has the same external hardware and design as the 2021, but inside, it gets the latest M2 Silicon from Apple. There is a new feature exclusive to the new Pro that makes it easier to work with the Pencil.
Hardware and design are covered in our review of the 2021 model, so I encourage you to read that for the rest of the story. The new iPad Pro feels like it needs a refresh but we didn't get it this year.
There is a joy to look at the MiniLED display on the 12.9-inch model. It is still limited to the largest iPad, the 11-inch Pro, which has the same standard ProMotion display that it has had in the last year. The 10th-gen iPad and iPad Air are basically the same size screen and design as the 11-inch Pro, which makes it feel like a forgotten stepchild.
The same Magic Keyboard case and second-gen Apple Pencil are included with the iPad Pro. The 10th-gen iPad has a new Magic Keyboard that is more flexible than the Pro, but it is not compatible with either version of the Pro.
The latest M2 Silicon is found in the iPad Pro, just like it is in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. At least in benchmark tests it is faster and has M2 specific capabilities. If you want to shoot a movie with an iPad in an Apple commercial, you can use this feature.
The majority of iPad users won't notice a difference in performance between the M1 and M2 models. I had no problem using the Pro for my daily productivity work until I realized the limitations of iPadOS. The battery life on the 12.9-inch model I have been testing is similar to my experience with the M1 iPad Pro, so the added power isn't costing us anything.
The hover feature for the Apple Pencil can show you exactly where you are on the screen.
You can highlight elements on the screen by holding the pencil over them. There is more that Apple could do here.
There is a new feature in the M2 that will allow you to hover the Apple Pencil over the screen to see different actions. You don't need to buy a new pencil to use this one. It is not available on the older models of the iPad.
The hover feature can be used to see where the pencil will go on the screen before you put it down. It allows apps to program different actions to the double tap gesture when the pencil is in hover mode.
The hover feature can be expanded with the Apple Pencil.
I was able to demo mixing watercolor paints and see what the result would be before committing it to my digital canvas thanks to the new hover mode in the Notes app. I am not an artist so that is about as far as I can go.
I wish the hover feature did more for those of us who use the pencil to take notes and navigate the iPad interface. You can use the hover feature to highlight things on the screen before touching them, just like you would use a button or a link on the Magic keyboard. It speeds up Apple's scribble feature, which allows you to hand write in a text box and have it converted to typed text. That is good.
The hover mode only has one thing to offer. It would be great to use it for previewing full webpages, like how 3D touch works on the iPhone. I might be able to hover it over an album of images in the Photos app or a folder in the Files app and get a scrollable preview of what's inside without having to open it. I might be able to see if I have room for an appointment on that day by hovering over a date in an email. These are things that have been done with the S Pen on its phones and tablets for a long time. I would like to see Apple take this further.
The iPad Pro now supports wi-fi 6e, up from wi-fi 6 last year. I am happy to see it on the top-of-the-line model.
There is only one thing to say about the new iPad Pro. The same design and display have been used for four years. I don't think I can convince you to upgrade to this year's model if you own a newer Pro.
If you want to read the rest of the story, you should read David Pierce's review of Stage Manager. iPadOS doesn't feel like it's making the most use of the extremely capable hardware on tap here
Since there isn't much else to say about what we got with the iPad Pro refresh this year, I'm taking the rest of this article to list things I would like to see when Apple redesigns its highest-end iPad.
There is a camera on the long side It makes sense to put it on the iPad Pro since the 10th-gen iPad already has it. Despite the best efforts from Apple's Center Stage self-centering feature, it's still awkward to use in video calls because of the front camera on the short side. The magsafe is charging. The MagSafe charging port can be found next to theusb-c port. There are moreusb-c ports We need more ports while we talk about it. If necessary, borrow one from the Macbook Air and put it on each side. It would be great to be able to charge and use accessories without having to use a hub. The keyboard has a row of functions. There is another cribbed from the 10th-gen iPad. It would be a boon for productivity if Apple were to redesign the Magic Keyboard. When I need to adjust brightness or volume on the iPad, I prefer not to reach up to the Control Center. The magic keyboard gives you more flexibility. The Magic keyboard can only hold the iPad Pro at certain angles. It's frustrating when they don't work because of whatever position you need to use the iPad in There is a button on the pencil After four years of double-tapping the side of the pencil to switch between writing and wiping, I need a button from Apple. The double-tap gesture isn't reliable. I use the eraser for 99 percent of the time anyways, so let me change the gesture to just immediately undoing my previous stroke. There is a mini screen on the 11 inch model. Let's have the 11-inch Pro act like a Pro if Apple keeps it. It would be great to give it the same screen that is limited to the 12.9-inch model. The screens are made of organic material. It would be great if we could see the screens on all the iPads. According to the rumor mill, Apple will bring this tech to the iPad in 2024, and as good as the MiniLED screen is, I welcome it with open arms. There are more colorful colors. The iPad Pro is available in two colors. It is possible to call those colors the same at different levels. Apple's Pro iPad doesn't have the fun colors you see on cheaper models. I want a blue iPad pro.
Dan Seifert is a photographer.
Every smart device has a set of terms and conditions that you have to agree to before you can use it. It is not possible for us to read and analyze all of them. Since these are agreements most people don't read and can't negotiate, we're going to start counting how many times you have to agree to use the device.
You have to agree to this in order to use the iPad Pro.
The Game Center terms and conditions are included in theiOS terms of service agreement. You can send it via email.
If you don't agree to the agreement, you won't be able to use the device.
You have the option of agreeing to it.
Data will be sent to Apple to improve the speech recognition software.
You have to agree to this because the iPad will prompt you to set up Apple Cash and ApplePay at setup.
The Apple Cash agreement states that services are provided by Green Dot Bank and Apple Payments, Inc.
You have to agree to it if you add a credit card.
You can't email the terms from your credit card company.
There were two optional data sharing agreements, six optional agreements for Apple Cash, and one optional agreement for Apple Pay.
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