The iPad Pro now runs on the same M1 processor as recent Macs. This gives the high-end tablets a considerable speed boost: The CPU is 50 percent faster than last year’s iPad Pro, with 40 percent faster graphics, according to Apple. The other big change is specific to the larger 12.9-inch model, which now uses Mini-LED technology on the LCD display for backlighting. Apple calls this Liquid Retina XDR as it attempts to match the quality out of its pricey Pro Display XDR monitor (read: better contrast, colors, and brightness).
Be sure to read our full rundown of the new iPad Pro features.
The USB-C port on both iPad Pro models now supports Thunderbolt, so you can hook your iPad up to multiple monitors or storage devices, and that connector port has much faster data transfer speeds. There’s also the option to add 5G connectivity to your iPad Pro so you can get high-speed internet in the park, in the Uber, and on the ferry. Peculiarly, Apple took a page from Facebook’s Portal: The new iPad Pro’s selfie camera has such a wide field of view that it can zoom in and follow you around during video calls, ensuring you never leave the frame.
The 11-incher starts at $799, and the 12.9-inch model starts at $1,099. Preorders start on April 30, and the tablets will ship in May.
Apple TV 4K
The new remote allows for some new gestures.
Photograph: AppleThe Apple TV 4K is getting some pretty compelling upgrades, most relying heavily on the added speed from the newest A12 Bionic chip that’s now inside. The new silicon allows high-frame-rate HDR—perfect for sports fans and for those shooting 5K at 60 frames per second on the iPhone 12 Pro.
The tiny box that connects to your TV looks the same as before but now comes with a 100-percent-recycled-aluminum remote that’s been fully redesigned. A clickable, touch-sensitive pad sits in the middle of the silver clicker, with all-new power and mute buttons, and a iPhone-mirroring Siri button on the side.
The most exciting feature of the new Apple TV 4K for cinephiles is a special color-calibration tool that pairs your iPhone with the TV 4K, allowing it to use your camera to ensure your TV is perfectly calibrated to what’s appearing on-screen, thus bypassing many of the complicated menus in modern TVs. Time will tell how well this works, but it seems similar to the EZCal app (available for iPhone and Galaxy phones) that Samsung announced during CES this January.