Meet the New iPads – iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch

Happy November!

If you haven’t already heard, Apple made some big announcements at its Special Event last week at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilman Opera House.

Revealed in the Keynote are upgrades to its iPad Pro lineup: Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil.

Apple also announced updates to two of its computer product lines – MacBook Air, and redesigned Mac mini.

I won’t have time to cover everything Apple shared at its Special Event with you today (you’d probably fall asleep if I did). That being said, in this edition, I’d like to focus on the new 11‑inch and 12.9‑inch models.

Meet the New iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch

Now available for purchase (starting at $799 and $999 respectively), the new iPad Pros are considered “higher-end” iPads perfect for users who want to use their iPad like a computer. The beefed up iPads sport an all-new all‑screen design which stretches almost to the edges, a Liquid Retina display with ProMotion technology (similar to the new iPhone XR), a front-facing FaceTime camera at the top edge, a screaming-fast A12X Bionic chip, and Face ID (no home button means no Touch ID feature.)

Similar to the new iPhones, the new iPad Pros come installed with a USB-C port replacing the former Lighting port. This will give the new iPads more flexibility to connect with a variety of external devices like USB-C compatible digital cameras, displays and TV’s, hardware keyboards, external storage devices to import photos and videos, and wired Internet connections.

Besides using the normal power cord adapter, the USB-C port allows you to charge your iPad Pro by connecting it to the USB-C port on your computer. You can use your iPad Pro to charge your iPhone or earlier-model iPad that has a Lightning port, connect it to iPad Pro using the Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable.

If you have two iPad Pro models with USB-C ports, you can connect them directly with a USB-C cable. With an Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB-C Cable, you can connect it directly to iPad Pro for charging.

The speakers in the corners of the device are still present, but they’ve been modified to include a woofer and tweeter in each to improve the sound.

To make room for a thinner bezel, Apple has removed the headphone jack from the new Pros. With no headphones in the box, this is going to be a source of real annoyance for many users. If you want to use a 3.5mm audio jack with one of the new models, then you will need one of Apple’s USB-C to 3.5mm dongles.

Capacity and Price

On-board memory storage options start at 64GB and step up to 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB configurations. Want cellular, then plan on adding an additional $250. Color options include Space Gray and Silver.

Current iPad Lineup and Pricing

In addition to the new iPad Pros, Apple’s iPad lineup still includes the 10.5-inch Pro (released last year), the iPad (released in Spring 2018), and the iPad mini 4.

Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard Portfolio

The new Apple Pencil is now pricier, at $129, but it’s a big improvement over the original. For starters, it’s a cinch to dock this Pencil with the iPad Pro, thanks to a built-in magnet. The Pencil starts charging as soon as it attaches. It also feels better in the hand, as there’s a flat edge. Plus, you can activate various shortcuts with a double tap, such as quickly pulling up the eraser. And with a quick tap, you can go straight into the Notes app when the iPad Pro’s screen is off.

Apple has improved its existing iPad Pro Smart Keyboard Portfolio ($199 12.9-inch / $179 11-inch) with an update for the latest Pro models. The new Smart Keyboard magnetically attaches to the new iPad Pro and protects the front and the back. It also now includes two angles instead of the single one on the existing keyboard.