The iPad Pro – The largest iPad ever made
The iPad Pro is a device that we thought would never come from Apple. It’s Apple’s take on the business end of the laptop-tablet hybrid market.
The new iPad Pro has an enormous screen with resolution better than Quad HD and the famous iOS operating system that we all love to use on our phones. Err..iPhones.
This thing is huge, much bigger than the normal iPad. The screen size is a staggering 12.9 inches. That’s pretty huge for a tablet if you ask me. But apple is envisioning this as a hybrid device with some handy accessories like a stylus and a detachable keyboard.
Design
The larger screen, the keyboard, the pencil, that pretty much makes up the pro version of the iPad. As we’ve by now established, this is a big tablet, measuring nearly 13 inches diagonally. It weighs in at 1.57 pounds, roughly the same as the original iPad. A new re-designed office app for iPad pro was also on display. It would be a useful tool for enterprise buyers.
Other than the size, this looks, at first glance, like other iPads you’ve seen, with a matte aluminium finish, available in three colors (silver, space gray and gold), and all the usual buttons and openings — namely, a volume rocker and Lightning port.
Apple Pencil & Smart Keyboard
The Apple Pencil, as it’s officially called, has a rounded feel and a glossy white finish. A bit larger than other styluses we have seen. So it doesn’t literally look like a pencil, but it feels like one. It imitates the feeling of writing on paper and does so in a good manner. It’s just a stylus with various settings to change the pressure sensitivity.
There’s also a special connector in this iPad for connecting the so-called Smart Keyboard which is essentially a Bluetooth keyboard which connects itself to the tablet.
Pricing & Verdict
It arrives in November, starting at $799 for a 32GB, Wi-Fi only model. From there, you can buy a 128GB version for $949 or an LTE edition (also with 128GB of storage) for $1,079.
The accessories don’t come cheap either: $99 for the Pencil and $169 for the keyboard.
The new iPad Pro is a fantastic device but I’m still unclear to what market it caters to. It cannot be viewed as a standalone tablet or as a student device because of the exorbitant cost. This device is mainly for the enterprise segment. For other consumers, Windows Surface Pro 3 with Windows 10 would be a good option as it provides a full-blown PC experience.
PROs – The good side
Fantastic Quad HD display and impressive speakers
Average Battery life
Apple’s solid construction and ergonomic design
Good accessories like Apple Pencil and Bluetooth Keyboard
Capable camera — from initial impressions
CONs – The not-so-good side
Expensive Tablet and accessories
Large Size for a tablet
“If you see a stylus, they blew it” Steve Jobs, April 2010
The decision is yours.
