New M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, Apple Pencil Pro, & Magic Keyboard Released by Apple
Apple unveiled updates to their iPad lineup today, featuring newly redesigned iPad Pro models with M4 chips, and updates to the iPad Air which now include the M2 chip and a 13″ display size option.
Additionally, Apple introduced a new Apple Pencil Pro for iPad Pro, and a redesigned Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro.
M4 iPad Pro in 11″ and 13″ Screen Sizes
The new iPad Pro is thinner and lighter than prior versions, and now features an OLED display for both the 11″ and 13″ screen sizes (no word yet on PWM and display refresh rate, for those who are sensitive to OLED PWM). An all new M4 chip is powering the new iPad Pro models as well, which Apple says is faster and more energy efficient, and a nano-texture display option is available on the higher end models.
The new iPad Pro is available in Silver and Space Black colors.
The 11″ iPad Pro M4 model starts at $999, while the 13″ iPad Pro M4 model starts at $1299, both with 256GB default storage capacities.
Interestingly, the iPad Pro is now thinner and lighter than the iPad Air, despite the ‘Air’ name moniker once indicating that particular device was thinner and lighter.
M2 iPad Air in 11″ and 13″ Sizes
Apple also updated the iPad Air lineup to include a faster M2 chip, and now there’s a 13″ display size available for the iPad Air as well. Both iPad Air models feature an LCD display.
The iPad Air is available in starlight, space gray, purple, and blue color options, with pricing beginning at $599 for the 11″ iPad Air with 128GB storage, and $799 for the 13″ iPad Air with 128GB storage.
New Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro
A new Magic Keyboard is also available for iPad Pro in 11″ and 13″ sizes. The new keyboard is thinner and lighter, and is made out of aluminum and features a function key row with a hardware escape key as well. Prices are $299 for the 11″ and $349 for the 13″, and it’s available in silver or space black.
The prior Magic Keyboard remains available as well, for the M2 iPad Air, but the prior generation Magic Keyboard is not compatible with the new M4 iPad Pro models.
Apple Pencil Pro
Apple has also introduced a new Apple Pencil, called Apple Pencil Pro, for M4 iPad Pro, and for the M2 iPad Air. The new Apple Pencil Pro supports squeeze gestures and Find My, and includes haptic feedback, and is priced at $129.
Somewhat confusingly, the prior Apple Pencil 2 (for previous generation iPad Pro and iPad Air models) does not work with the newly released iPad models, meaning if you want to continue to use an Apple Pencil and you’re upgrading from a prior iPad with a prior Apple Pencil, you’ll need to get a new Apple Pencil Pro for the new iPad. Apple now has four Apple Pencils to choose from, presenting a befuddling compatibility situation that is specific to various iPad models.
Watch the Apple May 7 Event Keynote Video
If you’d like to watch the unveiling of the new iPad lineup, check out the video embedded below for the May 7 event:
needs to enable a share screen function on the iPads as they have since 200something (made 2006) as we can on our computers on the same network. This way we can use an iPad to control a Mac mini or MacBook or even both!
BTW the presentation today was mundane and trite, 20% faster is really not groundbreaking as when the M1 silicon were released while the presented were blatantly green screened.
I still think the iPad does not have a hardware problem. Its a OS problem that Apple has yet to address. Not in the market for a new iPad but right now the best would be a M2 iPad Air. Both the 10th gen and iPad mini have A series CPU’s yet. Since iPads can be useful for years, I think buying one with a M series CPU would extend its useful life.