Apple has introduced the new iPad Pro, featuring an Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard to bring new levels of utility to the device.
Featuring a 12.9-inch Retina display with 5.6 million pixels to match - the most ever in an iOS device - the tablet also brings new performance to the table, with the new 64-bit A9X chip, rivalling most portable PCs.
As revealed at the company’s annual San Francisco unveiling, the new larger iPad Pro is thin and light and provides all-day battery life.
There are more than 850,000 apps in the App Store designed specifically for iPad, and the new iPad Pro will enable a new generation of advanced apps for everything from productivity, design, illustration, engineering and medical, to education, gaming and entertainment.
Apple hopes that its new Smart Keyboard will also further extend the utility of iPad Pro, offering a full-sized keyboard in a thin, durable design.
The Smart Keyboard, available for purchase separately, attaches to iPad Pro’s innovative Smart Connector port, eliminating the need for a separate battery, on/off switch or Bluetooth pairing.
Design wise, the Smart Keyboard is covered in custom woven fabric and works with new QuickType features in iOS 9.
“iPad Pro is the most advanced and powerful iPad we have ever made,” says Philip Schiller, Senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, Apple.
“Its beautiful and large 12.9-inch Retina display has 5.6 million pixels and provides an immersive experience for content and apps.
“The iPad Pro is far and away the fastest iOS device we have ever made - its A9X chip beats most portable PCs in both CPU and graphics tasks, but is thin and light enough to hold all day.
“The innovative Apple Pencil and new Smart Keyboard enable users to customise their iPad Pro experience to the particular apps they use and the work they do, making iPad Pro ideal for everything from professional productivity to advanced 3D design.”
Pricing & Availability
According to Schiller, the iPad Pro starts at US$799 for the 32GB with Wi-Fi model and US$1079 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB model, comes in three metallic finishes including silver, gold and space gray and will be available starting in November from Apple.com, Apple’s retail stores, through select carriers and Apple Authorized Resellers.
At present, Schiller did not specify a release date for New Zealand but an Apple spokesperson told Computerworld New Zealand that the device would be released in November, with no exact date given.
Also, Apple Pencil will be available for US$99 and Smart Keyboard will be available in charcoal gray for US$169 while new polyurethane iPad Pro Smart Covers will be available for US$59 in charcoal gray and white.
In addition, New iPad Pro Silicone Cases will be available for US$79 in charcoal gray and white with iPad Pro accessories available starting in November.
