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Apple previews long-awaited, larger iPad Pro: 12.9-inch display, A9X chip, 10-hour battery

iPad Pro Official 16-9

Years of rumors and speculation met with an iPad market that has faced growth issues in recent quarters has finally led to this: iPad Pro. The long-awaited, larger iPad is here and it’s real.

  • iPad Pro name is official
  • Larger display: 12.9-inch
  • Enhanced custom keyboard
  • Higher resolution than 15-inch MacBook Pro at 2732×2048
  • A9X processor, 1.8X faster than A8X, 2x faster graphics
  • 10-hour battery
  • Can simultaneously edit 3 4K streams at once
  • 4 speaker audio system (stereo)
  • 6.9mm thick compared to iPad Air at 6.1mm
  • 1.57 pounds, first iPad weighed 1.54 pounds
  • Supports two new accessories: Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil
  • 8MP iSight camera
  • Pricing and availability here

iPad-Pro_Specs

Apple Introduces iPad Pro Featuring Epic 12.9-inch Retina Display

SAN FRANCISCO — September 9, 2015 — Apple® today introduced the all-new iPad Pro™, featuring a stunning 12.9-inch Retina® display with 5.6 million pixels, the most ever in an iOS device, and groundbreaking performance with the new 64-bit A9X chip, rivaling most portable PCs. 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 today also introduced Apple Pencil™ for iPad Pro, a precision input device available for purchase separately, which makes drawing and sketching feel remarkably fluid and natural. The touch subsystem of the Multi-Touch™ display in iPad Pro has been redesigned to work with Apple Pencil to dramatically reduce latency and deliver incredible accuracy for activities like fine art illustration and detailed 3D design. Advanced sensors in Apple Pencil measure both pressure and tilt for a fast and fluid drawing experience, while a built-in Lightning® connector makes for quick and easy pairing and charging. Apple Pencil also works with popular apps like Mail, Notes, Procreate and Office 365 for iPad, offering new levels of creativity and productivity.

Apple’s new Smart Keyboard further extends the utility of iPad Pro, offering a full-sized keyboard in a thin, durable design so you can take it anywhere. 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. The Smart Keyboard is covered in custom woven fabric and features keys that provide the accuracy, stability and satisfying key feel of standard keyboards, but is also easily foldable and can transform into a Smart Cover®. The Smart Keyboard also works seamlessly with new QuickType® features in iOS 9 to make typing even faster and easier.

“iPad Pro is the most advanced and powerful iPad we have ever made. 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,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The innovative Apple Pencil and new Smart Keyboard enable users to customize 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.”

Innovative Design
iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch Retina display, with 5.6 million pixels and refined Multi-Touch technology, is the most advanced and highest resolution display ever in an iOS device. It delivers greater contrast, more uniform brightness and improved energy efficiency through photo alignment technology, oxide TFT and variable refresh rate. A new four-speaker audio design provides powerful, clear and rich stereo sound, and a refined unibody enclosure of anodized aluminum gives iPad Pro a sturdy feel with a thin and light design that is easy to hold.

Powerful Technology
iPad Pro delivers groundbreaking performance and energy efficiency, so you can tackle the most demanding tasks. Apple’s powerful new 64-bit A9X chip, with third-generation 64-bit architecture, provides desktop-class CPU performance and console-class graphics. Ultra-fast wireless connectivity keeps you connected wherever you go with 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO technology, support for a wide range of LTE bands and other fast cellular network technologies (DC-HSDPA, HSPA+).* All-day 10-hour battery life** delivers the efficiency that users have come to expect from iPad.

iOS 9
iOS 9, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, brings more intelligence to iPad with proactive assistance, powerful search and improved Siri® features, all while protecting users’ privacy. New multitasking features designed specifically for iPad allow users to do more at the same time, while built-in apps become more powerful with a redesigned Notes app, detailed transit information in Maps and an all-new News app*** for the best news reading experience on any mobile device. The foundation of iOS is even stronger with software updates that require less space to install and advanced security features to further protect your device.

Pricing & Availability
iPad Pro starts at $799 (US) for the 32GB with Wi-Fi model and $1079 (US) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB model, comes in three gorgeous 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. For more information, please visit www.apple.com/ipad.

Apple Pencil will be available for $99 (US) and Smart Keyboard will be available in charcoal gray for $169 (US). New polyurethane iPad Pro Smart Covers will be available for $59 (US) in charcoal gray and white. New iPad Pro Silicone Cases will be available for $79 (US) in charcoal gray and white. iPad Pro accessories will be available starting in November.

*Data plan required. LTE is available in select markets and through select carriers. Speeds vary based on site conditions. For details on LTE support, contact your carrier and see www.apple.com/ipad/LTE
**Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results may vary.
***Transit information in Maps will be available in select major cities including Baltimore, Berlin, Chicago, London, Mexico City, New York City, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Toronto and Washington D.C., as well as over 300 cities in China, including Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai. News app availability varies by country.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, the Mac and Apple Watch. Apple’s three software platforms — iOS, OS X and watchOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

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Comments

  1. applegetridofsimandjack - 9 years ago

    OMG it’s so beautiful I send my gf away while she wanted seeehx.

  2. brabauer - 9 years ago

    Cant forget the ipad mini 4!

    http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini-4/

  3. brabauer - 9 years ago

    Dont forget the ipad mini 4!

    http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini-4/

Author

Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.