Hey guys, it’s Greg with Apple Explained, and today we’re going to explore the history
of the iPad Pro.
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So the iPad Pro is an interesting device that, so far, only has two generations, so we’re
still in the early stages of the iPad Pro’s lifespan, but there is still quite a bit to
cover.
I’m going to talk about some of the decision making behind its release and what sets it
apart from not only other iPad models, but from other Apple products as well.
First we’ll go over tech specs of the two generations and talk a little bit about the
more interesting features of this model.
Then, of course, I’m going to talk about what the future holds for the iPad Pro and
some of the rumors going around about the next generation that’s yet to come.
So the iPad Pro was revealed by Tim Cook on September 9th, 2015.
He called it “the biggest news in iPad since iPad” and showed off some of its exciting
new features, like the ability to run two apps side-by-side without any lagging or performance
issues.
He showed off a digital stylus called the Apple Pencil which allowed for angle and pressure
sensitive drawing and the simple, sleek design for a bigger and better iPad.
This new release was obviously a step above the existing iPad in many ways, but a lot
of people wondered why Apple decided to introduce a new line of iPads.
You see, the introduction of an iPad Pro model was curious for a lot of reasons.
Apple had introduced “Pro” lines to many of its products in the past – including
the Mac Pro, iMac Pro, and Macbook Pro.
But these were all computers, and Apple had never introduced a mobile device with the
“pro” suffix.
Even the iPhone, which was reaching soaring new heights of popularity and innovation,
didn’t have this distinction.
So, why the iPad?
Well, there were a number of possible reasons.
A big part of the answer may have been that iPads were quickly becoming one of the most
used professional tools for musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and more – even more than
computers.
Their lightweight design and touchscreens made them perfect for many pro users in all
kinds of settings, and Apple was picking up on that.
Marketing the iPad as a platform for casual gaming, social networking, and media viewing
was fine for a lot of people, but pro marketing targeted pro users – people who wanted or
needed a high-powered device that could place them above the competition.
Apple also seemed to recognize that the people who wanted “pro” devices were willing
to pay more for them.
When the first iPad was released in 2010, it cost $499.
Now, a standard, 9.7-inch, 128 GB iPad with cellular connectivity costs $559, with several
less expensive options with less storage or no cellular capability.
But a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with half as much storage and no cellular capability costs $300
more – and for the highest end options, prices can creep up to almost $1,300.
Nonetheless, there are plenty of customers who want to pay for the “Pro” functionality
and performance that come with it.
While the iPhone and iPod might not be able to get away with such a massive price hike,
the iPad has enough diverse uses that it’s gone over surprisingly well.
In fact, uses for the iPad seem to be one of the biggest contributions Apple has made
to the tech world in recent years.
Because people started to notice a shift in Apple’s focus – they started moving away
from personal computers and towards portable, simple, and sleek devices.
Journalists and even engineers who worked alongside Steve Jobs have often joked that
Apple’s ideal computer would be nothing more than a screen with a power button – and
that seems to be where the iPad is headed.
Apple now holds a pretty significant portion of market share for tablets and a good chunk
of the company’s annual revenue comes from iPad sales, so the sooner they move customers
away from notebook and desktop computers, the better.
So it appears that the iPad Pro represents the next step towards the post-PC era by integrating
high-power performance into a hand-held device.
Now the last point I want to make is that the iPad Pro was, in part, a response to the
growing market for larger-screen iPhones.
One of the most notable features of the iPad Pro is its size, which is several inches larger
than a standard iPad.
As the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 6s Plus all hit the market, demand for large iPhones soared.
Unfortunately, as Tim Cook explained in an interview, he was certain the larger iPhones
cannibalized sales of the iPad mini.
So because larger phones were creating some competition with smaller tablets, Apple offered
a simple solution – an even bigger tablet.
So, we know that the iPad Pro is a push towards a new kind of computing, but how do these
devices actually stack up to computers or other iPad models?
As far as the aesthetics went, the first generation iPad Pro was definitely a different animal
from the original iPad.
It was 12.9 inches, as opposed to the 9.7 inches for the standard model and offered
a multitasking function that allowed users to use multiple apps on the same screen.
It came in three colors, gold, silver, and space gray.
Three storage options were available: 32, 128, and 256 GB.
The cost of this first generation varied from $799 for a 32 GB, WiFi-only model to $1,229
for a 256 GB WiFi plus cellular model.
Now, some of the technical features for the iPad Pro were carried over from the standard
iPad.
This included things like Touch ID and the Retina Display (which had a slightly improved
resolution on the new, larger display).
But, there were also a lot of new additions.
The first iPad Pro featured an A9X chip, an Apple M9 motion co-processor, and 2.26 GHz
CPU.
These features made it an even higher performer than the iPad Air 2, and it went above and
beyond with a higher quality camera, True Tone Flash, Retina Flash, and adaptive screen
lighting and color.
It also offered Face Detection technology, as well as an accelerometer and gyroscope,
magnetometer, light sensor, and barometer.
A year after the iPad Pros initial release, a 9.7-inch option became available.
Although it contained the same hardware and wasn’t considered a new generation or update,
this version offered an additional rose gold model and was about $200 cheaper compared
to the 12.9-inch model.
Now for most customers, the real improvements came from the accessories.
The Pro was released alongside the Smart Keyboard, a magnetically-docked keyboard attachment
with a kickstand that turns the device essentially into a notebook computer.
This was a cool accessory, but the biggest news was the Apple Pencil.
It was a stylus designed and released specifically for the first iPad Pro that allowed for pressure-
and angle-sensitive drawing and writing directly on the screen.
Today, the Apple Pencil is compatible with almost all iPad models, but at the time, it
was one of the biggest advantages to going Pro.
Now the first generation iPad Pro was pretty well received.
Critics seemed to enjoy the higher processing power and the larger screen, and customers
were impressed by the new display color adaptation.
However, they were frustrated by the lack of power of the 9.7-inch model compared to
its larger sibling.
Apple responded to these criticisms with the next generation release on June 5th, 2017
at their Worldwide Developer’s Conference.
This generation did away with the 9.7-inch option altogether and replaced it with a 10.5-inch
model instead.
So, the second-generation iPad Pro is the current model and still being sold today.
Like the first generation, prices for the full-size, 12.9-inch model begin at $799 for
the lowest storage, WiFi-only option and range all the way to $1,229 for the highest storage,
WiFi and cellular option.
For the 10.5-inch model, prices range from $649 for the lowest end, WiFi-only option
to $1,079 for the highest capacity, WiFi plus cellular option.
Now although prices of the iPad Pro have stayed the same, its storage doubled – instead
of 32, 128, and 256 GB, the second-generation options include 64, 256, and 512 GB, making
the iPad Pro the first Apple portable device to offer a 512 GB storage capacity.
And in response to critiques about the smaller model having underclocked CPU, both sizes
now offer an improved 2.36 GHz hexa-core Apple Fusion CPU, as well as the upgraded Apple
A10x Fusion chip and the Apple M10 motion coprocessor.
Like the first model, both sizes offer a multi-touch, True Tone, Retina display with LED backlighting,
and an anti-reflective coating.
Also, both models now feature ProMotion, which equips the iPad Pro’s display with a 120
Hertz refresh rate.
That basically means any quick movement on the screen like flicking through a webpage
is noticeably smoother.
The cameras are also improved, and video recording was upgraded to 1080p HD.
Finally, like the first, this generation of iPad Pro includes Face Detection technology,
as well as the same array of environmental sensors including a gyroscope and altimeter,
barometer, and ambient light sensor, which works in tandem with the True Tone adaptive
color display.
When all is said and done, the iPad Pro is a pretty high-powered device.
However, even after doubling its storage, critics still complain that its price is far
too high for a tablet device – especially considering most people really only need the
power of a standard iPad for day-to-day tasks.
And many people seem to think that, for most customers, the standard 2018 iPad is a much
better and cost-efficient option.
Since it’s now compatible with Apple Pencil, contains an A10 processor, and offers up to
12-hours of battery life, so most casual users won’t notice a difference between the two.
But for those who need a high-end tool for business, music, art, or graphic design, the
iPad Pro is likely well worth the premium price.
Now, as I said at the beginning of this video, the iPad Pro is still in its infancy.
And rumors have been circulating about what’s in store for the device next, since Apple
is expected to announce a new generation of iPad Pro by the end of 2018, and the new model
is expected to offer some big changes.
Rumor has it that this newest generation will change up the design to be more similar to
the iPhone X – including smaller bezels and a larger display with rounded corners.
The Smart Connector may be moved from the side to the either the top or the bottom of
the device and it’s supposed to be equipped with Face ID but it’ll only work in vertical
orientation unless Apple came up with a solution to that issue at the last minute.
So there’s an idea of what Apple will add to the next iPad Pro, now let’s talk about
what they’re going to take away.
Because just like with the iPhone 7, the iPad Pro is expected to be missing a headphone
jack.
And it’ll likely be just as controversial as it was before, if not worse.
As far as hardware goes, the third generation iPad Pro will probably make some upgrades
to the processor and chip, likely adopting the A11X Bionic chipset, outpacing the iPhone
X, 8, and 8 Plus.
So that is the history of the iPad Pro, and if you want to vote for the next video topic,
don’t forget to subscribe.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time.