Apple iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 officially announced - what you need to know

After much speculation, Apple has officially announced the iPad Pro. This really isn’t a followup to the iPad Air 2, rather a larger version that puts focus on productivity. Apple says this is the “most advanced iPad ever”, so let’s take a look to see what it’s all about.

iPad Pro specs and features

On paper, the new iPad Pro is quite the attractive device. It boasts a 12.9-inch Retina display that features a total of almost 5.6 million pixels in all. Under the hood, it features Apple’s newly-announced A9X chip, which is the company’s third-generation 64-bit processor. Apple says it’s about 1.8 times faster than the previous A8X chip, and should deliver users “desktop-class performance”. There’s no mention on the battery size, but Apple says it boasts 10-hour battery life, which will definitely be enough to get you through a full day of use.

The iPad Pro features a four-speaker audio system that offers three times the audio volume as the iPad Air 2. It boasts an 8MP rear-facing iSight camera, as well.

Perhaps the most interesting news in this announcement is the addition of a new accessory called the Apple Pencil (yes, really). The Pencil is battery-powered stylus that features a Lightning connector on the end for charging. When using the Pencil, the iPad Pro will increase the amount of scanning on the surface to improve accuracy. The new stylus has sensitivity sensors so you can press lightly for thinner strokes or harder for thicker strokes.

Apple also announced a new Smart Keyboard accessory that can connect to the iPad Pro via three small connectors on the side of the device.

iPad Mini 4

Towards the end of the big announcement, Apple also unveiled the iPad Mini 4. The company says it features the “power of the iPad Air 2” in a smaller size, but no other details were given regarding the new tablet, oddly enough. The iPad Mini 4 will be available in November for $399.

iPad Pro pricing and availability

The new iPad Pro will be available in Gold, Silver and Space Gray color options for $799 for the 32GB Wi-Fi model, $949 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model and $1,079 for the 128GB model with Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity. The Apple Pencil is available for $99, and the new Smart Keyboard for $169. All of these new products will be available in November, and unfortunately it doesn’t look like Apple is bundling any of the new accessories with the iPad Pro.

Wrap up

So, what are your thoughts? I know, I know, we’re an Android-focused website. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy other products! Are you impressed with Apple’s announcements? Be sure to tell us what you think in the comment section below!