• Apple has launched three new products: a redesigned iPad, the highly anticipated M2 iPad Pro and even a new Apple TV offering.
• Across the board, performance improvements have been a major focus for the Cupertino tech titan.
• All the devices are available for pre-order right now but South Africans will have to wait for a ZA release window.

The Apple offices in Cupertino, California were no doubt abuzz yesterday with the tech titan launching three new devices, including a “completely redesigned” iPad, a new more powerful and hotly anticipated iPad Pro and even a next-generation Apple TV.

Starting with the original iPad, Apple says that the new devices now have an “all-screen” design. This means that its 10.9-inch display will reach all the way to the iPad’s edges, giving users more screen real estate to play with. Vibrance and sharp, popping colour will be the focus of the new iPad. No doubt to draw the wandering eye more readily in iStores across the globe.

The new iPads are powered by the A14 Bionic chip. Apple says these new chips can deliver faster performance without sacrificing battery life. Updated camera systems will also come to the upcoming devices, which will include an Ultra Wide 12MP front camera located along the device’s horizontal edge. There will be a 12MP back camera too, capable of 4K video.

Modern connectivity is being focused on by Apple, and the new iPads will have WiFi 6 and 5G support. The company is also bringing a new Keyboard Folio feature to the devices with are designed specifically for iPad typing and feature a click-anywhere trackpad.

We’ve been expecting iPadOS 16 to launch soon and now Apple has announced that it is coming to the new iPads. Apple Pencil (1st generation) support will also be included.

“We’re so excited to bring the completely redesigned iPad to our most advanced iPad lineup ever,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

The new iPad is available for pre-orders starting 18th October with two configurations, a $449 64GB version and a $599 256GB version.

The device will be available to purchase from 26th October 2022 and is available in 28 countries and regions, according to Apple. We have yet to hear from iStore regarding local availability and pricing.

The M2 iPad Pro

Not content with redesigned iPads, Apple has also launched a new iPad Pro with M2 silicon. Hypertext recently covered how the launch of the M2 version of iPad Pro was imminent. The rumour at that point was that the new chip would boost the iPad Pro’s performance by a solid 20 percent and that it would be the first device to launch with iPadOS 16.

“Powered by the M2 chip, the new iPad Pro features incredible performance and the most advanced technologies, including a next-level Apple Pencil hover experience, ProRes video capture, superfast wireless connectivity, and powerful iPadOS 16 features. There’s nothing else like it,” enthuses Joswiak.

According to Apple, the M2’s 8-core CPU, which is a bit mind-boggling for a tablet, runs 15 percent faster in graphics tests than the M1 chip used in previous iPad Pros. The M2’s 10-core-GPU is even more bestial, delivering 35 percent faster graphics performance than the M1.

The new chip can apparently process up to 40 percent more operations than the previous generation.

The new iPad Pro features a next-generation Apple Pencil hover experience, superfast wireless connectivity, along with what Apple is calling the “world’s most advanced mobile display”, and a four-speaker audio system.

Interestingly, it looks like the much-maligned Stage Manager will indeed be coming to the iPad Pro with its iPadOS 16 update, as well as full external display support, desktop-like apps and Reference Mode. Apple hopes that these new features will help users “take pro workflows on iPad even further.”

Stage Manager is a multitasking platform that automatically organises apps and windows, helping users to switch quickly between tasks, Apple says. The company says that later this year, Stage Manager will unlock full external monitor support with resolutions of up to 6K, so users will be able to work with up to four apps on iPad and up to four apps on the external display.

While it sounds impressive, Stage Manager has been controversial and often criticised by the media for its “buggy” external display support when it was included in the M1 generation of the iPad Pros. Will the M2 generation’s improved performance mitigate some of this jank? Probably not, which is why Apple is delaying screen integration, hopefully in effort to fix the issue.

Like the iPad, the iPad Pro is available for pre-order right now, with a retail date of Wednesday the 26th October.

There are several different configurations of the iPad Pro available, all of which influence the pricing. For example: selecting a 12.9-inch display, with the 128GB configuration and the WiFi+Cellular option will run you a total of $1 299. So users should see what configuration best suits their needs through the easy process on the online Apple store.

Unfortunately no official word on local pricing or availability for the iPad Pro.

The next-generation Apple TV

Already on a roll, Apple also launched its next-generation multimedia device – the new Apple TV 4K. The company is calling the new TV system “more affordable” than ever. In the US it will retail for $129 (~R2 341), which is about half the price of what an Apple TV costs right now.

The new system rolls along on a A15 Bionic chip for improved performance, as well as HDR10+ support, Dolby Vision, and a new and improved tvOS. The device will be available with 64GB of storage with the Apple TV 4K (WiFi) configuration or 128GB with the Apple TV 4K (WiFi + Ethernet) configuration, which will also ship with included ethernet cable ports.

Pre-orders of the new Apple TV 4K start today, with availability beginning 4th November. The device is said to be launched across more than 30 countries and regions on the 4th. No word yet on a South Africa release.