Apple Inc. It quietly announced upgrades to two iPad models on Tuesday, via announcements that didn’t make much noise at the company’s recent iPhone 14 debut.
Instead of holding an event to detect iPad updates As for the iPhoneApple
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simply announced the updated devices in a series of press releases. The company is upgrading the iPad Pro with the inclusion of a faster M2 chip and also providing speed improvements in the new entry-level iPad.
The M2 chip appears to be the biggest change in the new iPad Pro. Apple says the chip has a central processing unit (CPU) that is up to 15% faster than the previous generation M1 chip, while the graphics processing unit (GPU) can deliver up to 35% faster graphics performance.
Apple suggests the chip will be useful for power users such as “photographers editing large photo libraries and designers manipulating complex 3D objects.”
The iPad Pro also supports hover for the Apple Pencil, which detects the pen 12 millimeters above the screen so users can preview their marks before touching the screen to draw or write.
The 11-inch iPad Pro will start at $799 for the Wi-Fi version and $999 for the cellular version, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will start at $1,099 for Wi-Fi only and $1,299 for the cellular version.
Apple also updated the base iPad model, this time moving the front camera to the landscape edge of the device.
“Whether users are on a FaceTime call or shooting a video for social media, they’ll always be looking directly into the camera,” Apple said. The camera has a 12-megapixel sensor and a 122-degree field of view.
Apple is packing its A14 Bionic chip into the new entry-level iPad, which the company says will bring improvements in CPU and graphics performance. Apple is also moving the Touch ID reader to the iPad’s top button.
The device will be available in blue, pink, yellow and silver color options. The Wi-Fi version starts at $449, while the cellular version starts at $599.
Both updated models are currently up for pre-order, with availability starting in October. 26.
The upgrades come as Apple tries to once again boost growth in the iPad category. The device gained popularity during the pandemic as people sought new electronics to help them work and study from home, but now it’s harder to gain momentum: Apple saw iPad revenue fall to $7.22 billion in the June quarter, down from $7.37 billion a year earlier. .
The company also updated the 4K Apple TV on Tuesday, boosting performance with the A15 Bionic chip, which the company says will make gaming faster.
