Everything Apple Announced During Its Big iPad Event
It might not have been as big a deal as WWDC or the annual fall iPhone event, but Apple's May 7 "Let Loose" event was an exciting affair all the same. The company made some highly-anticipated announcements about the iPad in particular, introducing new versions of the iPad Pro and iPad Air, and revealed refreshed accessories for both.
Don't forget about the Apple Vision Pro and new MacBook AirApple made a quick aside to the Vision Pro, talking about the use of the devices by companies like Porsche, filmmakers like Jon M. Chu, and doctors using the headset for healthcare. Tim Cook also highlighted the M3 MacBook Air, announcing it has become the world's best-selling laptop in both the 13-inch and 15-inch models.
Oh, were looking for actual news about Vision Pro or Mac, and not just marketing? Sorry.
The new iPad Pro is super thin
Credit: Apple In pure Apple form, the new iPad Pro is even thinner than before. The Pros come in an 11-inch and 13-inch design, which are 5.3mm and 5.1mm thin respectively. Apple says it's even thinner than the iPod Nano. The previous iPad Pro design was already quite thin, so will this one feel...too thin? Either way, you can still choose Silver or Space Black.
As expected, Apple has added OLED displays (Apple's calling the tech "Tandem OLED") to both models of iPad Pro, the first time the company has used the display tech in an iPad of any kind. Previously, the 11-inch used an LCD display, which features one large backlight, while the 12.9-inch used mini-LED, which uses local dimming zones that offer finer control over what ares of the display are lit at once. With OLED, individual pixels can be lit or turned off completely, making it the best display format for contrast: The dark parts of an image or video can be completely black, as the display turns them off outright. The iPad Pros have a typical maximum brightness of 1,000 nits, and an HDR peak of 1,600 nits.
The rumors were also correct about the iPad Pro's SoC: These Pros use M4, the first Apple devices with the chip. M4 has four performance cores and six efficiency cores, and Apple says it can achieve 50% CPU performance over M2. (Apple loves to skip two generations back to compare its chips.) It has a 10-core GPU with support for ray tracing, a demanding process that render realistic lighting in video games and other graphic-heavy programs. Apple also touted M4's energy efficiency, but hands-on testing will show how those specs translate to real-world use.
Apple also wants you to know its serious about AI: While the company didn't unveil any of the generative AI features it's reportedly working on, it did focus on the M4's Neural Engine (NPU), which is designed for AI. It has a 16-core design, capable of 38 trillion operations per second. (Apple says its 60 times faster than their first NPU ever.) The company also says the thermal performance is better on these iPads, even with the thinner design.
Interestingly, the new iPad Pros seem to only have one rear camera. This time, there's a beefier LiDAR scanner, which can use AI to better detect documents. A welcome change is the fact that the front-facing camera is now on the landscape section of the iPad, where you'd expect it should be. This matches where the camera is on the 10th gen iPad. No more weird angles during video calls.
The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999 (wifi) and $1,199 (cellular). The 13-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,299 (wifi) and $1,499 (cellular). Both models come in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations. You can order beginning today, and the tablets will be available starting May 15.
iPad Pro (11-inch) Also comes in 13-inch. $999.00 at Apple Shop Now
Shop Now $999.00 at Apple The iPad Air gets a MacBook-level chip 
Credit: Apple Two years since its last refresh, Apple's new iPad Air is finally here. The year's model updates Apple's smallest non-Mini iPad to the same M2 chip used in its 2022 MacBook Air, plus introduces a new larger size.
For the first time, the iPad Air is now available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. While it might sound counterintuitive to make a larger iPad Air, the idea is to give users the same extra screen space they would get on the Pro without requiring them to pay a lot more for it. Specifically, Apple promises 30% more screen real estate" on the 13-inch iPad Air. (In contrast, the new iPad Pro line is introducing an 11-inch model to pair with the existing 13-inch one-Apple wants you to be happy with your device size, however much you're spending.)
Those hoping for OLED displays on the new iPad Air will have to keep waiting. While the iPad Pro is finally getting OLED, the iPad Air is sticking with the tried-and-true liquid retina display used in prior models.
What you do get is the M2 chip, which, while a generation behind what's available on the newest MacBooks, is still promised to be powerful enough to run AI features in programs like Photoshop, as well as modern games like Assassin's Creed Mirage. The M1 chip in the previous model is no slouch, but Apple claims the new iPad Air has 50% improved performance, and three times the performance of the 10th gen iPad running the A14 Bionic chip.
Video calls should also get a little nicer, with the camera and speakers finally getting moved to the landscape edges.
The new iPad Air starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model, with four available color options: blue, purple, starlight (gold), and space gray (off-black). Storage options range from 128GB to 1TB. You can order beginning today, and they will be available starting May 15.
iPad Air (11-inch) Also comes in 13-inch. $599.00 Shop Now
Shop Now $599.00 iPad 10th gen is getting cheaperThe 10th gen iPad is staying the same, but the price is dropping. Now, the entry-level iPad starts at $349, down $100 from the previous price.
iPad 10th Generation $349.00 at Apple Shop Now
Shop Now $349.00 at Apple Final Cut Pro 2 and Logic Pro 2 get AI features 
Credit: Apple Apple also introduced new versions of its iPad apps for Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. These apps focus on some new AI features that take advantage of the M4 chip in the new Pros.
Apple says the new Final Cut Pro renders a final output up to two times faster on the M4 iPad Pro. A new Live Multicam feature can allow you to connect and preview up to four cameras at once, and a new app, Final Cut Camera, also lets you remotely control all these cameras, including features like expose. And, finally, you can edit projects off an external hard drive.
Logic Pro 2 also gets some new features: There's "Session Players," which expands the app's Drummer option with new bass and keyboard players. "ChromaGlow" lets you use AI to add "ultrarealistic" sound to your tracks. Stem Splitter splits one combined track into its different components, at least into Drums, Bass, Vocals, and Other instruments.
Logic Pro 2 will be available May 13 as a free update for existing users, and is still available for $4.99 per month or $49 per year. Final Cut Pro 2 has the same pricing scheme, but will be available "later this spring."
Apple Pencil Pro has some new sensors and haptic feedback
Credit: Apple Apple finally slapped "Pro" onto Apple Pencil. The upgraded Apple Pencil has a new sensor that lets you squeeze to bring up a new tool palette. As the rumors suggested, the Pencil has a haptic engine for tactile feedback, so when you squeeze it, you feel a small vibration. You can also tilt your Pencil to adjust your pencil strokes in real time.
The Apple Pencil also supports Find My: The next time is rolls underneath your couch, just open Find My on your iPad or iPhone to find it.
Apple is charging $129 for the new Apple Pencil Pro, and it will be available starting May 15.
Apple Pencil Pro $129.00 at Apple Shop Now
Shop Now $129.00 at Apple The Magic Keyboard will deliver a more laptop-like experience 
Credit: Apple To go with its new iPad Pro, Apple's upgrading the Magic Keyboard to give users a more laptop-like experience. Most notably, the trackpad has gotten a little larger, there's now a full row of function keys, and the palm rest is now made from aluminum.
Apple's site doesn't mention specific trackpad measurements, but it does confirm that the new trackpad will have full haptic feedback throughout, helping it maintain parity with MacBooks. Unfortunately, the new Magic Keyboard will not work with the new iPad Air models, which means only Pro users will get access to that aluminum palm rest and the new, 14-key function row.
The 11-inch Magic Keyboard will run you $299, while the 13-inch one costs $349. It's available in two colors: black, and the traditional Apple gray. You can order today, and it will be available starting May 15.
Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (11-inch) Also available for iPad Pro 13-inch. $299.00 at Apple Shop Now
Shop Now $299.00 at Apple