Apple launches fastest and thinnest iPad Pro ever – as well as largest iPad Air and new Pencil Pro

Apple launched several new products at a live event, including redesigned iPads, an updated internal chip, Magic Keyboard and Pencil Pro.

The world saw the largest iPad Air, measuring 13 inches, and the thinnest, fastest iPad Pro ever to hit the market at the ‘Let Loose’ event.

The new Magic Keyboard features a larger trackpad available in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches, and the Apple Pencil Pro with pixel-perfect precision.

The event also saw a new AI-focused chip that powers the new iPad Pro with a larger “neural engine” that can complete 38 trillion tasks per second.

Apple often introduces new iPads in May, a time when education customers are making purchasing decisions for the next academic year.

But in recent years, Apple has started turning its more expensive models into devices for creative and business professionals with its iPad Pro models.

iPad Air comes with the largest screen yet

The first device shown at the event was a new iPad Air, which comes with the redesigned 11-inch and the all-new 13-inch iPad Air – both featuring Apple’s internal M2 chip.

Unlike previous models, the new tablet features a front-facing camera for better video calling, faster Wi-Fi and all-day battery life.

The 13-inch iPad Air offers 30 percent more screen than the 11-inch, but both feature a Liquid Retina design and an anti-reflective screen coating.

The new iPad Air is available in new blue and purple finishes, along with starlight and space gray.

The 11-inch iPad Air still starts at just $599, and the 13-inch iPad Air is fantastic value at just $799. Customers can order the new iPad Air today, with availability starting Wednesday, May 15.

The 13-inch device offers 30 percent more screen than the 11-inch, but both models have a Liquid Retina design and an anti-reflective screen coating. The new iPad Air is available in new blue and purple finishes, along with starlight and space gray

Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing, said: “So many users – from students to content creators, to small businesses and more – love iPad Air for its performance, portability and versatility, all at an affordable price. Today, iPad Air gets even better.”

“We’re so excited to introduce the redesigned 11-inch and all-new 13-inch iPad Air, offering two sizes for the first time.

“Combining a brilliant Liquid Retina display, the phenomenal performance of the M2 chip, incredible AI capabilities and a colorful, portable design with support for new accessories, iPad Air is more powerful and versatile than ever.”

iPad Pro with the new M4 chip

Apple said the iPad Pro – its most expensive model – will have improved displays and will start at $1,000 for an 11-inch model and $1,300 for a 13-inch model.

The 13-inch model is just 5.1 millimeters thick, which Apple claims is its thinnest device ever: thinner than the Nano iPod.

The new iPad Pro also features OLED screens for richer colors and improved contrasts compared to previous models.

Apple said the iPad Pro – its most expensive model – will have upgraded displays and will start at $1,000 for an 11-inch model and $1,300 for a 13-inch model

The 13-inch model is just 5.1 millimeters thick, which Apple claims is its thinnest device ever: thinner than the Nano iPod

And the device comes with a front-facing camera.

The new iPad Pro is powered by the new M4 chip, the next generation of Apple silicon, delivering a quantum leap in performance and capabilities.

The internal chip features a new display engine that powers the precision, color and brightness of the Ultra Retina XDR display.

It features a new CPU with four performance cores and six efficiency cores, making it 50 percent faster than other chips. Apple said the M4 performs up to four times faster than the M2.

Tim Millet, vice president of platform architecture at Apple, said: “The neural engine makes M4 an insanely powerful chip for AI.

“With this level of performance, the neural engine and M4 are even more powerful than any neural processing unit in any AI PC.”

The new iPad Pro is powered by the new M4 chip, the next generation of Apple silicon, delivering a quantum leap in performance and capabilities

Exactly what AI features the new chips can provide may not be fully understood until Apple’s developer conference, where it often shows off new capabilities for Siri, its voice assistant, and the rest of its operating systems.

For now, many AI features — such as helping to zoom in on a user during a video call and slightly altering the look of their eyes so it appears they’re looking directly into the camera — aren’t likely to lead to a wave of upgrades, some analysts say .