Apple Unveils New iPad Amidst Jarring Video Promotion

Apple’s semi-annual product introductions are prime opportunities for the electronics maker to demonstrate the progress it has made in areas such as processors, displays, and camera technologies─all of which are on display in its latest iPad Pro and Air models. But this year, someone involved with marketing Apple products decided to spice up things a bit.  

In a promotional Apple video on YouTube named Crush!, what one sees initially is NOT Apple’s latest products, but instead a collection of older products, including a trumpet, piano, guitar, and old audio equipment being crushed by a massive hydraulic press. The song  “All I Ever Need is You” by Sonny and Cher plays in the background. After the unsightly crunching of metal and spilling of liquid, the new, super-thin iPad Pro finally appears.

If Apple wanted this brief but jarring video to attract attention, the company has succeeded, but not in a positive way. There is already backlash online reacting to the ad, including from musicians who see their creative instruments being crushed. Even actor Hugh Grant has an opinion.

Playing It Straight

Apple created the Crush! video as an apparent teaser, as the company released a far less controversial video that promotes the iPad Pro’s numerous technical attributes, which should be appealing to techies and consumers alike.

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Questionable marketing aside, technical advancements abound in Apple’s new flagship iPad Pro, which the company touts as opening the gateway for tablets in AI and machine learning applications crunching data-intensive graphics, video, and AR/VR applications. The iPad Pro in available with either a 13-in. or 11-in. screen, both of which tout the super slim profile Apple promotes heavily in its videos. The 11-in. model is just 5.3 mm thin, while the 13-in. model is even thinner at 5.1 mm. Both are also extremely light, with the 11-in. model weighing less than a pound, and the 13-in. model is nearly a quarter pound lighter than its predecessor.

A super slim profile characterizes Apple's new iPad Pro tablet. (Apple)

Both tablets are powered by Apple’s new M4 processor, which Apple says take huge leap in performance and capabilities. The processor features a next-generation GPU that builds upon the architecture debuted in Apple’s M3 processor, The processor also incorporates a neural engine that Apple says gives the tablet the ability to handle artificial intelligence workloads.

Apple’s iPadOS has advanced frameworks like Core ML that make it easy for developers to tap into the Neural Engine to deliver phenomenal AI features locally, including running powerful diffusion and generative AI models. iPad Pro also supports cloud-based solutions, enabling users to run AI-powered productivity and creative apps, such as Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Adobe Firefly.

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Dual OLED Displays

The tablets also feature an Ultra Retina XDR display with tandem OLED panels. The display combines the light from both to provide high full-screen brightness, enabling sub-millisecond control over the color and luminance of each pixel. According to Apple, the technology is designed to make highlights in photos and videos appear even brighter. In addition, the configuration provides more detail in shadows and low light than before, while improving responsiveness to content in motion.

Enhanced Cameras

Apple says it has also updated the iPad Pro’s camera system to deliver greater versatility. The tablet’s 12MP back camera captures Smart HDR images and video with improved color, improved textures, and detail in low light. The camera also now features a new adaptive True Tone flash that improves document scanning.

Using AI, the new iPad Pro automatically identifies documents right in the camera app, and if a shadow is in the way, it instantly takes multiple photos with the new adaptive flash, stitching the scan together for a dramatically better scan.

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New iPad Air Models

Besides iPad Pro, Apple also updated several of its other products. The company unveiled a redesigned 11-in. and new 13-in. iPad Air, both of which now use Apple’s M2 chip in place of the M1. The company says the more powerful processor makes the tablets faster than the previous versions and enable them to handle AI applications. Apple has revised the location of the iPad Air’s front-facing Ultra Wide 12MP camera to be more conducive to video calls.

Apple also updated its Apple Pencil Pro (USB-C) stylus device with new capabilities include squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback, taking notes, and creating a masterpiece more intuitive than ever. Users can hover the Apple Pencil to pinpoint exactly where it will touch down on the display, and double-tap to quickly switch tools.