The just-released iPad Pro and iPad Air have a new Battery Health menu option that includes an optimized charging option and provides more data about the battery. As reported by MacRumors, the new menu matches the settings introduced on iPhone 15, which lets users set their device not to charge past 80 percent, which can help extend the usable life of the battery.

You can get to the new menu on iPad by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, which will also provide data points for charge cycle count, the date the battery was manufactured, and when the battery was first charged. It was introduced in iPadOS 17.5 but isn't available on o …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The new iPad Pro is a genuine achievement in tablet design. It's the closest thing I've ever seen to the vision that a tablet should feel not like a computer but, rather, like a piece of glass in your hand. I'm honestly not sure how you'd shrink it more; the USB-C plug I use to charge the 13-inch Pro I've been testing is already thicker than the iPad itself. It's a light, fast, remarkable machine.

But does that really count for much anymore? The iPad has been a hardware triumph for years, plenty fast and light and long-lasting for just about anything you could do with it. The problem has always been the software: by forcing the device to ru …

Read the full story at The Verge.

At long last, Apple’s newest iPad Pro and iPad Air are finally, officially real. Preorders opened May 7th, with the former tablet starting at $999 and the latter at $599. Both models come in 11- and 13-inch sizes and are set to arrive in stores on Wednesday, May 15th.

One of the most notable changes in the Pro models is the switch from LCD-based displays to OLED, which could be the killer feature for creatives. But there’s a lot more to like, such as the new M4 chip that is said to offer 50 percent faster CPU performance than the prior model’s M2 chip, plus a new 10-core GPU that supports mesh shading and ray tracing. The new iPad Pro also gets a slight camera shakeup, as it now only features two rear cameras (it ditches the ultra-wide from the previous model, but there’s an improved adaptive flash). There’s also a repositioned front-facing camera that now sits centered along the horizontal edge, which allows for less awkward video calls.

The new iPad Air, meanwhile, now comes in two sizes, both with Apple’s M2 processor. The new models support the Apple Pencil hover feature that was once exclusive to the M2 iPad Pro, and both include Wi-Fi 6E support. Neither size features an OLED screen, but you still get a vibrant Liquid Retina XDR display, and the 13-inch model has improved stereo speakers (in landscape orientation) that supposedly “double the bass” of the 11-inch model. You can read our iPad Pro vs. iPad Air breakdown for more granular details about how they differ.

As for accessories, both tablets support the new Apple Pencil Pro, which builds on the second-gen magnetic version with built-in Find My, a squeeze gesture with haptic feedback, and a gyroscope sensor. The new iPad Pros have a refreshed Magic Keyboard to match, now with a dedicated function row and a bigger trackpad with haptic feedback. (Those going for the iPad Air can use them with the original Magic Keyboards that are still available for older iPad Pro models.)

Where to preorder the new iPad Air

The newest iPad Air will be available in an 11-inch configuration and a second 13-inch configuration that makes it easier for fans of the bigger display size to have it without paying the premiums for an iPad Pro.

Right now, you can preorder the 11-inch iPad Air directly from Apple and at Best Buy, Amazon, and B&H Photo. It starts at $599 for the base model with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage, though you can also jump to 256GB for $699, 512GB for $899, or 1TB for $1,099. You can get the 11-inch Air with 5G starting at $749 for a 128GB model, $849 for 256GB, $1,049 for 512GB, and $1,249 for 1TB. You can get the unlocked cellular model from Apple, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

The 13-inch iPad Air is also available for preorder from Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo and starts at $799 for a 128GB / Wi-Fi model. If you need more storage, you can get it with 256GB for $899, 512GB for $1,099, and 1TB for $1,299. The 5G-equipped model, meanwhile, starts at $949 for 128GB, $1,049 for 256GB, $1,249 for 512GB, and $1,449 for 1TB. You’ll find it at the same crop of retailers: Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

Both sizes are available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray. Apple and Best Buy are accepting trade-ins of older models that you can apply instantly to your order. Amazon and B&H Photo also let you trade devices in, but you’ll have to wait until the inspection process concludes before receiving credit.

2024 iPad Air (Wi-Fi, 128GB)

The newest iPad Air comes in either an 11- or 13-inch configuration with Apple’s M2 processor. Both models also feature a Liquid Retina display, new horizontal placement for the front camera, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro.

Where to Buy:

• $599 at Apple (11-inch)
• $799 at Apple (13-inch)

Where to preorder the new iPad Pro

Like the latest Air, the new iPad Pro comes in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. The 11-inch iPad Pro in its base 256GB / Wi-Fi configuration is available from Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo starting at $999. You can also get it in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations for $1,199, $1,599, and $1,999, respectively. The 5G model is available at the same retailers: Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. It starts at $1,199 for 256GB, $1,399 for 512GB, $1,799 for 1TB, and $2,199 for 2TB.

The 13-inch iPad Pro is the same device, only bigger. It’s available for preorder via Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo starting at $1,299 for a 256GB / Wi-Fi model, $1,499 for 512GB, $1,899 for 1TB, and $2,299 for 2TB. If you want to add 5G connectivity, those respective prices are $1,499, $1,699, $2,099, and $2,499 at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

Both sizes are available in silver or space gray. You can trade in older models for an instant credit at Apple and Best Buy, and you can also trade devices in at Amazon and B&H Photo if you don’t mind waiting for an inspection.

It’s worth noting that the 2024 iPad Pro also comes with the option to add nano-textured glass at checkout, but only if you’re buying a 1TB or 2TB model. For a $100 premium, the upgraded glass is said to reduce screen reflectivity and scatter ambient light without a big impact on overall contrast and image quality, making it easier to do creative work in brighter conditions.

Potential performance upgrades are another reason you might want to consider going for a 1TB or higher iPad Pro. In addition to the usual RAM upgrade (you’ll get 16GB of RAM in a 1TB or 2TB model compared to 8GB in lesser storage configurations), you’ll also get a 10-core M4 chipset, whereas lower storage tiers come with a nine-core version.

2024 iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 256GB)

Apple’s latest iPad Pro is the first Apple device with an M4 processor and an OLED-based Ultra Retina XDR display. It also features an improved camera system with adaptive flash and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro.

Where to Buy:

• $999 at Apple (11-inch)
• $1299 at Apple (13-inch)

iPad Air and iPad Pro carrier offers

If you’re after an iPad Air or iPad Pro with 5G, it might make more sense to buy one from your preferred carrier. Right now, we’re seeing stock for both sizes of each at Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Below is a quick primer on some of the trade and financing offers you can take advantage of.

Verizon

At Verizon, you can get up to $180 off the iPad Pro and iPad Air when trading in devices toward your purchase. You can also save $279.99 on either model if you purchase it with a 5G iPhone. As for financing, the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $33.33 per month for 36 months, while the 13-inch model starts at $41.66 over the same term. The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Airs start at $20.83 per month and $26.36 per month, respectively.

AT&T

AT&T is offering $100 off the iPad Air and iPad Pro when you buy it in installments on a new line. You can also get an extra $110 off an 11-inch iPad Air (issued as monthly bill credits) if you purchase it with an iPhone 15 on a 4GB line. With the base deal, 36-month financing for the 11-inch iPad Air starts at $18.06 a month, and the 13-inch Air starts at $23.62 a month. The 11-inch iPad Pro, meanwhile, starts at $30.56 a month, while the 13-inch iPad Pro starts at $38.89 a month.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is taking $230 off the iPad Air and iPad Pro issued as bill credits over 24 months when you add a new tablet line with 5GB of data or higher. Financing at T-Mobile can vary based on your pre-qualifying check (which doesn’t affect your credit score) and may require a substantial partial payment upfront depending on your results. With the promo, we’re seeing offers starting as low as $20.41 per month for 24 months for the 11-inch and 13-inch Airs, as well as the 11-inch and 13-inch Pros.

Correction, May 8th: An earlier version of this article misstated the camera features on the new iPad Pro. The new model has one fewer rear camera; its rear cameras have not been improved.

I wonder if Apple CEO Tim Cook was surprised by the visceral revulsion many people felt after viewing the newest commercial for Apple's iPad. In it, a plethora of creative tools are flattened by an industrial press. Watching a piano, which if maintained can last for something like 50 years, squished to advertise a gadget, designed to be obsolete in less than 10, is infuriating. The backlash was immediate.

The message many of us received was this: Apple, a trillion-dollar behemoth, will crush everything beautiful and human, everything that's a pleasure to look at and touch, and all that will be left is a skinny glass and metal slab.

Astoun …

Read the full story at The Verge.

I had a sneaking suspicion this was going to happen. All the rumors about the new iPad Pro - its shift to an OLED display, the more premium Magic Keyboard - had me convinced that Apple was going to quietly move on from the quirky, very not luxurious Smart Keyboard Folio that became my preferred carry for the 2018 iPad Pro and, later, the M1 iPad Pro.

Sure enough, the Smart Keyboard Folio isn't compatible with the OLED iPad Pros. The 11-inch version can still be used with the sixth-generation iPad Air, but that's all. So if you're set on Apple's very best tablet, it's not an option anymore. And with no alternative quite like it anywhere in s …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple giveth OLED screens, and Apple taketh away… SIM cards. As spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple has removed the physical SIM slot on the cellular versions of the new iPad Air and iPad Pro models. First the iPhone, now the iPad - Apple is all in on an eSIM future, it seems.

The iPhone 14 was the first model to lose the SIM slot, but only in the US - versions sold in other countries still include a physical SIM tray. That doesn't seem to be the case with the new iPad Air and iPad Pro; Apple's UK and Canadian retail sites state that the new models use eSIM and are "not compatible with physical SIM cards."

eSIM has been catching on in popularity ove …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The newly announced iPad Pro hides a sneaky upgrade option that Apple didn't mention during its event today. When you cough up the $600 it costs to jump from the 256GB base model iPad Pro to the 1TB version, Apple doesn't just double the RAM along with that - it also puts a faster chip inside, going from a nine-core M4 chip to a 10-core version.

This is the first time Apple has offered a processor upgrade on a specific tablet model - in the past, no matter what other options you picked on a given tablet, you knew you were getting the same chip as any other configuration. In the past, Apple only tied RAM upgrades to storage boosts; that's …

Read the full story at The Verge.