iPad Pro 2018/2020 iPad Pro Owners: Will you upgrade?

[rex3]

I'll upgrade when they put Mini LEDs in a 11" or smaller size.

I have a 2018 11” iPad Pro. The only thing I really care about is getting a better display. I watch a lot of TV on my iPad in bed at night. Most importantly, I want HDR and much better contrast overall. I have a TLC series 8 with mini LEDs and I would upgrade for a mini LED display.

I honestly couldn’t care less about anything else. The better FaceTime camera would be welcome but no way I am going to upgrade for that.

When the 2018 models came out I got the 12.9” at first but absolutely hated the bigger size. It was so much more awkward to use on the couch or in bed, seriously heavier, and tippy with the keyboard cover. Plus with the 4:3 screen ratio you hardly get a bigger video window if viewing in 16:9 or wider.

 

[Ybersetzer]

So the front facing camera has a super wide feature now (the demo with automatic panning/zooming was quite impressive), which is nice, but what interests me most: do we have solid information on whether the front facing/face id-camera is still on the "left", shorter side or whether they moved it to middle of the top (in landscape mode), to the same spot where it is on Macbooks? THAT alone would be a huge improvement.

 

[Christopher Kim]

2018 11" iPP owner here.

I echo many others already, that prior to the event, I thought it very unlikely I'd upgrade. Post-event, I still might not, but will wait to see what announcements come from WWDC and iPadOS 15. If they really get closer to allowing these iPP's to be able to either run macOS, or something substantially similar, I may seriously consider the 12.9" (maybe 16gb / 1TB) as my next true laptop replacement.

I was already primed to get the new 16" MBP whenever it releases, to replace my 2016 13" MBP. I will probably wait until the 16" MBP is released (by which point WWDC will almost certainly have come and gone), and I'll have more complete information as to which better suits my needs.

Very interesting times ahead!

 

[Christopher Kim]

So the front facing camera has a super wide feature now (the demo with automatic panning/zooming was quite impressive), which is nice, but what interests me most: do we have solid information on whether the front facing/face id-camera is still on the "left", shorter side or whether they moved it to middle of the top (in landscape mode), to the same spot where it is on Macbooks? THAT alone would be a huge improvement.

No, the front-facing camera is still in the same spot. The whole point of "Center Stage" was to help alleviate the fact that when in landscape mode, the camera puts you on an angle / not-centered. This is their way of addressing that situation without moving the camera to top-middle (in landscape), which presumably would've required a pretty substantial change to the internal layout.

 

[James Godfrey]

No, the front-facing camera is still in the same spot. The whole point of "Center Stage" was to help alleviate the fact that when in landscape mode, the camera puts you on an angle / not-centered. This is their way of addressing that situation without moving the camera to top-middle (in landscape), which presumably would've required a pretty substantial change to the internal layout.

I am wondering whether this camera will actually make you look like your looking forward rather than to the side... based on the footage it looks like it makes it so you look like your looking straight on, but I can imagine that has been intentionally done for the launch....

 

[Christopher Kim]

I am wondering whether this camera will actually make you look like your looking forward rather than to the side... based on the footage it looks like it makes it so you look like your looking straight on, but I can imagine that has been intentionally done for the launch....

How I understood it is that because it uses the Ultrawide lens, it has a really wide field of view (I think they said 120deg?)

And so what the software will do is basically figure out where the person is, and then crop the video so that it makes the person appear in the middle. The fact that the video can "move" with you as you move (and we know the lens itself isn't moving) means there's just more "field of view" outside what's showing in the screen, and so the "movement" is just changing where they're cropping the picture, as the detected person moves.

 

[cambookpro]

More than happy with my 2020 Pro, especially considering I prefer the 11” which still has the same screen tech in the new model. I’ve never felt that my iPad was slow - if they announce proper apps like Xcode soon, I may reconsider.

 

[georgivelev]

No reason to upgrade. I am very content with my 256GB 2020 12.9” wifi. The newer one is 100€ more expensive. If I had to choose an iPad today, it would be the Air 4. 1300€+ for an iPad is plain ridiculous, the only “pro” application I have on it is Cubasis and it is only half-bad, the desktop Cubas is much more convenient, not to mention I run it on a 32” monitor.

They should allow the new pro iPad to run the MacOS - and somehow allow several external devices to be simultaneously attached to it - like a monitor, a synthesiser (like my Yamaha PSR S770), a back-up disk. Basically, it needs 2 thunderbolt/usb ports. If I could get rid of my mac mini and use the iPad as the only computer in the household, then the 2021 Pro would be a winner.

 

[mdwsta4]

Nope. Zero interest in upgrading from my 2018 IPP. Nothing that was announced today would make any difference in how I use it. Until MacOS can be used, I don't see any reason to spend another $1k+ on something that offers very little improved functionality (in how I use an iPad)

 

[Isengardtom]

I shouldn’t but probably will in the end.
I wanted to check the bigger model anyway. But I’ll wait until after WWDC because I want to see what software we may see alongside this power

 

[A_Flying_Panda]

1. The XDR display
2. M1 processor — it does not mean we NEED the performance boost, but it MAY mean future software possibility

 

[nylon]

I have a 2018 11" Pro. To me the key upgrade is the display on the new 12.9". Until that display comes to the 11" I won't consider upgrading. The 2018 11" feels current despite last years and this years update. Obviously the M1 is massively more powerful but my use case on the 11" doesn't require that kind of power.

 

[scrobert]

The 2020 magic keyboard compatibility with the 2021 12.9 iPad Pro isn’t clear at the moment. Can anyone find confirmation on this?

a “new” 12.9 magic keyboard is shown on the apple store and is listed as only compatible with the 2021 12.9 iPad Pro.

what about those of us with 2020 12.9 magic keyboard?

 

[nylon]

The 2020 magic keyboard compatibility with the 2021 12.9 iPad Pro isn’t clear at the moment. Can anyone find confirmation on this?

a “new” 12.9 magic keyboard is shown on the apple store and is listed as only compatible with the 2021 12.9 iPad Pro.

what about those of us with 2020 12.9 magic keyboard?

The new 2021 keyboard is listed as backwards compatible with all generations of the Pro from 2018 on. Question is if the 2020 keyboard is forward compatible with the 2021 Pro's. I would be shocked if they weren't.

 

[Icabod Slipp]

Nope. Had my 12.9 just since November. Probably would have bought an older one had I known a new one was coming out now but didn't so I'll stick with the one I have. I don't even use it to its full capability yet so I"m not sure what I'd get out of the new one. By the time I do start using it fully, I guess by then they'll have a better one out. I'm good for at least 3 years. With that said, I"m concerned the battery in mine is not working right so I will wait a few weeks to take it in. If they want to swap mine out for a new one, I'll certainly take it!

 

[masotime]

Preparing for April 30th to get a maxed out 2TB Cellular iPad Pro 12.9".

 

[Apple_Robert]

With iPadOS really lagging behind, I am inclined to keep using my 2020 iPad Pro. If something miraculous happens with the new iPadOS this summer, I will reconsider.

 

[gnomeisland]

My 2018 iPad Pro 12.9 is probably my favourite Apple product ever. The 2021 is quite exciting with the technical improvements, but it really won't change how I use mine day to day.

Agree. For now. Although I'm an 11" user and the upgrades are even more technical/niche without the updated screen tech. I may hold out to see if the 11" OLED rumors are true.

 

[scrobert]

The new 2021 keyboard is listed as backwards compatible with all generations of the Pro from 2018 on. Question is if the 2020 keyboard is forward compatible with the 2021 Pro's. I would be shocked if they weren't.

An apple chat agent said “I’m certain it’s compatible”

 

[macjunkie2013]

The M1 iPad Pro will destroy the used value of Non-M1 IPP. Glad I don't own one!

 

[fwmireault]

iPad Pro 12.9 2020 here. I was really convinced before the event and regarding the rumors that I would not upgrade this year. But the M1 surprise and the XDR screen is really tempting. I think that I’ll upgrade.

 

[dvdlovr24]

I probably will if the new 12.9” is compatible with the 2020 magic keyboard.

 

[vbctv]

No plans to upgrade from my 2020 iPad Pro 11 with Magic Keyboard. Do like the look of the White Magic Keyboard tho. Only way I would consider upgrade to 2020 IPP is if they bring Mac (Universal) apps to it like Final Cut Pro. I am assuming that may be the reason there is 8GB or 16GB RAM in the models. But hoping they would also bring it to 6GB RAM versions...

 

[Smithwicks]

No. All that horsepower is wasted on iPadOS.

 

[drew0020]

Not sure. I have a 2018 and 2020. Both are still snappy. I was hoping for a landscape first update with the camera in the appropriate position when using the magic keyboard. I was also going for an improved magic keyboard (not a different color).