iPad Pro 2021 iPad Pro vs Air 4

[Digitalguy]

Also fair points. Like I said, it all depends on when the next Air releases. It’s expected next year. I guess it’s likely to be released in the first half of 2022, so if that’s the case, it very well could receive the A15, or some sort of variant like an A15X, similar to how the Air 2 received an A8X and not just an A8. Who knows…

The air 2 doesn't count since back than there were no pro or budget iPads and it was the top of the line...
At this point it seems clear:
Base iPad... updated yearly, it gets old A chip (non X) and keeps it for 2 years
iPad Air... updated every 2 years, it gets current A chip (non X)
iPad pro... updated generally every 1.5 years, it gets AX chip (now M)

 

[Crow_Servo]

The air 2 doesn't count since back than there were no pro or budget iPads and it was the top of the line...
At this point it seems clear:
Base iPad... updated yearly, it gets old A chip (non X) and keeps it for 2 years
iPad Air... updated every 2 years, it gets current A chip (non X)
iPad pro... updated generally every 1.5 years, it gets AX chip (now M)

Yes, it “seems” clear, but with Apple, we don’t know what they’re thinking. For all we know, the Pros will get M series, Airs could return to AX series and the base could get regular A series. Then every tier gets its own chip. But I don’t know that either. Just speculating.

 

[rui no onna]

Yes, it “seems” clear, but with Apple, we don’t know what they’re thinking. For all we know, the Pros will get M series, Airs could return to AX series and the base could get regular A series. Then every tier gets its own chip. But I don’t know that either. Just speculating.

Chip design and fab ain't cheap. Tim Cook is a bean counter so ROI is a major consideration. I doubt we'll get AX for iPads again.

 

[Crow_Servo]

Chip design and fab ain't cheap. Tim Cook is a bean counter so ROI is a major consideration. I doubt we'll get AX for iPads again.

Ah, fair point. I suppose there wouldn’t be enough reason to have a unique chip just for Air, or even just for Pro apparently. The Pros share their chip with the silicon Macs and the rest of the iPads could remain using the iPhone chips I guess.

 

[kazmac]

And the Air 4 won... I tried two M1 11” iPad Pros, had the same heat and stuttering issues in Procreate and the speakers on the M1s were very soft. So I went back to an Air 4 and enjoy it (I missed Touch ID in the Power Button too).

I’ll stick with the Air, and hopefully an Air-like Mini going forward.

 

[MrMister111]

So was the point of the M1 on an iPad after all? I know future proofing, but that could have with a A15 chip in as well.

I really thought there was going to be something specific shown off, or something for the M1 “Pro” iPad at WWDC or before/after.

Maybe it’s just about cost? Producing more M1 maybe cheaper than a specific chip?

I think a lot of people are wondering about the M1 in the iPad Pro and silently asking Apple what’s it for?

 

[Surfman]

So was the point of the M1 on an iPad after all? I know future proofing, but that could have with a A15 chip in as well.

I really thought there was going to be something specific shown off, or something for the M1 “Pro” iPad at WWDC or before/after.

Maybe it’s just about cost? Producing more M1 maybe cheaper than a specific chip?

I think a lot of people are wondering about the M1 in the iPad Pro and silently asking Apple what’s it for?

Your a bit late to the party lol, M1 is just another name. Would you rather last years chip?

 

[Surfman]

I’d love to know what constitutes a ‘Pro feature’?

Anything that doesn’t have TID on a power button would be a good start ?

 

[iPadified]

So was the point of the M1 on an iPad after all? I know future proofing, but that could have with a A15 chip in as well.

I really thought there was going to be something specific shown off, or something for the M1 “Pro” iPad at WWDC or before/after.

Maybe it’s just about cost? Producing more M1 maybe cheaper than a specific chip?

I think a lot of people are wondering about the M1 in the iPad Pro and silently asking Apple what’s it for?

It does not need to be for anything specific. The M1 has about the same TDP as the A12X which fits the form factor. Why design a specific A14X that on all parameters would be the same as the M1 i.e 4+4 CPU and 8 core GPU?

I take too much performance over too little performance anytime just as I take larger SSD over smaller ones. Developers always find a way to use the performance at some point.

 

[MrMister111]

Your a bit late to the party lol, M1 is just another name. Would you rather last years chip?

Nope, as above A15. Apple bigged up the M1 but didn’t seem to follow it up with anything software wise as a wow.

QUOTE="iPadified, post: 30043250, member: 1076967"]It does not need to be for anything specific. The M1 has about the same TDP as the A12X which fits the form factor. Why design a specific A14X that on all parameters would be the same as the M1 i.e 4+4 CPU and 8 core GPU?

I take too much performance over too little performance anytime just as I take larger SSD over smaller ones. Developers always find a way to use the performance at some point.[/QUOTE]
Like I said maybe it was cost, why make another manufacturing process for an A15, when you can up numbers in M1. Makes more sense

 

[Digitalguy]

I’d love to know what constitutes a ‘Pro feature’?

from the first gen iPad pro, the pro features still in place are:
1. quad speakers
2. 12.9in size

from the second gen iPad pro:
1. promotion
2. higher storage option (512GB)

from the 3rd gen pro:
1. Higher storage and RAM option (1TB storage + 6GB RAM)
2. 11in size
3. Face ID

from the 4th gen pro:
Higher starting storage and RAM (128GB + 6GB)
Lidar

from the 5th gen pro:
1. Higher starting RAM (8GB)
2. XDR display on the 12.9
3. Thunderbort
4. Higher max RAM and storage (up to 16GB / up to 2TB)
5. Center Stage on the font camera

These are the features that have not trickled down to non pro iPads (the air 4 si very close to 11in but technically not identical in size)
Additionally, the pro iPads have had X SOCs with either higher clock speeds (A9X) or more performance cores (A10X :3, A12X/Z: 4, M1: 4), compared to the 2 performance cores in non pro iPads, and also higher GPU performance / more GPU cores

PS Interestingly, pro features don't trickle down randomly, but they do when they help sell more accessories. Pencil 1 with iPad 6 and later, Smart Keyboard with iPad air 3 / 7 and later, Pencil 2 and Magic keyboard with iPad air 4.
Quad speakers and promotion don't sell accessories so they are likely to remain pro features...

 

[one more]

Also fair points. Like I said, it all depends on when the next Air releases. It’s expected next year. I guess it’s likely to be released in the first half of 2022, so if that’s the case, it very well could receive the A15, or some sort of variant like an A15X, similar to how the Air 2 received an A8X and not just an A8. Who knows…

iPad Airs are usually upgraded in the autumn/fall season, no? The spring is reserved for iPad Pro? So I guess we could see iPad Air 5 in October-November 2022.

 

[Digitalguy]

iPad Airs are usually upgraded in the autumn/fall season, no? The spring is reserved for iPad Pro? So I guess we could see iPad Air 5 in October-November 2022.

Given the M1 upgrade of the pro, Apple will likely resume the usual 18 month upgrade interval with the pro, so likely the next pro and the air 5 will both be release in the fall 2022.

 

[iPadified]

I’d love to know what constitutes a ‘Pro feature’?

Can you earn money with a device it is per definition a pro device. What feature you require of a device has do do with the job that needs to be done.

 

[Digitalguy]

Can you earn money with a device it is per definition a pro device. What feature you require of a device has do do with the job that needs to be done.

you can earn money with any iPad... pro in Apple's jargon means high end, like in Airpods pro (high end Airpods) or iPhone pro (other companies like to use other adjective like ultra, plus etc.)

 

[rtkeeling]

from the first gen iPad pro, the pro features still in place are:
1. quad speakers
2. 12.9in size

from the second gen iPad pro:
1. promotion
2. higher storage option (512GB)

from the 3rd gen pro:
1. Higher storage and RAM option (1TB storage + 6GB RAM)
2. 11in size

from the 4th gen pro:
Higher starting storage and RAM (128GB + 6GB)
Lidar

from the 5th gen pro:
1. Higher starting RAM (8GB)
2. XDR display on the 12.9
3. Thunderbort
4. Higher max RAM and storage (up to 16GB / up to 2TB)

These are the features that have not trickled down to non pro iPads (the air 4 si very close to 11in but technically not identical in size)
Additionally, the pro iPads have had X SOCs with either higher clock speeds (A9X) or more performance cores (A10X :3, A12X/Z: 4, M1: 4), compared to the 2 performance cores in non pro iPads

How about FaceID? Has that trickled down yet? Also, with 5th gen pro more GPU cores, panorama on the front camera and 5G. I'd say 5G will be in the next Air though.

 

[Digitalguy]

How about FaceID? Has that trickled down yet? Also, with 5th gen pro more GPU cores, panorama on the front camera and 5G. I'd say 5G will be in the next Air though.

Yes, I'll edit to add face id. More GPU cores were also in the A12X/Z so it's part of the X SOC I mentioned... I'll also add center stage. I don't think 5G is a pro feature, it's probably coming to every iPad in the next releases (it's just a timing thing...)

 

[one more]

Can you earn money with a device it is per definition a pro device. What feature you require of a device has do do with the job that needs to be done.

I can and do earn money with my iPhone 12 mini, as well as iPad Air 4. ? Apple’s “Pro” is merely an indicator for the most advanced hardware = higher price. Software-wise it is all very similar, so it all depends on what you need & like, IMO.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Can you earn money with a device it is per definition a pro device. What feature you require of a device has do do with the job that needs to be done.

I’d say you can earn money on any device that can act as a computer depending on what is needed by the user. The ‘Pro’ part would be irrelevant here though as an iPad Air 4 is very capable as a tablet in its own right.

 

[I7guy]

Chip design and fab ain't cheap. Tim Cook is a bean counter so ROI is a major consideration. I doubt we'll get AX for iPads again.

So the ipad air model will disappear? Profits over customers? How did Enron end up?

 

[one more]

So the ipad air model will disappear? Profits over customers? How did Enron end up?

Making iPad Air “disappear” will be as unwise as removing iPhone 12, IMO. Both are Apple’s mid-line devices with a good price/features balance and thus are very popular. Besides, Air 5 could inherit an M1 chip in 2022. No issues there.

It could probably make more sense to discontinue iPad Pro 11”, actually, depending on how well they sell.

What we know for sure is that Apple’s most popular iPad worldwide is their regular iPad.

 

[snipr125]

So the ipad air model will disappear? Profits over customers? How did Enron end up?

No the Ipad Air model will not disappear as it sells considerably more units than the Ipad Pro models. Apple have positioned the Air line in the same category as the Iphone 12 i.e. Premium mid range.

 

[jsmith1]

And the Air 4 won... I tried two M1 11” iPad Pros, had the same heat and stuttering issues in Procreate and the speakers on the M1s were very soft. So I went back to an Air 4 and enjoy it (I missed Touch ID in the Power Button too).

I’ll stick with the Air, and hopefully an Air-like Mini going forward.

Yes, seems the heat issue is a bigger issue than being let on by Apple and some users but it’s makes sense as there are no cooling features in the iPad verses computers even laptops and they keep putting hotter and hotter chips in from leftover stock to be able to justify their price hike.

At some point there will have to be a new design, cooler chip or end of life speed upgrade and really it’s not needed anyway as a sidepiece.

I’m waiting for the next gen Air myself hopefully there will be ID options other than Face ID kept in it too as Face ID on iPads suck when using solely in landscape mode.

good feedback maybe it will help someone not to make the mistake as well.

 

[I7guy]

Yes, seems the heat issue is a bigger issue than being let on by Apple and some users but it’s makes sense as there are no cooling features in the iPad verses computers even laptops and they keep putting hotter and hotter chips in from leftover stock to be able to justify their price hike.

At some point there will have to be a new design, cooler chip or end of life speed upgrade and really it’s not needed anyway as a sidepiece.

I’m waiting for the next gen Air myself hopefully there will be ID options other than Face ID kept in it too as Face ID on iPads suck when using solely in landscape mode.

good feedback maybe it will help someone not to make the mistake as well.

I ordered an 11" ipad pro with the magic keyboard. Looking forward to it's arrival.

 

[iPadified]

you can earn money with any iPad... pro in Apple's jargon means high end, like in Airpods pro (high end Airpods) or iPhone pro (other companies like to use other adjective like ultra, plus etc.)

I know, many don´t.