iPad Pro Apple has just introduced Bionic A14 in iPad Air

[*~Kim~*]

I’m annoyed that they left the Mini behind. Rose Gold, Touch ID, edge to edge. I want, but not in 10.9”.

Very surprised to see it get Pen 2, USB-C and MK. Surely it is going to hit Pro sales. The new Air seems close enough and these are uncertain times for a lot of people. With the cases of Air 3 white spots, are they trying to get rid of it before it reaches Pro 10.5 level?

 

[ruslan120]

Also, no 120Hz makes the choice “easier”.

 

[Jára Tyky]

Does your iPad break if its not the latest processor? The A12Z wasn’t really much different than the A12X released in the 2018 pro anyway. Not sure what the big deal is. At least you have FaceID

You do not not get the point. We buy iPad Pro because we expect for the price highend product and most advanced technology. Rumours said there will be new iPad Pro with Bionic A14 and miniled display in fall - not cheap iPad Air. I was waiting for new iPad Pro two years. I was waiting mostly because I expected more powerful chip and after 2 years there came nothing special. And now they put it into lower model. I could just wait for iPad Air and save money. They are just laughing to the paying customers.

I still do not understand why we have LiDAR when there is no technology or software for it. I happy they surprise us with better AR with iPhonu introduction.

 

[Makkoo]

Well it should be no surprise that there's advancement in tech. Happens all the time in all kinds of markets.

Buy a house today for 250.000 and see your neighbour buy it tomorrow for half. Good business

 

[whtrbt7]

Whoa, did I just see the presentation correctly and they have 2 cores dedicated to ML aka AI? That’s an amazing A14 chip if that is the case. Especially for data interpolation. I have a 2018 iPad Pro but I’m thinking the A14 will be much more efficient and the ML cores will be able to do operations that we couldn’t do quickly enough before. I’m thinking that means that rendering will also be faster.

 

[CalMin]

With no Pro Apple Software announce (again) then I’d love to know what immediate benefits these faster chips provide.

(That isnt a derogatory question. I was excited for a redesigned Air but I’m just not sure what benefits the a14 provides if Apple still won’t give attention to their existing and missing apps.)

Probably none. The $300 iPad can do everything that the $1,000 iPad Pro can do. They are all still just iPads. Don't get me wrong - I love my 12.9" iPad Pro. It's my most used thing that I own, but honestly it's more of a luxury item than a Pro thing.

 

[The_Interloper]

I wonder if this signals the end of the 11-inch Pro at next revision. The new Air is crazy close in specs and design; there’s little to make the Pro worth hundreds more. Maybe the Pro will be 12.9-inch only in future.

 

[rui no onna]

I think most customers will perceive this move by Apple poorly. But they have a history of doing this with the iPad line ... just releasing massive new chip revs without concern for how it positions other products in the lineup.

If had bought a NEW 2020 iPad Pro, I would be somewhat upset. I would have preferred they just wait until the A14 is out rather than get sold a 2 year old chip. But I don't find new iPad's worthwhile anymore, so I tend to go refurb.

Not really. iPad 4 just replaced the iPad 3 so that was a different case.

I do believe this is the first time this happened on iPad where a lower end model has a better/comparable chip than a *currently selling* high end one.

This would be like the Air 3 being released while Apple continues to sell the Pro 10.5 brand new at a higher price. When the Air 3 was released, the faster 2018 Pro 11 was already available and Apple stopped selling teh Pro 10.5 (except for refurbs).

 

[pdoherty]

I wonder if this signals the end of the 11-inch Pro at next revision. The new Air is crazy close in specs and design; there’s little to make the Pro worth hundreds more. Maybe the Pro will be 12.9-inch only in future.

Maybe it means the Pros will be 12.9 and something larger?

 

[macdogpro]

What I understand is:

A12z has more ram, 6gb vs 4gb (Most likely)
A12z also has more gpu cores. 6 vs 4.
same 6 core cpu.

Also, ipad pro has 11 inch and the air 4 has 10,9 (?)
not sure about this last one. CMIIW.

Not so surprise if the A14 is faster tho.
I also suspect the new pro will come out by next March.
just like current imac beats the older imac pro.

at least apple didn’t announce the new ipad pro this year, or that means they f*cked me up like when my newly bought ipad 3 was instantly obsolete by ipad 4 announcement In 2012.

 

[dumastudetto]

I wonder if this signals the end of the 11-inch Pro at next revision. The new Air is crazy close in specs and design; there’s little to make the Pro worth hundreds more. Maybe the Pro will be 12.9-inch only in future.

I'm thinking the new pros next year will be getting a price bump, probably with something new in terms of hardware feature(s) to add some further separation.

 

[dgdosen]

This was a pretty good device - but you need 128GB. The $150 jump to get to 256Gb an awful sacrifice.

 

[Freida]

6 months old device is possibly slower than a brand new one. SHOCKER!

You still have more features than the new Air. Why are you complaining? It was inevitable.

Take a walk and relax. iPad Pro will get it next year with even more powerful chip. Thats how tech WORKS!

I am pi**ed off! Apple just introduced Apple Air that is more powerful than my iPad Pro 2020. Really cannot understand this. They should include Bionic A14 is iPad Pro. What are your thoughts?

 

[Tsepz]

I am pi**ed off! Apple just introduced Apple Air that is more powerful than my iPad Pro 2020. Really cannot understand this. They should include Bionic A14 is iPad Pro. What are your thoughts?

You are incredibly dramatic bud 🤣
Where exactly did they say the A14 is more powerful than the A12Z? In fact they seem to have compared it to the regular A12 and not A13 or A12Z.

Also the new Air does not seem to feature 120Hz ProMotion Display.

Lets wait until we have the full facts because it seems there re some details Apple clearly chose to leave out for specific reasons.

Also has RAM been confirmed? The iPad Pro 2020 has 6GB, I get the feeling this Air will probably have 4GB as the previous had 3GB RAM.

Apple have honestly seemed to have really balanced all of this out nicely.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I actually think buying a refurb 11" Pro is an obviously better choice than the new Air, in terms of bang per buck.

You get:
- FaceID
- 120hz Pro Motion
- 4 speakers
- Better rear cameras and LiDAR
- Better front camera
- More storage
- Higher brightness
- 0.1" larger screen

Also, we don't know about RAM which the Pro still might have more of.

And so far, I haven't come across an app capable of taxing the A12x/z. CPU/GPU power has not ever been a concern on the iPad Pro.

Heck even a first-gen 11" Pro might be the best deal right now. $550 vs. $600, it's not even a contest.

 

[Jára Tyky]

Hey guys. Keep your emotive words like dramatic or “take a walk and relax” for yourself.
You do not know how I mean it. I am not so much into it. It is just a discussion..

 

[Tsepz]

I actually think buying a refurb 11" Pro is an obviously better choice than the new Air, in terms of bang per buck.

You get:
- FaceID
- 120hz Pro Motion
- 4 speakers
- Better rear cameras and LiDAR
- Better front camera
- More storage
- Higher brightness
- 0.1" larger screen

Also, we don't know about RAM which the Pro still might have more of.

And so far, I haven't come across an app capable of taxing the A12x/z. CPU/GPU power has not ever been a concern on the iPad Pro.

Heck even a first-gen 11" Pro might be the best deal right now. $550 vs. $600, it's not even a contest.

Well said. I cannot even imagine going back to TouchID, my 2020 iPad Pro 11” sits next to my laptop while I work and when a notification comes through I simply turn my head to my iPad Pro and it unlocks and I see the notification, also really love how I never have to reach out to my iPad Pro when using it with the keyboard, I simply hit a key and look at it and it unlocks.

The iPad Air 2020 seems to be like a iPad Pro Lite, it’s a perfect blend of iPad and iPad Pro, it is literally the best balanced product in the iPad lineup which is what Apple seem to be going for, while the normal iPad gives you the basics and the Pros go further, the Air sits perfectly in the middle.

 

[oneMadRssn]

The iPad Air 2020 seems to be like a iPad Pro Lite, it’s a perfect blend of iPad and iPad Pro, it is literally the best balanced product in the iPad lineup which is what Apple seem to be going for, while the normal iPad gives you the basics and the Pros go further, the Air sits perfectly in the middle.

I agree except for price. That's where the Air is a bit off and much closer to Pro territory.

The jump from regular iPad to Air is $320 to $600, which is a $280 jump, or 87.5% increase. That's a big jump.
The jump from Air to 11" Pro is $600 to $800, which is a $200 jump, or a 33% increase. That one is more understandable.

I think crossing that $500 threshold might be a mistake. This thing will be under fewer Christmas trees because of that psychological barrier alone.

 

[Jára Tyky]

Well said. I cannot even imagine going back to TouchID, my 2020 iPad Pro 11” sits next to my laptop while I work and when a notification comes through I simply turn my head to my iPad Pro and it unlocks and I see the notification, also really love how I never have to reach out to my iPad Pro when using it with the keyboard, I simply hit a key and look at it and it unlocks.

The iPad Air 2020 seems to be like a iPad Pro Lite, it’s a perfect blend of iPad and iPad Pro, it is literally the best balanced product in the iPad lineup which is what Apple seem to be going for, while the normal iPad gives you the basics and the Pros go further, the Air sits perfectly in the middle.

Haha. Instead of turning your head to see notification on iPad Pro while you are on laptop, you just maybe need a Macbook

 

[Tsepz]

Haha. Instead of turning your head to see notification on iPad Pro while you are on laptop, you just maybe need a Macbook

I’ve been telling my company that for months lol, I hate their Windows laptops.

 

[BigMcGuire]

If I had to buy an iPad right now? (As a 2018 iPad Pro 11 owner) - I'd get the Air - no questions asked.

 

[EugW]

If I had to buy an iPad right now? (As a 2018 iPad Pro 11 owner) - I'd get the Air - no questions asked.

It's a good product, although the 20% price increase surprised me a little. I was expecting a 10% price increase.

For me though, it's mini-LED or bust. Otherwise I don't see much point in updating from my 2017 iPad Pro 10.5" for my usage.

I also want to get one with cellular, and if I'm getting cellular, I may as well get 5G. It looks like I'll probably be waiting until late winter 2021 or else spring 2021.

 

[Jára Tyky]

I’ve been telling my company that for months lol, I hate their Windows laptops.

Same here. But I have my private MacBook Pro.. which has no usage because I can not work on it 😃

 

[rui no onna]

I agree except for price. That's where the Air is a bit off and much closer to Pro territory.

The jump from regular iPad to Air is $320 to $600, which is a $280 jump, or 87.5% increase. That's a big jump.
The jump from Air to 11" Pro is $600 to $800, which is a $200 jump, or a 20% increase. That one is more understandable.

I think crossing that $500 threshold might be a mistake. This thing will be under fewer Christmas trees because of that psychological barrier alone.

The $200 jump is more like a 33% increase than 20%. The thing here is the Air 4 itself has gotten very close to iPad Pro territory. There's much fewer reasons to pay the extra $200 now than there was the $300 for Air 3 to Pro.

I agree about the $500 threshold though.

 

[James Godfrey]

So with the 11” Pro (£769 base) vs iPad Air (£579), what does an extra £190 get you.

-Slightly larger screen
-Face ID
-Quad Speakers (not Dual)
-120Hz Promotion Display
-Double the storage
-Better cameras
-Better microphones
-Thinner device
-Brighter screen
-LiDAR
-Probably similar chip performance A14/A12Z (the A12Z will likely be better for multi-tasking)

Anyone who has the 11” Pro right now, just think you have enjoyed that device for however long you have had it already, and everything is better about it over the new air except that the air will perform a bit better at doing single tasks, but your pro will perform a lot better at multitasking.

IMO, the extra £190 currently for the PRO vs the AIR is still worth it, and a refurb 2018 pro will bring you even better value over the current AIR...

PLUS, let’s be honest here, not many people who purchase the AIR at £579 are going to splash out over half of that on the magic keyboard and get the full experience of their iPad.