iPad Pro M1 iPad Pro...why?

[Ludatyk]

I just think that anyone expecting WWDC to bring about significant changes to iPadOS (some are even speculating if macOS will come to the iPad) will be didisappointed.

I'm not expecting macOS to come to the iPad, even Apple has already acknowledged that macOS will not come to the iPad. However, I do expect significant changes to iPadOS... redesigned HomeScreen? Yup. Features that take advantage of the M1 chip on the new iPad Pros? Yup. I won't even care to look at reviews come Friday for the new iPad Pro... it won't mean much.

These new iPad Pros were designed specifically with iPadOS 15 in mind... so, come mid May when it arrives... we all will be waiting in a couple weeks for June to actually see what vision Apple has for it.

 

[pdoherty]

Somehow, I don't think anyone is complaining about getting the M1 over an A14x.

I just think that anyone expecting WWDC to bring about significant changes to iPadOS (some are even speculating if macOS will come to the iPad) will be disappointed.

Probably not, but it would be interesting to see how the A14X and M1 compared performance-wise, even if only on paper.

 

[rui no onna]

Probably not, but it would be interesting to see how the A14X and M1 compared performance-wise, even if only on paper.

If you go by the difference between A12 and A12X/Z, the M1 is pretty much A14X/Z just branded differently. You might even consider the A12Z as M0 since that's what Apple used in the DTK Mac Mini.


A12: 2 big + 4 LITTLE

A12X/Z: 4 big + 4 LITTLE


A14: 2 big + 4 LITTLE

M1: 4 big + 4 LITTLE


If you compare single-core performance of the A14 and M1, they're almost identical barring minor difference due to clockspeed: A14 3.0GHz vs M1 3.2GHz.

 

[Never mind]

 

[subjonas]

Yeah I was supposed to write “default apps for all file types and support for all file sizes”. I have found problems with moving large files in the Files app.

Either way, you can already open files that are in iCloud without moving them into the app you are using. So it is possible for them to have a local area with the same function where you do not have to copy files between apps. With default apps that would probably work very well.

Yeah I heard it was possible awhile back, but maybe the apps I use just don’t support it...

 

[subjonas]

Somehow, I don't think anyone is complaining about getting the M1 over an A14x.

I just think that anyone expecting WWDC to bring about significant changes to iPadOS (some are even speculating if macOS will come to the iPad) will be disappointed.

People have expected a lot and been disappointed pretty much every WWDC since the iPad launched. I’ve come to expect this cycle will never end ?. But I suppose there’s always the chance it might...

 

[Ludatyk]

People have expected a lot and been disappointed pretty much every WWDC since the iPad launched. I’ve come to expect this cycle will never end ?.

Eh, if I been disappointed with every WWDC announcement for the iPad... I'll become disinterested in having an iPad .

 

[tollickd]

Personally I think Apple is going to let desktop apps work of iPadOS.

 

[subjonas]

Eh, if I been disappointed with every WWDC announcement for the iPad... I'll become disinterested in having an iPad .

It would be interesting to know what people who have been disappointed year after year have decided to do—keep hoping, change up their expectations, or abandon iPad altogether.
Personally, I don’t have any expectations about the iPad’s future outside of Apple’s statements, so WWDC has been just nice surprises for me.

 

[Ludatyk]

Personally, I don’t have any expectations about the iPad’s future outside of Apple’s statements, so WWDC has been just nice surprises for me.

I think most people share your sentiments… as noted in the YT video @Never mind posted. He echoed the thoughts of most iPad users.

Majority use the iPad as a source for media consumption… that’s why it boggled everyone mind with the idea of putting 16GBs RAM on an iPad. I kinda understand his viewpoint on why buy the new 11” iPad Pro if that person‘s plan is media consumption, potential buyers are better off buying the iPad Air 4. At this point, the most logical purchase is the new 12.9“ iPad Pro…. And even that’s a stretch, but there’s no equivalent. Unless one tries to buy the 2020/2018 12.9” iPad Pro.

 

[rui no onna]

People have expected a lot and been disappointed pretty much every WWDC since the iPad launched. I’ve come to expect this cycle will never end ?. But I suppose there’s always the chance it might...

I guess I'm coming from the other side with low expectations.

I never expected to see a Files app, external storage support and mouse support on the iPad. I didn't expect to see 16GB RAM on iPads until another 10 years. I didn't expect the x86-ARM transition to happen so quickly and go relatively smoothly.

I've seen posts suggesting this could've been done 5-6 years ago with the 1st gen iPad Pro. However, at the time A9X just reached parity with 2-3 year old Intel desktop chips. RAM was a measly 4GB while my Ivy and Haswell builds were already 16GB with Firefox and Chrome regularly using more than half. Base storage was a paltry 32GB and while storage speeds saw a major improvement over the previous generation's eMMC particularly in terms of sequential performance, it was basically still at mechanical HDD level for random access.

I'm a bit more optimistic now because the building blocks are there in a way they haven't been for older iPad Pros. I don't expect to see macOS running on iPads anytime soon. macOS apps while in docked mode, though? It's actually feasible now.

Regardless, I'm buying the 2021 Pro for what it can do now (mainly 1TB storage, 5G and less reloads/smoother operation compared to my 4GB RAM 2017 Pro). If it does more in the future (whether that be iPadOS 15 or later), then that's just a very, very, very nice bonus.

As far as pricing, it's not even that expensive compared to the 2018 iPad Pro.

2018 iPad Pro 12.9 Launch Prices

Wi-Fi models:
64 GB – US$999
256 GB – US$1,149
512 GB – US$1,349
1024 GB – US$1,749

Wi-Fi + Cellular models:
64 GB – US$1,149
256 GB – US$1,299
512 GB – US$1,499
1024 GB – US$1,899


2021 iPad Pro 12.9 Launch Prices

Wi-Fi models:
128 GB – US$1,099
256 GB – US$1,199
512 GB – US$1,399
1024 GB – US$1,799
2048 GB – US$$2,199

Wi-Fi + Cellular models:
128 GB – US$1,299
256 GB – US$1,399
512 GB – US$1,599
1024 GB – US$1,999
2048 GB – US$2,399

 

[Digitalguy]

I guess I'm coming from the other side with low expectations.

I never expected to see a Files app, external storage support and mouse support on the iPad. I didn't expect to see 16GB RAM on iPads until another 10 years. I didn't expect the x86-ARM transition to happen so quickly and go relatively smoothly.

I've seen posts suggesting this could've been done 5-6 years ago with the 1st gen iPad Pro. However, at the time A9X just reached parity with 2-3 year old Intel desktop chips. RAM was a measly 4GB while my Ivy and Haswell builds were already 16GB with Firefox and Chrome regularly using more than half. Base storage was a paltry 32GB and while storage speeds saw a major improvement over the previous generation's eMMC particularly in terms of sequential performance, it was basically still at mechanical HDD level for random access.

I'm a bit more optimistic now because the building blocks are there in a way they haven't been for older iPad Pros. I don't expect to see macOS running on iPads anytime soon. macOS apps while in docked mode, though? It's actually feasible now.

Regardless, I'm buying the 2021 Pro for what it can do now (mainly 1TB storage, 5G and less reloads/smoother operation compared to my 4GB RAM 2017 Pro). If it does more in the future (whether that be iPadOS 15 or later), then that's just a very, very, very nice bonus.

As far as pricing, it's not even that expensive compared to the 2018 iPad Pro.

2018 iPad Pro 12.9 Launch Prices

Wi-Fi models:
64 GB – US$999
256 GB – US$1,149
512 GB – US$1,349
1024 GB – US$1,749

Wi-Fi + Cellular models:
64 GB – US$1,149
256 GB – US$1,299
512 GB – US$1,499
1024 GB – US$1,899


2021 iPad Pro 12.9 Launch Prices

Wi-Fi models:
128 GB – US$1,099
256 GB – US$1,199
512 GB – US$1,399
1024 GB – US$1,799
2048 GB – US$$2,199

Wi-Fi + Cellular models:
128 GB – US$1,299
256 GB – US$1,399
512 GB – US$1,599
1024 GB – US$1,999
2048 GB – US$2,399

People tend to forget that back in 2018 Apple was already making you pay $400 more for the 1TB model with "only" 50% more RAM, which makes the 2021 1TB only $50 more for the 12.9 and actually cheaper for the 11pro if I remember correctly....

 

[Cheffy Dave]

So the new 12.9 looks great, hardware wise. M1, mini-LED, thunderbolt.

But why? Everything is still limited by iPadOS. No new pro app announcements. No new capabilities. Basically this iPad can do everything the 2020 iPad Pro 12.9 does, but slightly faster and brighter.

Only reason I would upgrade is if someone could find a way to virtualize macOS and I could run Xcode there, while still using iPadOS for everything else...

Patience Grasshopper!?

 

[Chloros]

tldr from the mac lemmings posting here....buy now and hope that WWDC makes it worth it. Great minds here....Apple loves you

 

[torxcrossword]

Would love if Apple built a macOS VM (or allowed Parallels and/or VMWare to do so) on ipadOS (and even iOS).

 

[darngooddesign]

I'm not expecting Apple to bring Big Sur to the M1 iPads this year; however, I am expecting Jailbreakers to do that.

 

[canyonblue737]

m1x might happen with MacBook pros and iMacs Pro during summer. Autumn will start the cycle again with new m2 on low end.

I get that but it might get confused and ruffle feathers if it is branded that way. For the most part people don't pay attention to the processor in their mobile devices, instead focusing on how new phones or iPads can do more "things". With computers historically much emphasis is placed on new processors, speed etc. and obviously for now Apple has focused on this with the M1 in a big way marketing wise. If the "high end" iMac and Macbook Pro computers implement a M1X with many more cores and speed to justify their inevitably higher prices I think people will feel burned if months later the low end devices get the M2. It may turn out the "regular" M2 is slower than the M1X but it just looks bad and I don't think Apple does that. My prediction? The high end devices GET the M2 this year, no X branded anything anymore (even if the M2 is based on the M1 and is essentially an M1X). I then think Apple will NOT update the low end devices (which are plenty fast) until AFTER the high end get updated from the M2 -> M4. Then the low end devices will get an M3... or perhaps the high end devices go M2 -> M3 then the low end devices get the M2.

Bottom line is I think Apple will want to avoid low end devices being sold with what "appears" to be a newer processor in number than the high end devices currently on sale at the same time. Apple has always tried to do this, the only recent exception was the last 6 months when the iPad Air 4 had the A14 and the 2020 iPad Pros had the A12X (arguably the A12X is the better processor in many things, not all things).

 

[Ludatyk]

Bottom line is I think Apple will want to avoid low end devices being sold with what "appears" to be a newer processor in number than the high end devices currently on sale at the same time. Apple has always tried to do this, the only recent exception was the last 6 months when the iPad Air 4 had the A14 and the 2020 iPad Pros had the A12X (arguably the A12X is the better processor in many things, not all things).

TBH, I don't think it's that deep. There are other factors involved when looking at iPads not just the processor. Screen, camera and other miscellaneous tech can attribute to differences in iPads

As much as we criticize Apple on their pricing... they are meticulous on how their devices match up in the lineup. Only critic I have with Apple is the pricing of the Pad Mini next to the iPad. One would assume the iPad Mini should be $329 and the iPad at $399.

 

[cupcakes2000]

I get that but it might get confused and ruffle feathers if it is branded that way. For the most part people don't pay attention to the processor in their mobile devices, instead focusing on how new phones or iPads can do more "things". With computers historically much emphasis is placed on new processors, speed etc. and obviously for now Apple has focused on this with the M1 in a big way marketing wise. If the "high end" iMac and Macbook Pro computers implement a M1X with many more cores and speed to justify their inevitably higher prices I think people will feel burned if months later the low end devices get the M2. It may turn out the "regular" M2 is slower than the M1X but it just looks bad and I don't think Apple does that. My prediction? The high end devices GET the M2 this year, no X branded anything anymore (even if the M2 is based on the M1 and is essentially an M1X). I then think Apple will NOT update the low end devices (which are plenty fast) until AFTER the high end get updated from the M2 -> M4. Then the low end devices will get an M3... or perhaps the high end devices go M2 -> M3 then the low end devices get the M2.

Bottom line is I think Apple will want to avoid low end devices being sold with what "appears" to be a newer processor in number than the high end devices currently on sale at the same time. Apple has always tried to do this, the only recent exception was the last 6 months when the iPad Air 4 had the A14 and the 2020 iPad Pros had the A12X (arguably the A12X is the better processor in many things, not all things).

Or their high end soc has a different prefix entirely. A series, M series and ? series.

 

[rui no onna]

TBH, I don't think it's that deep. There are other factors involved when looking at iPads not just the processor. Screen, camera and other miscellaneous tech can attribute to differences in iPads

As much as we criticize Apple on their pricing... they are meticulous on how their devices match up in the lineup. Only critic I have with Apple is the pricing of the Pad Mini next to the iPad. One would assume the iPad Mini should be $329 and the iPad at $399.

iPad mini 5 has a laminated display which actually has a higher 326 ppi pixel density. I don't think Apple has ever gone below $399 for laminated.

Indeed, when Apple released the iPad mini 4 A8/2GB, it was at the same price as the iPad Air 2 A8X/2GB which got a $100 price reduction.

 

[rui no onna]

Bottom line is I think Apple will want to avoid low end devices being sold with what "appears" to be a newer processor in number than the high end devices currently on sale at the same time. Apple has always tried to do this, the only recent exception was the last 6 months when the iPad Air 4 had the A14 and the 2020 iPad Pros had the A12X (arguably the A12X is the better processor in many things, not all things).

I wouldn't say the A12X/Z is better in many ways. Just that for the entire iPad package, the 2020 Pro has a lot going for it that's not on the Air 4.

Apple has usually managed to avoid this scenario. I guess the timing just didn't work out with in this instance. Chipsets on lower end iPads may have nipped at the Pro's heels on occasion but I believe Air 4 is the first time a lower end model had a newer CPU than high end.

 

[canyonblue737]

I wouldn't say the A12X/Z is better in many ways. Just that for the entire iPad package, the 2020 Pro has a lot going for it that's not on the Air 4.

Apple has usually managed to avoid this scenario. I guess the timing just didn't work out with in this instance. Chipsets on lower end iPads may have nipped at the Pro's heels on occasion but I believe Air 4 is the first time a lower end model had a newer CPU than high end.

the 12X significantly beats the 14 in GPU scores while remaining competitive (but trailing) in CPU scores. not sure what that means other than the waters are muddy. apple fixed it all with the M1 in the new Pros which crush everything obviously. you are absolutely right apple hates these scenarios so i think this was a bit of a one off.

 

[LogicalApex]

I get that but it might get confused and ruffle feathers if it is branded that way. For the most part people don't pay attention to the processor in their mobile devices, instead focusing on how new phones or iPads can do more "things". With computers historically much emphasis is placed on new processors, speed etc. and obviously for now Apple has focused on this with the M1 in a big way marketing wise. If the "high end" iMac and Macbook Pro computers implement a M1X with many more cores and speed to justify their inevitably higher prices I think people will feel burned if months later the low end devices get the M2. It may turn out the "regular" M2 is slower than the M1X but it just looks bad and I don't think Apple does that. My prediction? The high end devices GET the M2 this year, no X branded anything anymore (even if the M2 is based on the M1 and is essentially an M1X). I then think Apple will NOT update the low end devices (which are plenty fast) until AFTER the high end get updated from the M2 -> M4. Then the low end devices will get an M3... or perhaps the high end devices go M2 -> M3 then the low end devices get the M2.

Bottom line is I think Apple will want to avoid low end devices being sold with what "appears" to be a newer processor in number than the high end devices currently on sale at the same time. Apple has always tried to do this, the only recent exception was the last 6 months when the iPad Air 4 had the A14 and the 2020 iPad Pros had the A12X (arguably the A12X is the better processor in many things, not all things).

I'm interested in seeing where WWDC goes. We might not see MX hitting mid and lower tier devices for a very long time. It is possible that the M processor line will be limited to the Pro to allow it a better differentiation and exclusive "Pro" features like whatever they may do in regards to macOS. This would help them limit any potential sales impacts since the new iPad Pro is priced in line with Macs, but lower tier iPads are priced considerably lower.

 

[canyonblue737]

I'm interested in seeing where WWDC goes. We might not see MX hitting mid and lower tier devices for a very long time. It is possible that the M processor line will be limited to the Pro to allow it a better differentiation and exclusive "Pro" features like whatever they may do in regards to macOS. This would help them limit any potential sales impacts since the new iPad Pro is priced in line with Macs, but lower tier iPads are priced considerably lower.

oh i agree, everything i mentioned was in regards to low / mid / high level MACS. I agree the M series processors will be put in ONLY the iPad Pros for years to come, while the rest of the iPad lineup focuses on using the mobile A series processors which are nearly as capable anyway.

 

[subjonas]

Or their high end soc has a different prefix entirely. A series, M series and ? series.

I lean toward this, a new letter series. M1x is possible but I’d think Apple wants more distinction.
But I’m sure not M2. M will likely continue to be the chip series for lower wattage devices, higher end devices will almost certainly make use of higher wattage. And I don’t see how they can use one chip series with one naming scheme for two different wattage category devices.