iPad Pro M4 iPad Pro pricing looks much worse in retrospect

[throAU]

The biggest price increase didn’t even come from tandem OLED. The largest increase was back in 2018 when Apple simply began positioning iPad Pro as another type of computer. The product steadily bumped in price from $749, $799, $999, $1,099, to $1,299.

I think that you are seriously underestimating the cost of the processor and screen in the current design. The price has gone up over the years, yes. But the technology has advanced FAR beyond the rate at which the other iPads have.

If you're wanting to cry about the price of the iPad Pro - how about you have a look at the price of the iPhone Pro - which has massively inferior processor, less RAM, inferior screen, much smaller screen, smaller battery, no stylus support, etc.

 

[Digitalguy]

I think that you are seriously underestimating the cost of the processor and screen in the current design. The price has gone up over the years, yes. But the technology has advanced FAR beyond the rate at which the other iPads have.

If you're wanting to cry about the price of the iPad Pro - how about you have a look at the price of the iPhone Pro - which has massively inferior processor, less RAM, inferior screen, much smaller screen, smaller battery, no stylus support, etc.

yeah and if you look at what is today the real equivalent of the 13 iPad pro, the iPhone pro Max, price from the equivalent of the 2015 iPad pro back then (iPhone 6s plus) has increased by the same amount, 60%....

 

[Zaydax333]

The iPad Pro has a revolutionary, high cost screen that is better than anything available on any MacBook.

SO MUCH this. The tandem OLED display is SUPER new and better than the screen in the MBPs and is not manufactured in large quantities right now.

Also, as others have said, it has Face ID and a whole rear camera module with LiDAR and it's a touch screen.

All that aside, I will say I am surprised they didn't sneakily update the iPad Pros to ship with 16GB RAM standard like their laptops in the previous flurry of updates. Even the $999 M2 MacBook Air has 16GB RAM standard now.

 

[Rychiar]

iPad Pro is never worth that kinda money. I bought an iPad Pro 13 M1 last year for $650 on eBay. that's by far the most I'd pay for an iPad. there just isn't much serious use case.

 

[GusBougadis]

As an M4 iPad Pro owner, I can't get past the idea I have been had...

The 14" M4 MacBook Pro (great screen, speakers, monitor support, etc), with 16GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, cots $1,599.

The 13" M4 iPad Pro with 8 GB of Ram and 512GB of storage costs $1,399 - before factoring in the cost of the keyboard case. The keyboard case is $329, so total cost is above the MacBook Pro in most realistic scenarios. It is difficult to argue that the iPad Pro is a better, more technically advanced product than the MacBook Pro.

Then you have options like the iPad Air, which can do 95% (or realistically 100%) of what an iPad Pro can do at much lower prices. As someone who does need to have an access to an iPad for work, the Pro doesn't offer that much over the Air.

I like the iPad Pro but not sure if I will buy another one at full MSRP ever again. More and more, these days, I am finding more value with some of Apple's base model configurations, often in the non "Pro" lines. The exception nowadays is that base M4 MacBook Pro, which is now excellent

The iPad Pro has a better App Store, Face ID, better gaming too. I would swap my MacBook Air for an iPad Pro. You could have waited for Black Friday if you feel like you got ripped off. Everyone is different, but, I use my iPad a lot more than my MacBook Air. I think I could get by without Mac OS.

 

[NastyMatt]

Lord have mercy… another thread comparing the iPad to a MacBook.

They are not the same and they were both available when you made your purchase decision. So you’ve not been “had”.

 

[sparksd]

iPad Pro is never worth that kinda money. I bought an iPad Pro 13 M1 last year for $650 on eBay. that's by far the most I'd pay for an iPad. there just isn't much serious use case.

May be true for you but is not universally so.

 

[Rychiar]

May be true for you but is not universally so.

drawing alone is the only think that makes it worthwhile over a MacBook and older models draw just as well 🤷‍♂️ the m4 even gimps the camera the previous gen had.

 

[sparksd]

drawing alone is the only think that makes it worthwhile over a MacBook and older models draw just as well 🤷‍♂️ the m4 even gimps the camera the previous gen had.

Whatever works for you.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

One has to consider the upfront price with respect to the longevity of the device. iPads last such a long time. If my 1TB M4 lasts as long as my 2020 Pro did, it's only $400 a year, except I expect this new model to last a good deal longer due to the ridiculously powerful chip and memory arrangement.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Tech will constantly improve and lower in price.

If we compare iPhone 6S Plus (2015) and iPhone 16 Plus today, can you count the differences? RAM has quadrupled, bigger OLED, 5G, cameras, UWB, satellite, etc. Yet, the price has only increased by $150.

iPhone 6S Plus - $749
iPhone 16 Plus - $899

With iPad Pro, Apple clearly pulled the price lever up to significantly beef up their margins. The keyboard accessory says it all. The 12.9-inch device itself has undergone a 60% price increase. Few other Apple products have undergone that level of change.

You don’t seem to understand how inflation works.
Yes, the iPhone 6S+ was $749… in 2015.
But that is absolutely not worth the same money in 2024.
Adjusted for inflation, that iPhone 6S+ would be $997.53 today, or almost $100 cheaper than the iPhone 16+.
Same thing goes for the keyboard and the original iPad Pro, while todays MKB and 13 inch iPad Pro are absolutely more expensive than they were in 2015, adjusted for inflation It is not that much.
Adjust both the $799 iPad and the $169 keyboard with inflation and we’re talking about $1300 in today’s money.
Plus, today the iPad lineup is way wider than it was in 2015.
Today you can get a 13 inch iPad Air, a magic keyboard and an Apple Pencil for under $1200.
In fact, today, you can get an iPad 10 and an Apple Pencil USB together for $430, something that absolutely was not possible in 2015 because the iPad Pro was the only one that supported the pencil and it only came in the 12.9 inch size.

 

[TechnoMonk]

iPad Pro is never worth that kinda money. I bought an iPad Pro 13 M1 last year for $650 on eBay. that's by far the most I'd pay for an iPad. there just isn't much serious use case.

Never? You bought a device that will be obsolete and out of support in a year or two. For a device that is almost 4 years old, 650 is a lot. Meanwhile I made lot of money using my M1 iPad Pro. Several times more than what I paid. If you are using iPad to watch YouTube videos I get it. It’s a toy for you.

 

[anirudthelinuxwizard]

This is why I have a 9th gen iPad I bought in 2021 I'll be keeping for 10+ years. A tablet is used for little more then web browsing and watching YouTube for me so there is no use in buying some fancy Pro model that will become obselete around the same time.

 

[Rychiar]

Never? You bought a device that will be obsolete and out of support in a year or two. For a device that is almost 4 years old, 650 is a lot. Meanwhile I made lot of money using my M1 iPad Pro. Several times more than what I paid. If you are using iPad to watch YouTube videos I get it. It’s a toy for you.

I bought it like 6 months after the m2 came out🤷‍♂️ I was upgrading from an air 2. hopefully this will last a decade like that did. unless you draw, it is mostly a toy or an extra screen. At work I use a 2018 iPad Pro but just to take photos of things and measure them using markup or occasionally to screen mirror photoshop into it and do some detail work.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I bought it like 6 months after the m2 came out🤷‍♂️ I was upgrading from an air 2. hopefully this will last a decade like that did. unless you draw, it is mostly a toy or an extra screen. At work I use a 2018 iPad Pro but just to take photos of things and measure them using markup or occasionally to screen mirror photoshop into it and do some detail work.

You need to expand your horizon, or stop making blanket statements.

 

[sparksd]

You need to expand your horizon, or stop making blanket statements.

A lot of those in these threads. "It's not useful for me so it's not useful for anyone. I speak for all."

 

[JPack]

You don’t seem to understand how inflation works.
Yes, the iPhone 6S+ was $749… in 2015.
But that is absolutely not worth the same money in 2024.
Adjusted for inflation, that iPhone 6S+ would be $997.53 today, or almost $100 cheaper than the iPhone 16+.
Same thing goes for the keyboard and the original iPad Pro, while todays MKB and 13 inch iPad Pro are absolutely more expensive than they were in 2015, adjusted for inflation It is not that much.
Adjust both the $799 iPad and the $169 keyboard with inflation and we’re talking about $1300 in today’s money.
Plus, today the iPad lineup is way wider than it was in 2015.
Today you can get a 13 inch iPad Air, a magic keyboard and an Apple Pencil for under $1200.
In fact, today, you can get an iPad 10 and an Apple Pencil USB together for $430, something that absolutely was not possible in 2015 because the iPad Pro was the only one that supported the pencil and it only came in the 12.9 inch size.

You’re only adjusting for inflation and assuming technology costs don’t decrease.

Based on your own numbers, iPhone 6S Plus (16GB) in today’s dollars is $997. iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) today is $899.

Is Apple losing money today selling iPhone 16? Of course not. 😆

 

[JPack]

I think that you are seriously underestimating the cost of the processor and screen in the current design. The price has gone up over the years, yes. But the technology has advanced FAR beyond the rate at which the other iPads have.

If you're wanting to cry about the price of the iPad Pro - how about you have a look at the price of the iPhone Pro - which has massively inferior processor, less RAM, inferior screen, much smaller screen, smaller battery, no stylus support, etc.

I don't think so. Prices were high even before Apple added M-series processor and OLED. Apple has been slowly boiling the frog for years.

Mac mini uses the same silicon as iPad Pro, yet prices were cut:

• M1 Mac mini: $699
• M2/M4 Mac mini: $599

Roll back the M4 and OLED and return to 2020, when iPad Pro was still using A12Z with LCD. Apple increased the price to $999.

2015 -> 2020 Price Increase:

• iPhone 6S Plus ($749) -> iPhone 12 ($799) -> 7%
• iPad Pro 12.9 ($749) -> iPad Pro 12.9 ($999) -> 33%

What technology or innovation does iPad Pro 2020 have that makes it worth a 4-5x price increase over iPhone 12?

 

[sparksd]

I don't think so. Prices were high even before Apple added M-series processor and OLED. Apple has been slowly boiling the frog for years.

Mac mini uses the same silicon as iPad Pro, yet prices were cut:

• M1 Mac mini: $699
• M2/M4 Mac mini: $599

Roll back the M4 and OLED and return to 2020, when iPad Pro was still using A12Z with LCD. Apple increased the price to $999.

2015 -> 2020 Price Increase:

• iPhone 6S Plus ($749) -> iPhone 12 ($799) -> 7%
• iPad Pro 12.9 ($749) -> iPad Pro 12.9 ($999) -> 33%

What technology or innovation does iPad Pro 2020 have that makes it worth a 4-5x price increase over iPhone 12?

Just maybe their marketing research told them they could charge that much more and still meet sales targets, the goal being maximize profits.

 

[muzzy996]

Just maybe their marketing research told them they could charge that much more and still meet sales targets, the goal being maximize profits.

Agree. Prices are set for what they feel people will pay. That's about the only way I can see why something like a new Mac Mini with double the base RAM and storage costs the same as two entire base Mac Mini's combined (2x$599=$1198 vs a Mac Mini M4 w/ 32gb of RAM and 512gb of storage for $1199). The same thing goes on in most if not all of their device lineups.

 

[sparksd]

Agree. Prices are set for what they feel people will pay. That's about the only way I can see why something like a new Mac Mini with double the base RAM and storage costs the same as two entire base Mac Mini's combined (2x$599=$1198 vs a Mac Mini M4 w/ 32gb of RAM and 512gb of storage for $1199). The same thing goes on in most if not all of their device lineups.

Yeah, and it's not just Apple. It's just Econ/Capitalism 101.

 

[Blowback]

As an M4 iPad Pro owner, I can't get past the idea I have been had...

The 14" M4 MacBook Pro (great screen, speakers, monitor support, etc), with 16GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, cots $1,599.

The 13" M4 iPad Pro with 8 GB of Ram and 512GB of storage costs $1,399 - before factoring in the cost of the keyboard case. The keyboard case is $329, so total cost is above the MacBook Pro in most realistic scenarios. It is difficult to argue that the iPad Pro is a better, more technically advanced product than the MacBook Pro.

Then you have options like the iPad Air, which can do 95% (or realistically 100%) of what an iPad Pro can do at much lower prices. As someone who does need to have an access to an iPad for work, the Pro doesn't offer that much over the Air.

I like the iPad Pro but not sure if I will buy another one at full MSRP ever again. More and more, these days, I am finding more value with some of Apple's base model configurations, often in the non "Pro" lines. The exception nowadays is that base M4 MacBook Pro, which is now excellent

Obsolescence insurance?

 

[JPack]

Just maybe their marketing research told them they could charge that much more and still meet sales targets, the goal being maximize profits.

Agree. Prices are set for what they feel people will pay. That's about the only way I can see why something like a new Mac Mini with double the base RAM and storage costs the same as two entire base Mac Mini's combined (2x$599=$1198 vs a Mac Mini M4 w/ 32gb of RAM and 512gb of storage for $1199). The same thing goes on in most if not all of their device lineups.

I acknowledged much earlier Apple will charge what the market will bear. They dominate the professional/productivity tablet market with no effective competition. It's a fact.

Unfortunately, instead of recognizing that, some people still have their blinders on.

We see huge tech advances from iPhone 6S Plus to iPhone 16 Plus, yet the price has gone up only 20%. Less if you account for inflation. What tech advances for the same period justify a 60% price bump for iPad Pro 12.9?

I'll continue to buy iPad Pro as needed, but I'm under no pretense the prices are largely attributable to tech advances and not due to shareholder wealth and Apple leadership bonuses.

 

[mansplains]

Not the same.

You're right, I get a bigger screen and my hand doesn't obstruct my illustration. I also have access to all pro apps I need, rather than suffering the limitations on iPadOS.

 

[BeatCrazy]

You're right, I get a bigger screen and my hand doesn't obstruct my illustration. I also have access to all pro apps I need, rather than suffering the limitations on iPadOS.

You also have to lug around another peripheral.

This looks very comfortable to use curled up on the couch to make sketches with! The laptop can go near your feet, and the cord can go next to your left leg.