iPad Pro (2022) was launched in India on Tuesday, powered by the company’s latest M2 chip that featured on the new MacBook Air model launched earlier this year, along with support for 5G connectivity. The Cupertino company also announced the launch of a new, redesigned 10th generation iPad, equipped with the A14 Bionic SoC. The company also unveiled a new Apple TV 4K model with the A15 Bionic chip under the hood, that also powers the company’s latest iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.
On this week’s episode of Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital, host Akhil Arora talks to Executive Editor Jamshed Avari and Reviews Editor Roydon Cerejo about Apple’s latest iPad and iPad Pro models, as well as Jamshed’s thoughts on the iPhone 14 Pro.
While Apple hosted a launch event last month titled ‘Far Out’, where it launched the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro series, there was no launch event for the iPad Pro (2022), the iPad (2022), and the 2022 version of the Apple TV 4K. Akhil asks why Apple didn’t launch these devices last month, and Jamshed responds saying that it may have to do with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and more companies have realised that they can produce more creative presentations.
To people who were present at the event, it was immediately obvious that there wasn’t going to be another event in October for the launch of Apple’s new iPad models, once Apple had already launched the iPhone 14 lineup, along with the Apple Watch Series 8, new Apple Watch Ultra model, and the AirPods Pro 2. Those are products you need to experience hands-on, he explains.
iPhone 14 Pro Review: Islands in the Screen
Roydon says that the new, 10th generation iPad model was expected to replace the previous generation iPad with the older design, but Apple decided to keep the iPad (2021) around. This makes sense, he says, as there was a huge price difference between the 9th generation iPad and the iPad Air (2022).
While Jamshed points out that the company has increased the price of the 9th generation iPad, which now costs Rs. 3,000 more than its previous price, Roydon says the newly launched iPad offers a modern design with a moderate amount of power. Akhil agrees, saying he’s still waiting for a 12.9-inch iPad model that doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of the iPad Pro models.
The iPad (2022) comes with one notable improvement, with Apple adding a USB Type-C port on the tablet. However, if you’re upgrading from an older iPad and want to use a first-generation Apple Pencil, you’ll need to use a Lightning to USB Type-C adapter cable.
Jamshed also points out that the keyboard accessory comes with a full function row, while Akhil notes that the iPad models come with a landscape-oriented camera. This might be part of Apple’s move to promote the iPad as a productivity device, that could come in handy for remote learning.
iPad Pro With Apple M2 SoC, Mini-LED Display, 5G Connectivity Launched in India
Roydon says that it might make sense for Apple to launch an “SE model” of the iPad mini, which used to be a much affordable device. Jamshed says that he remembers the first-generation iPad mini being on sale for around Rs. 15,000 in India, years after the second-generation iPad mini went on sale in India. An iPad priced between Rs. 19,000 to Rs. 23,000 would have sold very well, he says, but Apple doesn’t seem to be interested.
This year, Apple also introduced a new Apple TV 4K model, powered by the A15 Bionic SoC. This is a powerful chipset from 2021 that is also found on Apple’s latest iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus smartphones. The Apple TV 4K (2022) is also available at Rs. 14,900, which is much lower than the previous model, that was priced at Rs. 18,900 when it was launched in India.
We’ve also heard rumours that Apple is working on an extremely affordable style dongle-style streaming device, which could compete with Google’s Chromecast models and Amazon’s Fire TV Stick devices. But, as Jamshed points out, Apple then has to decide how low the price can go, there’s a cutoff point below which the experience doesn’t meet Apple’s standards for its brand, he adds.
Jamshed recently reviewed the iPhone 14 Pro, and the review is now live on Gadgets 360. The biggest change to Apple’s flagship model this year is the new camera system on the smartphone with a 48-megapixel primary sensor, and the new Dynamic Island design around the ‘pill and hole punch cutout’ on the display.
Is the Dynamic Island everything that Apple is touting it to be? Jamshed says that at this point, it appears to be a complete distraction. Whether he was gaming, scrolling through feeds or sorting emails, there was a constant animated waveform, which really irritated him, he said. It does disappear on full screen apps, though, he says.
Apple Unveils Redesigned iPad With 10.9-inch Screen, No Home Button, USB Type-C
For users who really care a lot of about photos and videos, the iPhone 14 Pro may be a better choice. For a lot of people spending this much money, the price difference for storage configurations might be worth considering. On the other hand, the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14 might be the most underwhelming generation-to-generation upgrade, Jamshed adds.
You can listen to all of that in detail and more in our episode by hitting the play button on the Spotify player embedded above.
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