Apple launches new iPads, apps and accessories aimed at media creators: Here’s what you need to know: Digital Photography Review

At its “Let Loose” event on Tuesday, Apple announced new products, apps, and accessories aimed at content creators and multimedia users. Whether you’re a photographer, videographer, or even a video editor, there’s a lot that’s new. Here’s a rundown of the day’s announcements.

iPad Pro

The headline feature of the latest iPad Pro is its new OLED display, which promises to deliver deeper blacks and brighter whites for photo and video applications, resulting in improved contrast, better motion processing and improved HDR.

Apple says that standard OLED screens don’t produce the levels of brightness required for its XDR display technology, so the iPad Pro’s OLED screen employs a feature Apple calls “Tandem OLED,” which uses two OLED panels and combines the light from both.

The result is a screen that produces 1000 nits of full-screen brightness, with up to 1600 nits of peak brightness for HDR. This matches the numbers for the previous 13″ iPad Pro (which used a mini-LED panel) but significantly improves upon the previous 11″ model, which maxed out at 600 nits.

Apple’s newest iPad Pro models incorporate “Tandem OLED” displays that combine the light from two OLED panels to generate enough brightness for Apple’s XDR display. Image: Apple

For the first time, the iPad Pro’s screen includes a nano-texture glass option, which does a better job of maintaining image quality and contrast while reducing glare and which Apple says should provide a better experience for people using color-managed workflows or those who work in bright conditions with light and reflections.

The new iPad Pro is the first device to use Apple’s newest M4 processor, skipping over the M3 generation entirely and seeing a big jump in processing power. Apple claims the M4 delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance than the previous M2-based iPad Pros and up to 4x the rendering performance of the M2.

“The new iPad Pro is the first device to use Apple’s newest M4 processor, skipping over the M3 generation entirely”

The M4 also received an update to its Neural Engine, which is dedicated to AI processing. Apple claims it delivers faster performance than neural processing units in any PC and can support AI-based features in applications, citing the example of using AI in Final Cut Pro to isolate the subject from a 4K video clip at the tap of a button.

The iPad Pro receives a design makeover as well. To start, the front-facing camera has been moved from the short edge of the device to the long edge, making it much more usable in landscape view. Considering that Apple has often positioned the iPad as a possible laptop replacement, complete with detachable keyboards, this makes a lot of sense. In fact, it’s surprising it took this long.

The new 11″ iPad Pro is just 5.3mm (0.21″) thick, compared to 5.9mm on the previous 11″ model, and weighs in at 444g (0.98 lbs), 22g lighter than its predecessor.

The new iPad Pro models are even thinner than their predecessors. Image: Apple

The new 13″ iPad Pro is even thinner at 5.1mm (0.20″), compared to 6.4mm for the previous 13″ model, which represents an impressive 20% decrease in thickness. (Who says Apple isn’t obsessed with making things thin?) It weighs 579g (1.28 lbs), compared to 682g on the previous model, a 15% drop.

Despite reduced weight and size, Apple says the new iPad Pros deliver the same level of battery performance as their predecessors thanks to the increased power efficiency of the M4 chip and that the new processor can deliver the same performance as the M2-based iPad Pros with just half the power.

Finally, the new models double the base-level storage to 256GB, with storage options up to 2TB. The 11″ model starts at $999, and the 13″ model starts at $1299.

Final Cut Pro 2 for iPad

Apple also announced Final Cut Pro 2 for iPad, the first major update since the application debuted a year ago. The new version adds external project support, allowing editors to create or open projects on an external storage device like an SSD. This makes it possible to start a project on an iPad and later bring it into Final Cut Pro on a Mac if desired.

Final Cut Pro 2 for iPad includes support for live multi-camera recording. Image: Apple

The other significant feature in Final Cut Pro 2 is Live Multicam, which allows users to connect and preview up to four iPhone or iPad cameras live for multi-camera recording and editing. When using Live Multicam, Final Cut Pro will automatically transfer and sync video from each connected device to simplify a multi-camera workflow.

As with the original version of Final Cut Pro for iPad, the new version has a subscription model that costs $5/month or $49/year.

Final Cut Camera

In addition to Final Cut Pro 2, Apple introduced a free app called Final Cut Camera, which can be used with the new Live Multicam feature in Final Cut Pro 2. Final Cut Camera includes monitoring tools like zebras and audio meters, and allows users to adjust settings like white balance, ISO and shutter speed, and supports manual focus.

The Final Cut Camera app provides more granular controls than Apple’s built-in camera app. Image: Apple

Final Cut Camera isn’t limited to integration with Final Cut Pro. It can also be used as a standalone app for shooting video, providing much more granular control than Apple’s built-in camera app and potentially creating some new competition for advanced third-party video recording apps like Blackmagic Camera or Filmic Pro.

iPad Air

For users who may not need or want all the features offered by the iPad Pro, Apple also unveiled new iPad Air models. Most noteworthy is the addition of a new 13″ iPad Air. Apple says it added the larger model based on the fact that roughly half of iPad Pro users choose the 13″ screen size.

The iPad Air now includes 11″ and 13″ models. Image: Apple

The updated iPad Air models are built around Apple’s M2 processor, which Apple claims results in 50% faster performance than the previous M1 model.

Like the iPad Pro, the iPad Air sees the front-facing camera move to the long edge of the device to better support camera use in landscape mode. Also, like the iPad Pro, base storage has doubled and now starts at 128GB with options up to 1TB.

The new iPad Air is compatible with accessories like Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil. The 11″ iPad Air starts at $599, while the 13″ model starts at $799.

Accessories

Along with new iPads and apps, Apple updated one popular accessory, the Magic Keyboard, and introduced a second, the Apple Pencil Pro.

The new Magic Keyboard, which connects to an iPad using magnets, is thinner than previous models and adds a row of function keys. It also includes a larger trackpad with haptic feedback. The new Magic Keyboard for 11″ iPads retails for $299, while the model for 13″ iPads retails for $349.

The Apple Pencil Pro is an evolution of the existing Apple Pencil. Its party trick is that the pencil barrel becomes a control surface: squeeze it, and a sensor in the barrel with haptic feedback can be used to do things like open a tool palette. It also includes a gyroscope, so it’s possible to rotate the pencil to reorient the direction of a shape or brush. The Apple Pencil Pro works with iPad Pro and iPad Air and retails for $129.

Apple says all the new products announced today can be ordered immediately, with availability beginning next week.