Apple’s new iPad Pro comes with the M2 chip, Apple Pencil updates

Apple has unveiled the latest generations of the iPad Pro, “supercharged” by its M2 custom silicon. 

The new iPad Pro will have a higher performance due to the M2 chip and several new features such as a next-level Apple Pencil hover experience, ProRes video capture, Wi-Fi 6E, a four-speaker audio system and iPadOS 16, according to Apple. 

The iPad Pro will come in two different sizes, an 11-inch and a 12.9-inch model. 

The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799 for the Wi-Fi model and $999 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model while the the 12.9-inch version starts at $1,099 for the Wi-Fi model and $1,299 (US) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Pre-order is available today on the Apple site. 

“The next-generation iPad Pro pushes the boundaries of what’s possible on iPad, bringing even more versatility, power, and portability to the ultimate iPad experience,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing. 

The M2 chip was originally built for Mac computers and can be currently found in the latest MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The new iPads are the first devices beyond Mac computers to feature the M2. Earlier versions of the iPad, including the iPad Pro 2021 and the iPad Air 2022, feature the M1 — the first version of Apple’s custom ARM-based silicon. 

The new devices build on the iPad Pro 2021, which was released in April of last year. In addition to being the first iPad to feature the M1, that device featured an impressive mini LED display. 

A refresh of the iPad lineup should give the product segment a boost before the busy holiday shopping season. In Apple’s Q3, the iPad delivered $7.22 billion in revenue, down 2% year-over-year. The new devices follow Apple’s recent debut of the iPhone 14 lineup, as well as new Apple Watches and new AirPods.