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9.7-inch iPad Pro First Impressions: Major Improvement Over iPad Air 2, True Tone Display is Great
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Still think it'll make updating them a bit awkward. Trying to add new features to the iPad whilst still making it worse than the iPad Pro.
No, he means someone passionate about product design and customer experience, like Steve Jobs.
Looks like a nice device, and I'm glad people are happy with their purchase. But personally, I'll wait for the next 9.7" pro. I can't draw, so why would I get a pencil. But the keyboard looks handier than using the magic keyboard. I always use AirPlay/BT or headphones for sound. True tone = gimmick, focus on OLED Apple! Performance improvements are always welcome, but air2 is currently fast enough for me.
The things I'm waiting for are
- 3D Touch would be good to really call it a pro. Would be great for editing in excel&word, and gaming UI. And why no support for Magic Mouse in a pro model, but maybe this is more of a IOS thing.
- OLED display to get those blacks - watching movies when not being a pro.
But perhaps it is not technologically possible to get both?
Cheers
The things I'm waiting for are
- 3D Touch would be good to really call it a pro. Would be great for editing in excel&word, and gaming UI. And why no support for Magic Mouse in a pro model, but maybe this is more of a IOS thing.
- OLED display to get those blacks - watching movies when not being a pro.
But perhaps it is not technologically possible to get both?
Cheers
really? a hundred dollars changed your mind?
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Brand enthusiasts get a little testy when they can't afford to play.
I will love if there was an apple leather smart case for ipad pro 9,7 inch. I guess there are only a smart cover, at least by now. I have an iPad air and I' considering to buy an iPad Pro same size. iPad air don't have split view and that feature will be a great must for my use.
I actually like this article quoting forum users. Really nice idea.
Yeah, I was looking forward to upgrade my 64GB Air, but after pricing out a 128GB, with a pencil, case, apple care and tax (like i normally get), being over $1000, i'm thinking...ahh NO. (I like my 2015 macbook)
Try $900 in Australia and see how you feel, I went into the Apple Store yesterday and no one was looking at it, well except me of course.
Really like the pencil. True tone display is noticeably better. Wish I had it on my rMBP. 
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Me thinks the air's are done.
What was Jobs then if not a businessman? He certainly wasn't a computer scientist or an engineer. I suppose we could use a wank-word legend/visionary/guru but that makes him sounds like a cult leader.
Seriously, I don't get the Tim Cook hate. Wind back the clock and just as many people use to rant and moan about Jobs' pigheaded mistakes and penny-pinching.
I went to Bestbuy yesterday, traded in my iPad 4 and after a half hour of playing decided on the Air 2 with 64gb and save $100.00. Couldn't justify higher cost and less storage.
I tried one out in a store today next to an Air 2. Performance was indentical.
Can't understand what this "major improvement" is.
As the majority have already said, the only reason to buy is for Pencil support.
Can't understand what this "major improvement" is.
As the majority have already said, the only reason to buy is for Pencil support.
It's always interesting hearing which features people are "sold" on and which they don't really care about.
I'm using a 128GB Air 2 with LTE (T-Mobile) right now, and wasn't originally going to upgrade to the new Pro. (My wife got the larger iPad Pro already so I got to use it and play with the pencil a bit. I really liked how the pencil worked but just didn't care for the tablet being quite that big and heavy.)
With so much in the way of positive reviews of the 9.7" iPad Pro from users who had Air 2's though -- it's definitely tempting me to upgrade. I'm no artist either, but I like the idea of being able to scribble down notes instead of typing everything in. With the cheap rubber tipped pens I've got for my current iPad, that's really such a poor experience, I tend not to bother with it. The Apple pencil makes it much more like actually writing on a real notepad.
Unlike many people who commented here though, I don't care much at all about the improved speakers. I'm a bit surprised so many people actually use them? Whenever I observe people using iOS, I notice that typically, only kids or pre-teens can be found watching videos or playing games on them while using the built-in speakers. Everyone else has some kind of headphones or earbuds paired up with them so the whole world doesn't have to hear whatever they're listening to.
True-tone display actually interests me as a "cool idea of lesser importance". I don't think it's nearly as much a gimmick as the blue-shift thing in iOS for night-time use. At least it works automatically based on sensors designed for it.
I'm using a 128GB Air 2 with LTE (T-Mobile) right now, and wasn't originally going to upgrade to the new Pro. (My wife got the larger iPad Pro already so I got to use it and play with the pencil a bit. I really liked how the pencil worked but just didn't care for the tablet being quite that big and heavy.)
With so much in the way of positive reviews of the 9.7" iPad Pro from users who had Air 2's though -- it's definitely tempting me to upgrade. I'm no artist either, but I like the idea of being able to scribble down notes instead of typing everything in. With the cheap rubber tipped pens I've got for my current iPad, that's really such a poor experience, I tend not to bother with it. The Apple pencil makes it much more like actually writing on a real notepad.
Unlike many people who commented here though, I don't care much at all about the improved speakers. I'm a bit surprised so many people actually use them? Whenever I observe people using iOS, I notice that typically, only kids or pre-teens can be found watching videos or playing games on them while using the built-in speakers. Everyone else has some kind of headphones or earbuds paired up with them so the whole world doesn't have to hear whatever they're listening to.
True-tone display actually interests me as a "cool idea of lesser importance". I don't think it's nearly as much a gimmick as the blue-shift thing in iOS for night-time use. At least it works automatically based on sensors designed for it.
And better sound. And better camera. And better display/display technology.
I'll get the iPad Pro when they enable 3D touch. Seems to me that 3D touch would be a great addition with the Pencil because it'll enable extra shortcuts. Guess I'll be waiting until next year.
For me, it's all about the pencil. I've been waiting since the day I bought my first iPad 1 for the iPad to have a great pencil. When the 12.9" Pro came out I was sorely tempted, but the size was really off putting for me. So I waited. This is my 5th iPad, replacing my Air 2. We still have a 4 I've been keeping for the kids use. All the little improvements are appreciated, but there is no way I would have upgraded for those alone. But with the pencil this is the culmination of everything I've wanted the iPad to be from the beginning - a digital notebook that is excellent for both reading and writing. I've owned a couple of Surface devices in trying to follow that quest as well, and I can say for certain that this is the first device that really feels like it can completely replace pen and paper for me, even for jotting down quick notes.
All three of which are a combination of being a slight upgrade to the Air 2, barely noticeable, or barely used. Not worth upgrading from a Air 2 for, in my opinion.
Pencil support is the only big attraction for Air 2 owners, and that depends entirely on use case.
Performance is identical if you're using apps that don't need the extra performance; so you're not going to see a major difference in the UI, most simple apps, media consumption apps, and a bit of difference in the browser for those use usage.
If you don't need the extras, obviously you won't see a difference; buy an air 2.
For the 1 in 5 that need more, they'll buy the new one.
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Depends on what you're planning to use if for. That's what decides.
if you want to use it as a sort of light laptop replacement,
want to run better games, and use it as media creation tool, it is yes.
For media consumption and browsing, and casual gaming I'd say mostly no unless you hate the sound on the Air 2.
I'm assuming the next iPhone will have this too, and I'll do the same thing. I don't care if the blueish tint is hard on my eyes. It looks a lot nicer and cleaner.
We just want the early adopters to spend spend and spend.... so eventually on later revisions the price on this great tech comes down ;-)
I'm also sitting this one out because I only use the iPad Air 2 for reading PDFs, safari and occasional movie. Ive tried out the iPad Pro 9.7 but I already have a surface pro 4 so when I'm doing work that requires any drawing I have it with me most of the time. My writing is generally bad too, so I prefer to type than write.
One thing I did find surprising is, when I had the Ipad Pro 9.7 and 12.9 side by side, I loved the spaciousness of the 12.9s keyboard and screen. But I already have a Retina Macbook that does more of what I need on that size of a device... but Im really tempted.
I may go for the larger 12.9 Pro in the future! I was actually really impressed this time around and would be great for it to get true tone (Possibly Fall 2016! lol)
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I think this is a very personal preference. Some will like it and some won't and you can't say one is better than the other for others. At least there is an option to turn it of, and likewise with night shift
[doublepost=1459564716][/doublepost]I do like apple hardware and own a lot of apple products! but only apple can release a new iPhone with an old design and release an iPad with accessories that cost an extra 250 dollars for a pen and keyboard and come away with only praise. Microsoft gets attacked for selling a surface pro 4 keyboard and its actually a lot cheaper and has a touchpad for a fuller laptop replacement device! I find it hilarious.
Before the iPad pros were released an apple store employee told me it was tiring to use the touch screen on a 2 in 1 tablet like the surface pro because it was not ergonomic to raise hand further than a trackpad (I was buying my retina macbook at the time). Now the exact same person said its so amazing and natural to have the touchscreen on the iPad Pro hahaha
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