Hands-On With a Next-Generation iPad Pro Dummy

[konqerror]

This is super niche. How many customers like that you will have? 100 globally?

Autodesk has 4 separate iOS BIM apps, 4 separate 3D CAD/PLM apps, 2 architectural planning apps, and a 3D scanning app. So all of the applications I said are significant business for at least one company.

Apple had parts of the iPad certified for airline cockpit use. How many airline pilots are there? Super niche right?

The iPad is Apple's line-of-business platform. It exists largely because of "super niche".

 

[iZac]

If in fact true, my first thought: Ever try typing on a teeter totter? What would compensate the rocking effect. Should be interesting to see how it plays out. Anyone have some popcorn?

... I don't think popcorn would do very well compensating for the rocking effect, it's just too spongy.

/sarcasm

do people type on their iPad while its flat on a table?

I personally use my 12.9" Gen 2 every day at work as a sketch pad in front of my keyboard. As such it lays flat, where I often type on it. but to your point, I do have a Smart Cover on the front which when folded open does cushion the projected camera somewhat. The thing still has a slight bend on it though, because it spends all day with my wrist pressed against the screen - that camera bulge is a pivot point.

 

[BigDO]

I wonder what has to have gone wrong in someone's life to result in using an iPad as a camera.

 

[Kal-037]

If its thicker and stronger then the current one, then its a purchase for me. I dont need it to be indestructible, just strong enough for day to day use!

Honestly, I still don’t get this complaint... how many bends have occurred after the first batch of iPads?
I have seen none and asked if any co-workers saw or returned any of the iPad pros to Best Buy for THAT issue.
*Just FYI to everyone... when Apple acknowledges (or tweets about an issue and gives a weird reason to explain it being normal)... they do so then fix the “issue” behind the scenes.

On this site we have people looking, expecting, and obsessing for and over perfection of Apple devices (much more than not) so much more problems are reported rather than just a device not being 110% perfect.
THAT and it’s also a vacuum of people unhappy that hear #bendgate and start worrying too. Honestly it’s like a hypochondriac effect where folks hear about an issue a handful or few people found or perhaps did by accident and immediately start looking for issues.

I’m not saying everyone who has reported problems is not legitimate... Of course iPads can come bent/warped or certain models could have had bad QC or the aluminum and glass materials didn’t mix right so they were weaker than they should’ve been,
but on a scale of “over reacting” (1= “not bad at all”... and 10= “whoa too much time on folks hands”) I think people overreacted and over analyzed a good 13 out of 10.

All iPads after Air 1 bent like butter, and the slimmer they got, the easier it was. BUT... not by much, 2mm doesn’t really make the biggest difference or help immensely.

***BACK ON TOPIC... SORRY!

I don’t know what to trust here in regards to that stupid camera design... I only want the FaceTime camera improved, the RAM, Display, WiFi, and regular things added... oh and Dolby Atmos and brighter/more HDR or Dolby Vision support for movies would be cool, I mean... I’d maybe/possibly upgrade for a MacPro Mini LED XDR display, WiFi 6, and 6-8GB of RAM... But at the same time the current iPad is still a beast with RAM, CPU, and display (its the king of displays besides laptops with 4K) but ProMotion makes up for that big time.
Back to the weird cameras... they are completely useless and unnecessary for the iPad, IMO. The iPhone 6s-Xr used AR incredibly without extra lenses, (the iPad Pro 3 uses the same camera as the iPhone Xr,) so why would we need 3 lenses? Also to whomever reported this story... I don’t believe Ming Chi Kuo ever said an iPad Pro update was for sure coming this year. He said 2020 with late 2019 being a time they start manufacturing iPads. Just FYI, but I may be wrong. 👍👌✌️😊

Long post over. 😬

 

[EugW]

The camera bump doesn’t bother me in the least. I NEVER use the iPad while it sits flat on a table.

Also to whomever reported this story... I don’t believe Ming Chi Kuo ever said an iPad Pro update was for sure coming this year. He said 2020 with late 2019 being a time they start manufacturing iPads.

While what you say is almost true* about what Ming-Chi Kuo stated, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Debby Wu specifically reported that the new iPad Pros are arriving in 2019.

Bloomberg says new iPad Pros are coming in 2019

*Ming-Chi Kuo didn’t say 2020 arrival with late 2019 manufacturing. He said late 2019 or early 2020 manufacturing. He didn’t provide an arrival date.

 

[Rob_2811]

Apple proving that the iPad definitely isn't just a big iPhone by adding some new features (from the iPhone)

 

[Abazigal]

I wonder what has to have gone wrong in someone's life to result in using an iPad as a camera.

You people seriously need more imagination.

I could be typing / writing notes in notability, then use the camera to take a photo to insert directly when it's too much information to summarise.

Have you never seen kids use apps like flip grid to record themselves speaking? Or record oneself performing a task that you can then edit directly in iMovie or lumafusion without having to transfer files around?

Tons of use cases all around that make effective use of a powerful camera in a tablet.

 

[Rob_2811]

You people seriously need more imagination.

I could be typing / writing notes in notability, then use the camera to take a photo to insert directly when it's too much information to summarise.

Have you never seen kids use apps like flip grid to record themselves speaking? Or record oneself performing a task that you can then edit directly in iMovie or lumafusion without having to transfer files around?

Tons of use cases all around that make effective use of a powerful camera in a tablet.

I think Apple needs some imagination.

How about some better I/O or a better keyboard solution these things would improve the iPad Pro as a productivity device much more than sticking the iPhone camera on to it.

 

[EugW]

I think Apple needs some imagination.

How about some better I/O or a better keyboard solution these things would improve the iPad Pro as a productivity device much more than sticking the iPhone camera on to it.

The Apple Smart Keyboard Folio is the best keyboard solution out there IMO. It's great. Very good keyboard feel, and we don't have to deal with the weight, bulk, and hassle of Bluetooth keyboards. It's also one of the few for the 11" model that actually has proper full-sized key spacing.

To make it even greater would be to add a backlight.

 

[Abazigal]

I think Apple needs some imagination.

How about some better I/O or a better keyboard solution these things would improve the iPad Pro as a productivity device much more than sticking the iPhone camera on to it.

The iPad now has usb-c output, which lets you connect drives and other peripherals. The Smart Keyboard works great (per my experience at least), and you can always connect your own physical keyboards. Heck, even mouse support is there if you need it.

The iPad, like the iPhone, is classic Apple design at work - strip away everything deemed not absolutely required in the design. Apple is about minimalism and purity in hardware design. I think people underestimate the almighty single slab of glass - which I find is a very powerful design. It offers simplicity, accessibility, ease of use, intuitiveness, durability - the list of benefits go on and on. It's no wonder that companies who want to deviate from this design are engineering-led companies. They simply don’t understand design. A folding phone (and to some extent, a tablet) is bad design and no amount of engineering can change that.

 

[Rob_2811]

The iPad now has usb-c output, which lets you connect drives and other peripherals. The Smart Keyboard works great (per my experience at least), and you can always connect your own physical keyboards. Heck, even mouse support is there if you need it.

The iPad, like the iPhone, is classic Apple design at work - strip away everything deemed not absolutely required in the design. Apple is about minimalism and purity in hardware design. I think people underestimate the almighty single slab of glass - which I find is a very powerful design. It offers simplicity, accessibility, ease of use, intuitiveness, durability - the list of benefits go on and on. It's no wonder that companies who want to deviate from this design are engineering-led companies. They simply don’t understand design. A folding phone (and to some extent, a tablet) is bad design and no amount of engineering can change that.

And you can bet any money that you like that Apple will release one.

 

[Kal-037]

The camera bump doesn’t bother me in the least. I NEVER use the iPad while it sits flat on a table.


While what you say is almost true* about what Ming-Chi Kuo stated, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Debby Wu specifically reported that the new iPad Pros are arriving in 2019.

Bloomberg says new iPad Pros are coming in 2019

*Ming-Chi Kuo didn’t say 2020 arrival with late 2019 manufacturing. He said late 2019 or early 2020 manufacturing. He didn’t provide an arrival date.

Yeah I agree, the way I read it was maybe not accurate... I assumed he meant “manufacturing in late 2019 with 2020 release”. At least that’s what I took out of it anyway, because he didn’t really say “in stone” that next iPad pros In 2019. 🤷‍♂️As for the other proven and trustworthy sources... this still seems odd with the timing and design.
But hey, I’ve been wrong many times before. 😂😉✌
I just wonder what the big changes will actually be... like maybe a 4K or som higher res. Super Retina XDR display, A13X chip with more cores and power, more PPI, different aluminum, and using iPhone 11 Pro grade glass?
🤔

 

[Abazigal]

And you can bet any money that you like that Apple will release one.

Perhaps. We will see.

 

[jjudson]

That argument makes no sense whatsoever.

Basically, you're using photo print size as an argument against improved digital imaging. Uh what?

The world has long since moved on from photo prints as the sole target of digital imaging. Plus, even if we were going to argue from that odd perspective, your argument makes the common mistakes of assuming camera sensor pixels are real RGB pixels and that everyone’s photos are always perfectly framed so that cropping is never necessary.

My argument is this: Why do we need improved digital imaging on a device that isn't really used for enhanced digital imaging? Again, the main uses of the camera for these devices are document scanning. The tiny number of "photographers" using this device don't really justify the pricing bump that this new camera will put on the unit -- or the size of the bump necessary.

 

[EugW]

Yeah I agree, the way I read it was maybe not accurate... I assumed he meant “manufacturing in late 2019 with 2020 release *that’s what I took out of it anyway, because he didn’t really say “in stone” that next iPad pros In 2019. 🤷‍♂️As for the other proven and trustworthy sources... this still seems odd with the timing and design.
But hey, I’ve been wrong many times before. 😂😉✌

Why would it be odd? It would be a year after last year's models.

You should also remember that Ming-Chi Kuo's prediction was made in the spring of 2019.

New iPad Pro models with better antenna tech on the way for 2020, with 5G in 2021 says Ming-Chi Kuo | AppleInsider

Apple will be using an "LCP Soft Board" in its next generation of iPad Pro models, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, the first time the company will be using the technology in the product line, one that could potentially help improve the tablet's wireless communications and set it up for the...

appleinsider.com

Bloomberg's Gurman/Wu prediction was published just 6 weeks ago.

I just wonder what the big changes will actually be... like maybe a 4K or som higher res. Super Retina XDR display, A13X chip with more cores and power, more PPI, different aluminum, and using iPhone 11 Pro grade glass?
🤔

This won't be advertised by Apple, but I think 6 GB RAM across the board is almost a lock, as in a 90% chance this will happen. That would represent a whopping 50% increase in RAM over the 2018 base models.

Resolution won't change. PPI won't change. I don't think the aluminum will change either, although I suppose it could get a minor tweak. It's possible the shell could see a slight change though, in terms of internal locations of reinforcement.

BTW, while Ming-Chi Kuo's iPad Pro prediction mentioned dates, it seemed more focused on Apple's choice to use an "Liquid Crystal Polymer Soft Board", supposedly to help in the way the cellular antenna is implemented. LCP Soft Boards are supposedly going to be used in 5G iPhones and iPads, but the 2019 iPad Pro would implement LCP Soft Boards as a test run, without 5G.

My argument is this: Why do we need improved digital imaging on a device that isn't really used for enhanced digital imaging? Again, the main uses of the camera for these devices are document scanning. The tiny number of "photographers" using this device don't really justify the pricing bump that this new camera will put on the unit -- or the size of the bump necessary.

Companies have rented out my house for TV commercial video shoots. I guess you'd be surprised just how often location scouts and production designers etc. use their iPads to take pictures of the place.

I also get the impression that some in the industry want to use them more for simple video capture, mainly because of the screen size. Lots recently have used the iPhone, but the iPhone's screen is simply too small.

In the end though, as mentioned before, I think people are focused far too much on the camera in this new iPad Pro. I agree many people don't use iPad cameras much, but that hasn't stopped Apple before from putting better cameras in their iPad Pros than their consumer iPads, because there are people who do actually use it. As mentioned, the 2018 iPad Pro has the same camera setup as XR, which is a decent camera system. My 2017 iPad Pro 10.5" has a vastly superior camera vs the 2017 iPad 9.7". The triple camera setup as rumoured for the 2019 would change things up a bit, but it's not totally out of character. It's just an evolution of what they've already been doing with the Pros. However, it's just one of several features, and one of those features I'm predicting won't even be advertised actually, and that is the 6 GB RAM.

 

[diddl14]

Doesn’t make any sense. A bumpless design would be worth an upgrade.

 

[EugW]

Doesn’t make any sense. A bumpless design would be worth an upgrade.

I'd take a camera bump over a crappy bumpless camera any day. The cameras on the iPads with no camera bump are horrible.

 

[EugW]

Base 6 GB RAM: 90% chance
Upgraded SoC: 90% chance
New camera: 90% chance
Triple lens camera: 75% chance
Base 128 GB storage: 60% chance
USB4: 10% chance
Backlit keyboard: 10% chance

Oh, I almost forgot: The new iPad Pros will undoubtedly get Dolby Atmos support, and it would work better on the iPad Pros than the iPhones, since the iPad Pros have quad speakers.

 

[Alan Wynn]

Got a question. I do not 100% why there is a need for advanced cameras on an iPad? i like iPad and always had one. Front camera I undestand, but who will carry a 12 inch iPad for photography purposes? I never had a need for a camera on an iPad other than front for video calls

Lots of people use it that way, many of them older (the larger screen makes framing/focusing easier).

 

[Bonte]

This is the model i'm waiting for, less bending, better camera. We use the iPad as a camera almost every day as it has a great viewfinder and it's just the device laying around for the whole family to use. It would also be the best device for augmented reality because of its bigger size.

Bring it on Apple, i'm waiting.

 

[Kal-037]

Why would it be odd? It would be a year after last year's models.

You should also remember that Ming-Chi Kuo's prediction was made in the spring of 2019.

New iPad Pro models with better antenna tech on the way for 2020, with 5G in 2021 says Ming-Chi Kuo | AppleInsider

Apple will be using an "LCP Soft Board" in its next generation of iPad Pro models, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, the first time the company will be using the technology in the product line, one that could potentially help improve the tablet's wireless communications and set it up for the...

appleinsider.com

That’s part of my issue... Apple for 4 years did 1 1/2 to 2 year updates. Why suddenly stop that just for triple camera?
When Kyoto made the first prediction doesn’t mean that much to me because he’s said stuff long before stuff came out before and it happened. From his posts or notes he doesn’t seem to believe 110% there will be another upgrade.
I know you want one, but the 2018 iPad is already years ahead in speed and power compared to other computer/tablets.
Are you bugged by some of the bending of a few iPads?
**Unless Apple does a new display tech, I don’t know what they can add to the current pro besides mini or micro led.

 

[EugW]

That’s part of my issue... Apple for 4 years did 1 1/2 to 2 year updates.

No they didn't.

Small iPad Pro:
2016-03-31
2017-06-13 (14.5 months)
2018-11-07 (17 months)

Large iPad Pro
2015-11-11
2017-06-13 (19 months)
2018-11-07 (17 months)

The range is 14.5-19 months, not 18-24 months as you claim.

Why suddenly stop that just for triple camera?

As I've mentioned several times already, it would not just be for the triple-lens camera.

Plus iPadOS was just released, and the big apps have been getting releases this year, not the least of which is Photoshop, which will likely be released in November.

When Kyoto made the first prediction doesn’t mean that much to me because he’s said stuff long before stuff came out before and it happened. From his posts or notes he doesn’t seem to believe 110% there will be another upgrade.
I know you want one, but the 2018 iPad is already years ahead in speed and power compared to other computer/tablets.
Are you bugged by some of the bending of a few iPads?
**Unless Apple does a new display tech, I don’t know what they can add to the current pro besides mini or micro led.

The iPad Pro is long overdue for a memory upgrade. They've been 4 GB for 4 years now (aside from the 1 TB 2018 model). No way I'm paying for a premium priced iPad Pro with 4 GB now. 4 GB is only 1 GB more than the entry level $299/$329 iPad. I did get the 4 GB 2017 iPad Pro this year, but that's because I got it for less money than even the 3 GB iPad Air. Six months ago I got the 10.5" iPad Pro for CAD$619, which is only US$465 at current exchange rates.

I would be quite surprised if the 4th generation iPad Pro doesn't get 6 GB across the board.

 

[yegon]

Peoples mileage varies, but I’ve bunged my 11” iPP into my work bag 4 days a week since it launched, still not bent. It’s in the ASK, a leather sleeve and in the padded, vertical laptop compartment in my bag.

 

[Williesleg]

Ha ha whoopsie! I thought they were referring to Tim Apple, the real IPad Pro dummy!

 

[DoctorTech]

God, I hope not. What a waste. How many freakin' filmmakers are there using iPads to even justify the complexity, size, and cost bump of such an addition?

It makes fun commercials for Apple to distribute, I suppose, but except for the tiny, tiny fraction of folks using these things, it would be a costly waste for the rest.

I'm not saying your wrong -- it's certainly Apple's style to do something like this -- but I hope this isn't the case.

I agree, I also hope I am wrong. I have never been convinced the rumor about a triple camera module in an iPad is true but if it is, I really can't think of any other reason for it than film making which has to be a tiny percentage of iPad Pro users. I could see more justification for a time of flight camera for augmented reality but I really can't imagine that many people need an iPad with the greatest camera technology Apple has to offer.